Smoking Breather/ Dipstick!!!

[gotexas25]

Hey everybody. I checked under my hood yesterday and noticed my rx breather was soaked with oil. Upon removing I saw light smoke coming out of that tube, same as with the dipstick. Checked oil level and the damn stick was dry as a bone. My car has always lost some oil but not like this, and it's usually fine since I change synthetic oil every 3000. Went to the gas station and put 3 quarts of oil in, she started running better, but today there are still these fumes coming out. I hope my engine isn't on it's last leg. Any insight would help!

[BowtieBelle]

Originally Posted by gotexas25

Hey everybody. I checked under my hood yesterday and noticed my rx breather was soaked with oil. Upon removing I saw light smoke coming out of that tube, same as with the dipstick. Checked oil level and the damn stick was dry as a bone. My car has always lost some oil but not like this, and it's usually fine since I change synthetic oil every 3000. Went to the gas station and put 3 quarts of oil in, she started running better, but today there are still these fumes coming out. I hope my engine isn't on it's last leg. Any insight would help!

Oh boy.

There are a ton of threads on the LLT eating oil and people having to get new motors. GM is aware of the problem, but they have not issued a TSB or anything about it. They are just quietly replacing motors. Especially early 2010 builds, but late 2010 and 2011 builds are not immune.

If this is what has happened to you... I'm sorry :( Let me see if I can pull some of them up for you. Hopefully it's something less dire. But if your car was bone dry, you need to get it to a dealer right away and make sure nothing was seriously damaged...

[strych9]

Originally Posted by gotexas25

Hey everybody. I checked under my hood yesterday and noticed my rx breather was soaked with oil. Upon removing I saw light smoke coming out of that tube, same as with the dipstick. Checked oil level and the damn stick was dry as a bone. My car has always lost some oil but not like this, and it's usually fine since I change synthetic oil every 3000. Went to the gas station and put 3 quarts of oil in, she started running better, but today there are still these fumes coming out. I hope my engine isn't on it's last leg. Any insight would help!

Sounds like excessive compression blow-by. Make sure your PCV system is working properly, i.e. valve isn't stuck closed and good vacuum. If that's okay, you have engine problems.

[GretchenGotGrowl]

Originally Posted by strych9

Sounds like excessive compression blow-by. Make sure your PCV system is working properly, i.e. valve isn't stuck closed and good vacuum. If that's okay, you have engine problems.

This. Mine started doing this right before I cracked the valve cover. We think it was a stuck valve on the can. Check it carefully and get a replacement valve if one isn't working correctly.

[Russell James]

Originally Posted by strych9

Sounds like excessive compression blow-by. Make sure your PCV system is working properly, i.e. valve isn't stuck closed and good vacuum. If that's okay, you have engine problems.

There is no PCV valve. These cars use a PCV orifice.

I've never figured out why some catch cans put a valve in there. Why risk having a valve that could stick... in a system not designed for a pcv valve?

I'd have the dealer do an oil consumption test. Maybe put the PCV system back to stock for a while so they don't try to blame it on that. (and the tuning, in case it needs an engine)

[TooCool5]

Originally Posted by Russell James

There is no PCV valve. These cars use a PCV orifice.

I've never figured out why some catch cans put a valve in there. Why risk having a valve that could stick... in a system not designed for a pcv valve?

I'd have the dealer do an oil consumption test. Maybe put the PCV system back to stock for a while so they don't try to blame it on that. (and the tuning, in case it needs an engine)

This is why catch cans scare me, you are altering the PCV system.

[SC2150]

If the hoses are routed correctly there should be no issues as the flow is enough to evac any pressure, but quite often the hoses are routed backwards or the fixed orfice has become clogged.


Best bet is to make sure the center fitting on the RCX can is connected to the rear of the passenger side valve cover on the LLT/LFX, and the outer to the intake manifold vacuum.

The fixed orfice is always an issue, and if you remove the plastic fitting from it, you can grasp it with a plyers or vice grips (at the base) and twist and pull it right out. Then drill the sigle top hole to 7/64th and the 2 bottom ones. Clean and push back in and your issue will go away.

