JCtx

Hi gang. Just got my '12 manual GS 4LT CE, and can't install the EE catch can I ordered prior to car's arrival; there's a huge plastic baffle attached to the intake filling all that space. Am I the first one to have this issue? Emailed EE and they sent me a picture of the correct installation (with the aluminum spacer my order included), but my car looks nothing like that one. Attached are Elite Engineering's photo (first) and the one on my car (second). With valve cover installed, there's 1/8" of clearance between those 2 parts; there's no space anymore, and nothing looks the same.

I want to install a catch can on my car (that's why I ordered it before car arrived), so I'm open to all suggestions. If this unit cannot be installed, please suggest other alternatives. Hope EE or Corvettes of Dallas refunds my money if they don't provide the proper hardware. And no, I don't plan to ever install an aftermarket air filter, so altering the intake is not an option for me. Thanks.

marc8090

The silencer on the intake has been there since the LS3 came out in 2008. No, you are not the first to encounter this issue when installing a catch can. Did you try a search? It has been covered many times. You either have to get creative mounting the catch can to clear the silencer or switch the intake. I know you said that is not an option, but, many people use an LS7 factory intake (basically it's an LS3 intake without the silencer). That will give you plenty of room to mount the catch can.

boraxman

gsflyer2011

Observation. The pictures you have posted are the ones EE sent you?. If so this LS3 WITHOUT the dry sump system and the plumbing is entirely different on dry sump LS3's.

I also contemplated getting one, after reading EE;s installation manuals (which were showing LS3's with conventional oiling systems) I emailed them and asked about my set up and their response was that they were not familiar with it. (?). Mind you that was about 10 months ago.

Looking at the systematics of the dry sump system in my shop manual I deemed that My 11 GS with dry sump system does not need one of these catch cans as the dirty air (blow by) is sucked back into the dry sump oil canister below the right fender and separated there rather than being sucked into valve covers or the intake track (2 hoses on the top come in to the canister, fresh air and blow by). Do not forget, that is also one of the benefits of the dry sump system, it also separates the air from the oil and engine is always fed with filtered non-aerated cool oil (after the oil cooler). I could be wrong, if anyone knows for sure that this is not the case, please let us know.

I presume it is lot easier to return the EE, and much cheaper?

1Corvette

Easy solution. Purchase longer hoses and set your new catch can between the battery and fuse box. Mine has been sitting there for over a year and 7000+ miles with no problem. The longer hoses also make emptying the catch can very easy and painless. Just lift it up, unscrew container, drain contents, reverse and you are done. Congrats on the new car!

Bill Dearborn

Or you can do like I do and not use a catch can. I have never seen any positive results documented on the use of the catch can. Yes, people collect oil in it that might have gone into the intake but I have been running LS engines on the track for 15 years and have never noticed an issue due to oil being sucked into the intake. It is sort of a "So What?" Show me proof.

Bill

1Corvette

Bill, I have to agree with you on this one, in a way. A couple of times, there had been an odor of burning oil. I didn't really believe the posts with pictures of oil pooled in the intake until I looked inside mine. I just didn't like this and opted to install a catch can. I soaked up a couple of rags cleaning up the intake. A couple of months later, I looked inside the intake and it was dry. May not do much for HP, but it makes me feel better and I don't mind emptying the can every couple of weeks when I check the oil.

MisterMidlifeCrisis

I do the same. I took a strip of mild steel and bent it into a "U" shape, and mounted it using a bolt on the hood catch.

The longer hose allows the flow to cool, which helps precipitate out the oil and dirty water.

JCtx

Yep, sent by EE. And the plumbing is different indeed. Also took a closer look at the 'U' hose to be replaced, and the car and hose have special fittings. So I wouldn't even be able to use the supplied hoses, plus looks like a special tool is needed to remove them.

Looks like they're still not.

My only concern is the same 'U' type connecting hose (although with special fittings, as mentioned) from the engine to the intake is still present. I see a metal line further away from the intake but close to the 'U' hose location that could be the one you described, and therefore reduce (or maybe eliminate?) oil ingestion into the intake. Hey, could you take a closer look at your manual and investigate? A more viable option would be to cancel that 'U' hose if not really needed, that might be there just because other LS engines have it; who knows. But at any rate, I'm not going to spend even more money to buy another freaking intake just for that, and certainly not going to mess with the special fittings, which are a permanent part of the intake in our cars. And finally, it's questionable dry-sump engines even need a can, as you eluded.

Hope either Corvettes of Dallas or EE takes it back since it certainly CANNOT be used without at least intake modifications that are not disclosed anywhere by neither party. Even though I'm a long time EE catch can customer, I did research this issue to see if GM solved the badly designed PCV valves, and the consensus was it was still needed, although not one person mentioned the intake modification needed . To be honest, didn't find any specific comments on dry-sump engines, but didn't think they'd be any different as far as that. And at least the fittings are. Lesson learned. Hope all vendors disclose the intake modification needed on LS3s to make more informed decisions, since there's an extra expense needed PLUS added intake noise (which I don't personally like).

Will keep the gang posted on my return experience. Thank you to all who posted positive comments; enjoy your weekend.

