Finally Jumped on the Oil Catch Can Bandwagon

[Jason in DLH]

still debating on whether to install a catch can.
1/2 a can, 8 oz., of Seafoam seems to have cleared up my smoke at start issue.

I would do it for sure. Can find them for as little as $30(after tax).

 

[wsteele]

I installed my catch can in late January. My truck had gotten the max treatment for the oil consumption TSB (updated valve cover, AFM relief valve deflector, new rings and pistons, etc.) and it burns no appreciable oil between changes since that work, so I didn't expect to see much in the catch can.

True to my expectations, when I check my catch can, I don't get any oil in the cup. It only takes a minute to open the hood, put a small plastic cup under the pot and open the petcock, it also gives me a reason to check the oil, etc., while I am there. I probably check it every few weeks.

Even though my engine isn't pumping any oil at this time, I think the catch can is still a good idea. I see it as a kind of canary in the coal mine, letting me know if and when it starts pumping oil.

 

[Rocket Man]

I like the remote catch can with a breather on it. They're cheap on ebay and Amazon.

I'm sure the rocker cover to intake tube can be done the same. You're gonna have to double check these circuits and how they flow. I'm trying to think waaay back on my '02 4.3. I think it had a tube from the driver cover to the intake tube, then another from the passenger cover to the back of the throttle body "hat". The passenger side is the one I put a breather on and capped off the port on the back of the hat. I can't remember what I did with the one on the driver side. I don't think it's like an LS. On an LS, the passenger side is air INTO the engine, driver side is PCV OUT of the engine and into the intake manifold. On the Vortec, they're both out of the covers and into the intake tract after the MAF and before the TB.

...Maybe get a dual inlet catch can? They have them with and without the breather filter. My guess is that you shouldn't have a breather filter if it's connected to the intake. So, if you have a hose from each cover going to the two inlets on the catch can, you'd either have the breather filter and the outlet of the can plugged off or you have the breather plugged off and the outlet of the can connected to the intake. I say get the one with the breather filter so you'll have the option either way.

Gimme a few minutes and I'll go snap a pic of the restrictor kit. It'd definitely fit in a small envelope.

This talk is confusing me because the Vortec name has been used for the LS truck engines. My 02 LQ4 is a Vortec, my 08 LY2 is a Vortec.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I'll be joining the oil catch can group shortly.

 

[Jason in DLH]

I'll be joining the oil catch can group shortly.

View attachment 274311

Awesome!

 

[donjetman]

So tonight was the first time driving with the new Catch Can. Drove 20 minutes (a few WOT runs to clean things up ) and I can’t believe how much oil is in the can just from 20 minutes of driving....

wsteele experience is just like mine.

The first mod I did when we bought our 130k mile Denali in the fall of 2018 was install a cheap amazon catch can. Back then it would catch 1 oz per 100 miles. So I installed the updated driverside valve cover, GM# 12570427, and performed the TSB 10-06-01-008M. Now, w/167,000 miles on it, it collects only 1 oz per 5,000 miles and I never need to add any oil between changes.

Here's a thread I did about the valve cover etc:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...tor-oil-consumption-tsb-10-60-10-008m.108493/

*NOTE* I also replaced the engine rear main seal because it was leaking.

Here the latest pic of my inexpensive catch can and the 2 oz of oil it caught in the last 10,000 miles.

 

[Rocket Man]

I'll be joining the oil catch can group shortly.

View attachment 274311

Looks like a nice one.

 

[Jason in DLH]

wsteele experience is just like mine.

The first mod I did when we bought our 130k mile Denali in the fall of 2018 was install a cheap amazon catch can. Back then it would catch 1 oz per 100 miles. So I installed the updated driverside valve cover, GM# 12570427, and performed the TSB 10-06-01-008M. Now, w/167,000 miles on it, it collects only 1 oz per 5,000 miles and I never need to add any oil between changes.

Here's a thread I did about the valve cover etc:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...tor-oil-consumption-tsb-10-60-10-008m.108493/

*NOTE* I also replaced the engine rear main seal because it was leaking.

Here the latest pic of my inexpensive catch can and the 2 oz of oil it caught in the last 10,000 miles.
View attachment 274314
View attachment 274315

Thanks for the PN’s. Looks like I’ll finally be hopping on that bandwagon too!

 

[Jason in DLH]

wsteele experience is just like mine.

