RX CATCH CAN & BREATHER CAP PROBLEM - CAUSED OIL LEAK - BEWARE *HELP*

[Whitehambone]

I have a RX catch can and the optional breather installed on my LS3. I was driving home tonight and started to smell burnt oil. All gages were normal. I was pretty close to home and stopped in the drive with the engine running. I thought I would check to see if the breather/oil cap was on tight. I thought I might be smelling the gases escaping. It felt tight so I thought I would open it and it almost shot out of my hand. It was pressurized big time. I am not sure why the engine would be building so much pressure, shouldn't it be passing throughout the catch can? So I started looking around and found that oil was leaking out between the transmission and engine (from the pressure I assume). Some of that leaking oil was hitting the exhaust, that is why I was smelling burnt oil. I could feel the check ball moving when I shook the breather cap. I thought it was just suppose to let air in. After I put it back on I could see it venting gases.

So any suggestions? What could be leaking in that spot? Crank seal? Do you think it is bad now. After relieving the pressure there was no more oil leaking. What could cause this problem? Bad valve on the catch can?

[IndeedSS1]

I doubt it was the breather. are you sure you had the hoses on the can on the right fittings?

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

I doubt it was the breather. are you sure you had the hoses on the can on the right fittings?

This. There is no way the breather caused that. My money is that you have the hoses backwards on the catch can. Not allowed air to circulate through the system, causing pressure to build up, only a matter of time before a seal blew.

But yea, your thread title is very misleading.

[velociSSimo]

Originally Posted by stieger

This. There is no way the breather caused that. My money is that you have the hoses backwards on the catch can. Not allowed air to circulate through the system, causing pressure to build up, only a matter of time before a seal blew.

But yea, your thread title is very misleading.

This is most likely the issue. Can you post some pics of your install?

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by velociSSimo

This is most likely the issue. Can you post some pics of your install?

+1

Specifically some pics of how you routed your hoses.

[Whitehambone]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

I doubt it was the breather. are you sure you had the hoses on the can on the right fittings?

I got out the directions for the catch can and checked the hoses again. That was the first thing I thought of. The hoses are in the correct location. Also this catch can and breather cap has been installed on the car for almost year with no prior problems.

[Whitehambone]

Originally Posted by stieger

+1

Specifically some pics of how you routed your hoses.

I will post a picture in a few minutes.

[velociSSimo]

When was the last time you emptied it? When you did how much came out?

[Whitehambone]

Originally Posted by velociSSimo

When was the last time you emptied it? When you did how much came out?

I emptied it about a month ago I have hardly been driving it because of the winter. Not much came out. I also checked it when this problem happened, not much just a little condensation build up.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by Whitehambone

I will post a picture in a few minutes.

Waiting...

[Whitehambone]

[Whitehambone]

Originally Posted by stieger

+1

Specifically some pics of how you routed your hoses.

I put some blue tape on one of the hoses. So do you think the seal is bad?

[The Stig]

I can't really tell from the first picture. But the hose with blue tape on it, is it connected to the intake? The intake is the higher one, or should be anyway.

[Whitehambone]

Originally Posted by stieger

I can't really tell from the first picture. But the hose with blue tape on it, is it connected to the intake? The intake is the higher one, or should be anyway.

The blue tape hose is connected to the intake, the higher one. It also has vacuum, as it should.