PCV valves? GM design nightmare!

[Wpolonavyguy]

I'm finding out my PCV hoses are vaccumeing oil straight out lifter splashing into air intake systems.
Anyone else pissed GM hasn't recalled these engines with big design flaw like this!  I'm buying oil catch canisters to help keep oil out of intake system. I shouldn't have to purchase these to prevent problems.
Anyway hoping to inspire as many owners to follow me and install catch canisters in vaccume pcv lines.
I see articles stating driver's side head has vent inline with a rocker arm, new heads hole moved and flared to help prevent as much oil sucked in. 
Passenger side pcv vent is much worse with nothing blocking suction of oil splashing off rocker arm.

 

[EXT4ME]

There is an updated valve cover that will help with oil consumption on the second generation Avalanche engines.

You may want to see if your valve covers were ever changed out for the new, undated design before you invest in a oil catch can.

Over the years, many others have reported good reduction in oil consumption after installing the new, updated valve cover.

If it were me, I would start there.

You can still install an oil catch can, if you want.

Have a look in this forum section for my recent experience with an oil catch can.

Best of luck with your repair.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

Updated valve cover isn't on my avalanche unfortunately previous owners didn't care or know.  I plan to see if both sides have new better designed valve covers when $ allows and I get time to do the replacements.
Was much cheaper to purchase the oil catch filters for in between valves & intake manifold vaccume.
Suction in oil valves not smart lol.
Anyway while installing catch filters I removed the maf sensor and that was saturated with oil as well  . Cleaned it up and reused until new one arrives by mail.
Would like to remove air intake manifold and clean out as sure has alot oil residue everywhere but too much time to do + hate to cause something else to go wrong like seals. 
So probably will run few cans of seafoam or another spray in intake cleaner and hope stays cleaner now catch filters in use.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

Just update pcv lines doing OK, I added oil catch cans along with the updated valve cover drivers side. Drivers side catch can blue filling more than other side probably higher vacuum pressure closer plug on manifold.
Pictures of oil caught, any idea on color? I'm thinking it's oil & fuel vapor mixture in catch cans. They definitely help keep less oil from burning through engine.

 

[20streetrod06]

that color makes me think that coolant has mixed with your oil.

 

[EXT4ME]

Passenger side is the fresh air intake into the crankcase from behind the throttle body.

Not near as much nasty air coming from that location.

Driver's side is foul air coming from the crankcase by way of the driver's side valve cover.

Much dirtier air from that location and is the proper location to mount the catch can.

When I mounted my catch can to the drivers side, I caught a lot of fluid similar to that you are showing.







The cause of all of that fluid I caught was a tiny crack in the driver's side head that would allow coolant, when the system was under pressure, to seep down from the rocker arm area into the crankcase and mix with the engine oil.

You may want to pull of the valve covers, especially on the driver side, and see if you find what I found.



When that "snot" works it's way down into the crankcase, it mixes with the engine oil and forms a shiny black gelatinous goo that settles in the bottom of the oil pan sump and in the oil filter.







Maybe you will be luckier than me and that is not coolant.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Ripspeed]

Updated valve cover isn't on my avalanche unfortunately previous owners didn't care or know. I plan to see if both sides have new better designed valve covers when $ allows and I get time to do the replacements.
Was much cheaper to purchase the oil catch filters for in between valves & intake manifold vaccume.
Suction in oil valves not smart lol.
Anyway while installing catch filters I removed the maf sensor and that was saturated with oil as well . Cleaned it up and reused until new one arrives by mail.
Would like to remove air intake manifold and clean out as sure has alot oil residue everywhere but too much time to do + hate to cause something else to go wrong like seals.
So probably will run few cans of seafoam or another spray in intake cleaner and hope stays cleaner now catch filters in use.

Replace your spark plugs as well. They will have burned oil deposits on them. At least mine did.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

I did replace spark plugs wires & added braided sleeves to shield heat as I removed the exaust shields bolts kept sticking & breaking off. Just did oil change & used inspection camera to look inside pan luckily still clean .
I think it's fuel vapor, smells like gas mixing in.
I may have a vacuum leak somewhere, tiny abs traction control not liking when stopping 10mph to 1mph. Intermittent so not going to be fun finding.
Thinking could be dumb throttle body again, they don't like cleaning & if move flap with fingers when cleaning I believe screws it up.
Hopefully last trouble 4 a while almost all new parts by now & many I switched due to bad ground wires so saved many sensors.
I cleaned heads & checked cylinder delete panel many bolts were loose. I posted pictures from that tear down other thread.
Trying to keep watching so no larger problems develop

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

So it's looking like rich mix both banks, setting off abs/traction control warning.
Stinking algorithm not working to set correctly alcohol content in fuel.
Gotta borrow brother inlaw odb2 reader & hope his allows reset fuel learning.
My cheapest harbor freight reader only shows engine light codes. Like p0175 & 172.
Oil leaking out crankshaft position sensor again, will check into new one again. Or see if oring can seal if re seated.
Dang ecu on 07-13 not fun troubleshooting.

