How to deal with removing the stock intake

[rrrocketman]

If I were to gut the entire stock intake (airbox back to the throttle body), that would leave me with at least 1 pipe on the left side, dangling in the breeze. Not sure if there are more. I'm assuming that pipe is PCV but please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway if I don't want to reconnect it, I guess I have to put a breather on it?

Bottom line is, when you remove the stock intake on an SS and your new intake doesn't re-use anything factory that was attached to the original, what sort of clean-up is necessary and where do you get the parts for this? I think the Spectre 9705 MAF housing takes care of the MAF sensor but I don't know what to do about the PCV pipe and after that's dealt with, is everything done or do I need to do something else for long-term? Thanks

[rrrocketman]

I may have been mistaken about what that pipe is for... is it actually for fresh air INTO the crankcase? If that's the case, I would think a breather would be no issue at all. Anybody know which breather would work, based on the diameter or what have you?

[christianchevell]

trying to make your own CAI....? The stock harness and MAF are reused on a CAI and a piece of hose with a couple shrink tubes to make the ends pretty are included....and where the MAF is located so does matter......

That's a hard line....and you go to it with the rubber.....

[rrrocketman]

Well for the MAF I have purchase the spectre adapter tube so I should be ok there... in fact I'm running MAFless so I just want to keep the IAT.

I'm more about the hard line on the left in your pic. What if I don't want to re-plumb it? Can I just slap a breather on and be done with it?

[Smokin19]

Originally Posted by christianchevell

trying to make your own CAI....? The stock harness and MAF are reused on a CAI and a piece of hose with a couple shrink tubes to make the ends pretty are included....and where the MAF is located so does matter......

That's a hard line....and you go to it with the rubber.....

Don't wish to steal this thread but, have a question for you.

Could you tell me about your valve covers?

Do they cover the coils and go over the stock covers? If so will they work on my stock L99 (14')and who sells them?

Really like the looks of your engine.

Thanks
Dave

[Reichler]

Originally Posted by rrrocketman

I'm more about the hard line on the left in your pic. What if I don't want to re-plumb it? Can I just slap a breather on and be done with it?

People have done it, but it's not recommended as that creates an opening in the PCV system. Positive pressure in the crankcase should be pulled into the intake rather then vented to the atmosphere. Ask any good tuner out there and they will tell you the same as well.

[rrrocketman]

Is this because of emissions or safety or what's the main concern with venting?

[rrrocketman]

Something just occurred to me. If this hard line coming from the intake pipe is a supply of fresh air TO the crank case, then why can't I just plug it? I assume it exists to allow some air flow to drive the gasses out of the crank case but is that really an issue in the first place? The PCV system is designed first and foremost to eliminate POSITIVE pressure from blow-by and stuff like that, so whether there's a supply of fresh air or not, any excess gasses will vent regardless. I should be able to just block the pipe. Also, where's the actual PCV outlet back into the intake stream? Does it go into the manifold somewhere?

[Reichler]

That's not how the PCV system works. During normal cruising around, vacuum in the engine will pull air into the crankcase. During WOT, the engine can and will develop positive pressure which finds its way out thru that port and gets sucked back into the intake to be burned off. Plugging that line would be a very bad thing to do as that pressure will then build up and find another route out (oil dipstick, rings, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, etc).

What's your hang-up with just placing it back into the intake tube track?

[rrrocketman]

Plumbing... I suck at it and am concerned about creating a huge problem for myself (bungs, leaks, other BS). The intake will be boosted with about 6 psi.

I'll do what I have to do for safety of the engine but I don't care about any other factors. I just want that pipe out of my way to be honest.

[rrrocketman]

Went out to measure the pipe and it looks like it's 3/8" (9mm). I found that jegs has a 3/8" breather with a socket that looks like it would accept the pipe itself but then I have to have this long pipe with a breather dangling from it. I don't know if the breather will attach directly to the valve cover without some sort of adapter but it doesn't look like there's room... bunch of brackets and wiring harnesses in the way. The pipe is burred under all that and I can't even see where it enters the valve cover.

[rrrocketman]

http://www.jegs.com/i/K%26N/599/62-1...SAAEgJOg_D_BwE

This doesn't look like it would be directly plug'n'play. Don't I need some sort of pipe adapter to make this fit properly into the valve cover?

[jeff657756]

If you are so set on running a breather. Just cap that valve cover nipple and get an oil cap breather.

[CamaroFred]

That tube lets pressure out of the crankcase.
You can't just cap it off or put a filter on it. It counts on the vacuum from the intake.

Can you imagine the engineers at GM had nothing better to do with their lives for 40+ years?