The first mod I did when we bought our 130k mile Denali in the fall of 2018 was install a cheap amazon catch can. Back then it would catch 1 oz per 100 miles. So I installed the updated driverside valve cover, GM# 12570427, and performed the TSB 10-06-01-008M. Now, w/167,000 miles on it, it collects only 1 oz per 5,000 miles and I never need to add any oil between changes.

Here's a thread I did about the valve cover etc:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thr...tor-oil-consumption-tsb-10-60-10-008m.108493/

*NOTE* I also replaced the engine rear main seal because it was leaking.

Here the latest pic of my inexpensive catch can and the 2 oz of oil it caught in the last 10,000 miles.
View attachment 274314
View attachment 274315

Thankfully I don’t have AFM, so I don’t believe I would need to do the deflector for the TSB. Or should I?

And dumb question: how do I know if the PN for the valve cover is the updated one? When I search for it first thing that came up is a Chevy cover and says it only fits Chevy (that’s a bit strange). Found this as well...

https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-parts/gm-valve-cover-12570427

It doesn’t show the inside of the cover though.

 

[wsteele]

Thankfully I don’t have AFM, so I don’t believe I would need to do the deflector for the TSB. Or should I?

And dumb question: how do I know if the PN for the valve cover is the updated one? When I search for it first thing that came up is a Chevy cover and says it only fits Chevy (that’s a bit strange). Found this as well...

https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-parts/gm-valve-cover-12570427

It doesn’t show the inside of the cover though.

I am a little unclear which of the 2007-2009 Denali's came with all the AFM components and which didn't, but in any case, if it were me, I wouldn't bother to install the deflector (if I did have all the bits installed), unless I was dropping the pan for some other reason and even in that case, I probably would just plug the relief valve versus install the deflector, again, if the AFM stuff was there and just not turned on.

The part number you searched is the right number, GMpartsdirect just has the wrong picture (it looks like they are showing a bank 2 cover, not bank 1). If you search your model year, etc. on Rock Auto, it will show the correct cover.

 

[Jason in DLH]

I am a little unclear which of the 2007-2009 Denali's came with all the AFM components and which didn't, but in any case, if it were me, I wouldn't bother to install the deflector (if I did have all the bits installed), unless I was dropping the pan for some other reason and even in that case, I probably would just plug the relief valve versus install the deflector, again, if the AFM stuff was there and just not turned on.

The part number you searched is the right number, GMpartsdirect just has the wrong picture (it looks like they are showing a bank 2 cover, not bank 1). If you search your model year, etc. on Rock Auto, it will show the correct cover.

Great, thanks for the info!

 

[Jason in DLH]

I see Rock Auto is still selling the “Original Design” (the 2nd part). Not sure why anyone would purchase that?

 

[Rocket Man]

I see Rock Auto is still selling the “Original Design” (the 2nd part). Not sure why anyone would purchase that?

View attachment 274334

Cheaper? You know, for shops to make money.

 

[wsteele]

I see Rock Auto is still selling the “Original Design” (the 2nd part). Not sure why anyone would purchase that?

View attachment 274334

That is odd, that they list it as the original design, but with the updated design number as a cross reference.

BTW, although yours is not an AFM engine if you haven't read it over, below is a link to one of the oil consumption TSB's (not sure which rev, but they are very close to each other in content).

I don't think anyone (perhaps including GM engineering) actually knows for sure if the AFM pressure relief valve is an actual contributing factor in the stuck ring and oil consumption saga (and hence, if it is, if the deflector is worthwhile). My engine which did have the worst case scenario as per the TSB was driven exactly as the TSB calls out as the worst case (first 60,000 miles in tow mode, with obviously higher than normal RPMs for extended periods of time). In addition, my oil pressure has always been on the high side, so if flying oil (either out the valve cover through the PCV and into the intake, or out the AFM pressure relief valve) was a factor, mine surely would qualify as the copy book case.

In any case, if your engine is pushing a lot of oil out the PCV and into the catch can, I would have to believe installing the updated valve cover is a good bet.

https://f01.justanswer.com/camerontech/b2a842c0-18fc-4828-85f1-e66f6588acba_SB-10065824-9133.pdf

 

[donjetman]

My Denali L92 6.2 doesn't have "all" the AFM hardware. My valley cover is smooth. Only the early production L92's had “all” the AFM hardware (Built Prior to April 1, 2006 with 6.2L Engine RPO L92 These early engines were built with AFM Hardware but the AFM system was disabled) from Bulletin No.: 10-06-01-007C.

