[VE] VZ and VE Alloytec PCV Problem/Fix

[Fu Manchu]

Edit this in four years later:

I did the PCV mod.
Had a spare valve cover. Gave it a go.

Amazing difference.

Pulled the spare off with a claw hammer. Plucked it out easy. But you can’t do this when it’s in the car.

In the car, use visegrips. Put a thick cloth over. Lock the grips, twist back and forth and pull.
They are in with dob of Red thread lock.

To get the PCV hose off, there’s a tab to use. Press in? Out? Can’t recall. I think it’s press down and squeeze the tabs and pull off.

Edit: found this video that might help others struggling with it:

I checked out the Camaro forum. They say 5/64ths and 7/64ths are the drill sizes to use.

I converted that to 3mm for the top hole and 2mm for the bottom.

Soaked the valve for a few days (forgot about it) Throttlebody cleaner evaporated. Left this muck

It (the wrecker spare) was clogged solid. Couldn’t see through. Heaps more came out after this. Did many many soaks and cleans.

Got it super clean.

Drilled the holes. After this, getting the straw on the throttle body cleaner inside the valve was easy. More schmutz came out. Bits of carbon. Easy to get the metal out after drilling.
Another soak and in it went into the VZ.

The one that came out was ok. Not clogged. Could see through it.

Didn’t expect anything to happen.
However each day, the idle and revs smoothed more and more.
Always has trimmed revs as you drive. The tacho gauge just twitches up and down. Bugged me. Not anymore. It’s pretty much steady as now.

Vacuum seems better. Why??

Smooth acceleration. Smoother than Barry White walking in yogurt.

Would recommend to everyone.

There were no changes made or fuel added during this change.
I take it the ECM has been slowly relearning fuel trims now the crank case gassed are flowing better.

I didn’t get any data before hand.

Will be doing this on my VE Calais now that the VZ is super happy with it.

Again, it was a pleasant surprise.

This came from my VZ one (much cleaner)

Fuel consumption improved as well.

 

[Fu Manchu]

I’ll take before and after photos of the holes on the PCV on the next one.

GM apparently corrected the undersized PCV holes sometime after 2013?

Can you buy a PCV with factory enlarged holes?
Yes. It costs a Shinto load because it comes with a free valve cover.

Thanks GM ya f%^#ers.

***Edit:

Here’s what we have to add to this after 19 pages of discussion about drilling three holes in a tube.

To remove the valve, it’s been found to be helpful to use a bit of vacuum hose pushed on and the whole lot gingerly removed using the outlined tools.

So it might pay for me to edit into the original start of the thread to recommend the hoses are also cleaned out after doing the mod. The PCV pipes that connect are still available new and affordable. In the future they will have to be fabricated with vacuum hose pushed onto the pipe, or metal pipe and vacuum hose made up to suit.

• Cleaning the MAF with MAF cleaner.
• Clean out the intake pipe with degreaser and water, let dry and install.
• Remove and clean out PCV hoses and piping with water and degreaser or compressed air. Let dry and install.
• Replace hard and brittle hoses and hose fittings.
• Make sure the air filter is clean.

 

[scaredyet]

I'm interested in this one

 

[Fu Manchu]

So I did the second one that goes on my VE Calais.

This PCV came from my VZ. (I used a spare on that)

Of note is that the two holes are actually slightly different sizes. A smidge under 1.5mm.

You can see the bits of red thread lock.
(Remove: Visegrips, rag over the PCV, twist back and forth, then pull.)

You can see the mark left on that ridge from the vise grips, so hence why I suggest a bit of rag over it.

You can see the holes are small.

Drill 2mm for the bottom and 3mm for the top.

I did drill 1.5mm for one hole and 2mm for the other, but considering it isn’t written anywhere that the two holes are different sizes (or why) I said “meh” and did the other at 2mm as well, like I did on the first one that went on the VZ.

Top at 3mm.

I used a magnet to clean up swarth and then a good squirt of throttle body cleaner through it. The straw fits down the holes now.

To reinstall, I used a 12mm deep set socket.

Tap it in gently with a small hammer. A short socket extension helps make it easier to tap in.

*It should remain harder (more resistance) to blow through from the top than it is to blow through from the bottom. (Had to be careful how I wrote that)

Edit: A video showing the job, inspired a little by this thread.

 

[Dayvo]

Is the pcv valve on the lfx motor on the rear right hand side valve cover ?

 

[Fu Manchu]

This is what I pulled out of the VE.
Gunked up as!
I used the one I pictured earlier.
Came out easy as too. Could have used pliers.

So used a cleaned and modified spare in the VZ.
Pulled the VZ one, cleaned it and modified it. Used it in the VE Calais.
Can't say I have ever done many things on a car as simple and easy to do as this, that has made such a difference to way the car drives.

What a difference to drive! Instant change. Wow. Much smoother. Will get better as fuel trims improve in the next week or so.

*Edit: (late 2022)
So the All Terrain Action guys have gone and done a couple of videos on this mod.

The first says they found an increase in oil inside the intake. However after quizzing them, it seems they just drilled the holes bigger without doing it to any specific size. They must be a specific size for it to work. So they didn’t do it right. Then they do it acording to this thread and from what I’m told, good success.

Of note is they frequently clean the PCV and I think it should be done every few oil changes. Anyway, here’s their videos with the follow up to come in a few months. (No follow up)

Edit: I might have added one of these videos twice but people don’t read anything properly anyway so too bad if you notice.

Their website for Adventra lovers.
https://www.allterrainaction.com/

 

[Fu Manchu]

Is the pcv valve on the lfx motor on the rear right hand side valve cover ?

From what I can tell, yes. Same place.

Edit:
Here’s a vid showing it done on an LFX. Old mate goes on a bit dramatic but shows the job well enough.

 

[99notout]

Great write up, really clear and sharp pictures, thanks! Can you let us know if you end up with more oil in the intake? Interested to know. Cheers.

 

[Fu Manchu]

To clear up something, the valve cover does not need to come off.

 

[Immortality]

Have moved this to the How-to section.

Every person with an Alloytec needs to do this mod.