This is also a known issue. The orfice is so tiny it clogs with gunk very easily.

Also, if someone does not want the checkvalves, just specify when ordering the "Plain fittings" and "No checkvalve". The checkvalves are there to prevent backflow.

Out of over 11,000 of these in use only a handfull have had valves fail, but since we stand behind them we replace them no charge.

Also, if the lines are backwards, the checkvalve will not allow the crankcase to breath.

[GretchenGotGrowl]

Originally Posted by SC2150

If the hoses are routed correctly there should be no issues as the flow is enough to evac any pressure, but quite often the hoses are routed backwards or the fixed orfice has become clogged.


Best bet is to make sure the center fitting on the RCX can is connected to the rear of the passenger side valve cover on the LLT/LFX, and the outer to the intake manifold vacuum.

The fixed orfice is always an issue, and if you remove the plastic fitting from it, you can grasp it with a plyers or vice grips (at the base) and twist and pull it right out. Then drill the sigle top hole to 7/64th and the 2 bottom ones. Clean and push back in and your issue will go away.

This is also a known issue. The orfice is so tiny it clogs with gunk very easily.

Also, if someone does not want the checkvalves, just specify when ordering the "Plain fittings" and "No checkvalve". The checkvalves are there to prevent backflow.

Out of over 11,000 of these in use only a handfull have had valves fail, but since we stand behind them we replace them no charge.

Just to be clear, I am not sure the check valve failed. We didn't have time to figure it out before we left for Indy. I agree though, there will always be some failures with parts like these. RX is always good about replacing things that fail.

[Russell James]

Originally Posted by TooCool5

This is why catch cans scare me, you are altering the PCV system.

Not if you use a catch can without a check valve. Without a check valve, the PCV system flow is exactly the same as stock. Except now with the can to capture the oil before it goes to the intake.

As mentioned there are options to go without check valves on the cans. I use one with no check valve and it works perfectly. Catches a little oil between changes. My last car I used one with a check valve, and that one worked perfectly also. Probably a good reason for the valves in some cans, I just figured I would try one without on this car.... same good results and zero chance of a stuck valve.

So if you have any check valve concern, just get a can with open fittings. The PCV system will still have the stock flow... zero chance of adding/causeign a problem, and you will be keeping some oil out of the intake.

[SC2150]

Here is the orfice that clogs:





You can see how tiny the holes are and how easy these clog...then there is no way for the crankcase to breath unless the OEM fresh air tube is used and it backs up in the cleanside.

Almost every case of oil leaks is a hose hooked up backwards or the orfice clogged.

[NYJets77]

Originally Posted by BowtieBelle

Oh boy.

There are a ton of threads on the LLT eating oil and people having to get new motors. GM is aware of the problem, but they have not issued a TSB or anything about it. They are just quietly replacing motors. Especially early 2010 builds, but late 2010 and 2011 builds are not immune.

If this is what has happened to you... I'm sorry :( Let me see if I can pull some of them up for you. Hopefully it's something less dire. But if your car was bone dry, you need to get it to a dealer right away and make sure nothing was seriously damaged...

Wow. Mine doesn't seem to be using any additional oil at all. Literally none. Had the oil changed back in Feb 2012 (first change) along with the filter.

Checked last week, still full. Granted I put less than 2k miles on it, but still....

[DarkneSS]

Keep us updated but with the history on these engines I'd bet its blown. Key word however is bet...

[Rod]

Does anyone know if the Elite Catch Can has a check valve?

[h2oplay]

Originally Posted by SC2150

Here is the orfice that clogs:




You can see how tiny the holes are and how easy these clog...then there is no way for the crankcase to breath unless the OEM fresh air tube is used and it backs up in the cleanside.

Almost every case of oil leaks is a hose hooked up backwards or the orfice clogged.

Tracy, just to be clear, is this the valve on the catch can or the stock valve in the intake?