JCtx

Hey gang, another question since I just noticed something: On the EE picture on my first post, the hose that connects to the intake is not where I've always connected them, which is just bypassing the short 'U' shaped little hose under the valve cover. And my car still has that hose, although with special fittings. Could it be that the reason? But how about the lower connection? That's the PCV valve, and we'd need to connect there for sure, leaving the other end of the hose open (or maybe plugged?). And if you have the special fittings, you'd have to deal with them anyway. Finally, the instructions don't specify that connection.

I'm probably going to leave my car alone unless I find a suitable catch can installed on a dry-sump GS the proper way, and with instructions how to deal with the fittings. A very nice forum member is going to provide some pictures of a AMW model, but don't know if he has a dry-sump GS or not; looking forward to that. Have a great weekend.

rmedina

Just buy an used zo6 intake and be done with it..

MikeyTX

gsflyer2011

Curiosity kills the cat!, after my reply and your IM, I went back into the shop manual. The schematics are too simple, wording is misleading (it is contradicted somewhere else) and I finally found a page that explains Crankcase ventilation systems on LS3, LS7 and LS9. LS9 is completely different because of the super charger, no mention of dry sump on LS3, it talks about conventional PCV system where the crankcase blow by is sucked right into the engine induction.

I am presuming mine is like the LS7. ( I need to check it visually one of these days)

I am partially correct on my first response to ELP_JC

First of all they no longer use traditional PCV valves (therefore I could not find any) It is now called a PCV flow metering device something with a fixed orifice but responds to vacuum.

OK, on LS7, it uses an integral PCV system which is located in the valley cover beneath the intake manifold. (where some of the oil is also separated form the blow by exhaust gases) This area contains composite oil separating baffles and PCV plumbing. Filtered air (after filter, before the throttle body) is routed to oil tank (Dry sump tank) where it is mixed with the crankcase gases (I was right, some gases and most oil are sucked into the tank with the circulating oil) than passed to both valve covers (note, not the intake!). Oil is also separated there. The remaining blowby are routed form form the valley cover through fixed orifice (2.5 MM) within a steel PCV tube then through a formed nylon hose before entering the intake manifold just behind the throttle body.

So may take on it, It looks like a good system, far superior to conventional PCV system, I will invest my money on something else.

JCtx

Same here. And thanks for the research . And it's not only the Z06 intake folks; also the connections (can't just use a hose on our cars). Not worth the headache. And since I don't plan to track my car, plus our cars seem to have an even better system than regular LS3s, am not worried about oil ingestion anymore. And even if it's a little, port injection (fuel mixed with air) takes care of that .

Thank you all for your comments and help. Only issue remaining is how EE and/or Corvettes of Dallas want to fix the problem. Will keep you posted. Hope to hear from them tomorrow (Monday).

MikeyTX

This whole incident kind of puts a sour taste in ones mouth. It shows a lack of product knowledge on the part of the vendors selling these. Either they aren't aware of what these fit and don't fit it or, don't care.

carpe dm

Pull off the "silencer", plug hole.

MikeyTX

That has been tried with almost disastrous results. The "plug" was found lodged against the MAF. Care to guess where it would have gone if it hadn't ?

okie08vette

I would just reposition the catch can to a different location, the mounting hardward will work just about any place in the eng compartment. As for the hose's they do have a different type clamp and a accordian style hose but they come right off and can be replaced with standard rubber hose and clamps with no ill effect on the eng or catch can. With the EE can just make sure you can unscrew it and have enought room to drop the bottom part down a inch so it can be remove and emptied. This is a pretty simple and easy mod. You may be able to mount it in the orginal spot just lower it so the it is kind of below the intake resonator.
Remember you can always get a Varaman Snake Charmer intake then the catch can fits real easy, which is a pretty nice mod to do in any case.

JCtx

My money is on the latter . Didn't hear from EE or Corvettes of Dallas. EE probably doesn't remember, but I introduced them to the GTO forum, where they sold tons of catch cans. And this was my THIRD catch can from them. Nice payback. If they were honest, they'd take a can back when a buyer is required to spend additional money on other parts not disclosed and not willing to do that. AND disclose it to avoid the same situation. Baffle was added since 2008; take a guess if they know or not .

Not that I'm going to do that, but just curious what you're talking about .

The EE can is meant to be mounted on the supplied bracket, which cannot be used with the baffle in place. Mounted any other way would look like crap. For that kind of mounting, I'd need the AMW can, and mount it on the baffle itself, like another forum member did. But as I said, dry-sump engines seem to be much better ventilated than regular LS3s, so I'm going to leave it alone. Plus the lines seem to have metal tabs where the fittings are twisted and secured somehow. I'd have to break those off, which I'm not going to do that. But even if I could use the hoses, I'm not interested anymore with this engine. If it was the regular LS3, I'd definitely find a way to install one. Thanks again to all .

MikeyTX

I'm sure the supplier is well aware of the issue. They have your money ........... Nuff said. As for the plug issue, several on here tried to remove the sound chamber and plug the hole. The person that suggested you do that never bothered to read the related threads. All I can say is ............. Don't do it. It is there for a reason on the LS3 and not there on the LS7. I speak from actual experience. I tried the LS7 intake swap for 6 months. Did it right after I bought the car this past Aug. Not impressed unless you want more noise intrusion under acceleration from the engine compartment. No thanks. I'd sooner listen to my NPP wide open. I have the M2W.