 

[Ripspeed]

So it's looking like rich mix both banks, setting off abs/traction control warning.
Stinking algorithm not working to set correctly alcohol content in fuel.
Gotta borrow brother inlaw odb2 reader & hope his allows reset fuel learning.
My cheapest harbor freight reader only shows engine light codes. Like p0175 & 172.
Oil leaking out crankshaft position sensor again, will check into new one again. Or see if oring can seal if re seated.
Dang ecu on 07-13 not fun troubleshooting.

I just went through this on my 2009 a y and it ended up being intake gaskets. Computer is compensating for lean condition so it goes crazy. Says it’s running e85 and dumps as much fuel as it can. We smoke tested mine to figure out that it was intake issue.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

I just went through this on my 2009 a y and it ended up being intake gaskets. Computer is compensating for lean condition so it goes crazy. Says it’s running e85 and dumps as much fuel as it can. We smoke tested mine to figure out that it was intake issue.

Yes luckily my brother inlaw, lent me his odb2 scanner that is better than my cheap one. Live data showed fuel trims changing a mechanic friend said small leak. I found it luckily, crack in gas tank vent hose from lifting it with hose connected. I went to get used from junkyard but someone smashed that same hose much worse than mine .
Unfortunately I'll have to buy new.
Patched mine enough to fix leak temporarily.
And I'm thinking someone messed with tailgate at pick a part , lock wouldn't work & see somehow a person removed x2 screws hold servo closed....

Guessing tailgate not as safe locked as I thought. Maybe I'll fix if possible or order new & strip screws & hose clamp closed.
It's idling better & driving great, only I'm waiting to see better scanner has trouble codes & other codes Other codes show ECU communication problems with everything hi & low voltages hi & low resistances list was unbelievable?
I cleared & will rescan in few days see if I gotta go get ECU professional testing that I won't just buy new one if I don't have to.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

New Intake manifold gasket was leaking , caused all kinds of dumb poop & codes had nothing to do with the actual problem.
I got lucky & decided to use gasket non hardening sealant with new manifold gasket. That got my avalanche to quit acting up & throwing misc codes.
I'm debating pluging the driver side manifold pcv opening.
I'm curious if I run both pcv hoses to the vacuum opening on passenger side will still function just suction less oil out.
Catch can drive side still filling much more than passenger catch can.
Oil color stays normal now that fixed manifold air leak, not getting fuel to mix catch cans with oil

 

[EXT4ME]

Passenger side rocker arm cover port is the PCV fresh air intake for the crankcase ventilation.

Fresh air enters the engine crankcase from there.

An oil catch can not needed there.

It won't do much, but it won't hurt anything either.

Any oil you catch in this catch can is being drawn from the engine intake and was deposited there from the driver's side PCV port.

Driver's side rocker arm cover port is the PCV vacuum output port to evacuate the crankcase gases toward the port on the intake manifold.

This is where the oil catch can is installed.

You are seeing the expected results for each oil catch can.

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

Decided to leave it alone catch can on both sides, & updated drivers valve cover.
Almost have it squared away, it's throwing Ritch mix both banks and ebcm invalid serial data.
I'm thinking the transmission solenoids are sticking somewhere. All solenoids new and wiring I didn't remove block to check bearings & springs.
Really kicking myself for not going that much further when I had opened transmission.
Can't decide if I want to try myself or have a shop open it & check for sticking

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

So cheap Amazon charcoal canister plastic isn't quality. A connection port was too large to fit connector I had to sand it until could push on without breaking hose connection.
Appearantly it's now shrunk. The connector is loose, ill have to use a sealant &or new one ring try air seal.
I could put original charcoal canister back on since it wasn't bad.
I'm hating the evap system, seems like that is consistently having air leaks on mine.
That's causing my rich mix codes

 

[tblt44]

What a mess

 

[Wpolonavyguy]

Got air leak stopped finally, I checked top of fuel pump through access door I made. Used non hardening sealant around pump pressure sensor and wire harness connections. I did put original charcoal canister back & Used same non hardening sealant to be sure o-rings sealed.
Drove it and light was still lit.
It shut off after I filled tank all the way full.... so I believe gas cap was intermittent or fuel plugged air leak at rubber hose lower one during filling.
I replaced the lower rubber gas fill tube using x2 clamps each side.
So far the Gas tank pressure has been fixed I have a new gas cap in glove box waiting to test if symptoms return.

Fingers crossed oil pan seal will be last big fix I need for some time, thinking oil tube pickup oring might be good to replace when I open.