TSB 10-06-01-008M
https://f01.justanswer.com/ebrock63...il+Consumption,+MIL+ON,+Engine+Runs+Rough.pdf
was confusing when it talked about the deflector, but the deflector only cost $8, and I was pulling the pan away to change the pickup tube oring, so I install it.

Here's a thread with pics that I did of what my sparkies looked like, no bueno for chit:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/sparkies-no-beno.108579/
I cleaned them in my media blast cabinet and they are still in my engine 35k miles later.

 

[wsteele]

My Denali L92 6.2 doesn't have "all" the AFM hardware. My valley cover is smooth. Only the early production L92's had “all” the AFM hardware (Built Prior to April 1, 2006 with 6.2L Engine RPO L92 These early engines were built with AFM Hardware but the AFM system was disabled) from Bulletin No.: 10-06-01-007C.

TSB 10-06-01-008M
https://f01.justanswer.com/ebrock63...il+Consumption,+MIL+ON,+Engine+Runs+Rough.pdf
was confusing when it talked about the deflector, but the deflector only cost $8, and I was pulling the pan away to change the pickup tube oring, so I install it.

Here's a thread with pics that I did of what my sparkies looked like, no bueno for chit:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/sparkies-no-beno.108579/
I cleaned them in my media blast cabinet and they are still in my engine 35k miles later.

On some of the threads I have read, I think some who say their engine has AFM hardware, are referring to the oil galleries cast into the block for AFM function, versus having everything VLOM, AFM lifters, AFM cam, etc.

Yours did have an AFM pressure relief valve then? Interesting, so no VLOM, but a pressure relief valve.

I have never seen an oil schematic that shows how the AFM pressure relief valve works separately from the oil pump relief valve. So for me, the AFM relief valve seemed redundant, but maybe it is there more for timing of over pressure relief, not sure.

Given yours had the valve, but no VLOM, maybe plugging it versus installing the deflector is a bad idea after all.

I guess the conservative approach would always to install the deflector if it is there. Certainly no downside to that approach.

I clearly don’t know if it was one or many things that cured my oil consumption, but I was losing a lot every 1000 miles. After the full TSB treatment, nada. Which sure made me happy.

 

[iamdub]

This talk is confusing me because the Vortec name has been used for the LS truck engines. My 02 LQ4 is a Vortec, my 08 LY2 is a Vortec.

I agree. But, the name "LS" supersedes "Vortec". The older engines were the first of the "Vortec", so they keep that title exclusively and can't be called an "LS".

Some things you just gotta let slide. Just like people saying they drive a Cummins, Duramax or Powerstroke. Those are engines and you don't actually drive them. You drive a Ram (or Dodge), a Chevy or GMC, or a Ford. Or, people referring to their four wheeler or side-by-side as a "bike".

 

[iamdub]

On some of the threads I have read, I think some who say their engine has AFM hardware, are referring to the oil galleries cast into the block for AFM function, versus having everything VLOM, AFM lifters, AFM cam, etc.

Yours did have an AFM pressure relief valve then? Interesting, so no VLOM, but a pressure relief valve.

I have never seen an oil schematic that shows how the AFM pressure relief valve works separately from the oil pump relief valve. So for me, the AFM relief valve seemed redundant, but maybe it is there more for timing of over pressure relief, not sure.

Given yours had the valve, but no VLOM, maybe plugging it versus installing the deflector is a bad idea after all.

I guess the conservative approach would always to install the deflector if it is there. Certainly no downside to that approach.

I clearly don’t know if it was one or many things that cured my oil consumption, but I was losing a lot every 1000 miles. After the full TSB treatment, nada. Which sure made me happy.

The one for the AFM is to relieve the pressure spike when the AFM system activates (or deactivates?). The one in the oil pump is to regulate the total system pressure. Pressure is a result of restriction. When you suddenly have eight blockages or leaks in a system, the pressures can swing wildly.

 

[wsteele]

The one for the AFM is to relieve the pressure spike when the AFM system activates (or deactivates?). The one in the oil pump is to regulate the total system pressure. Pressure is a result of restriction. When you suddenly have eight blockages or leaks in a system, the pressures can swing wildly.

That is the way I have always understood why the AFM pressure relief valve was there. What I never got was why high RPM operation caused that valve to spray oil. To me, the pressure spiking when the solenoids closed (when the system was moving from V4 to V8 mode) made sense, as, like you said, shutting the oil flowing to the eight AFM lifters must create some sort of pressure spike. But that isn't happening during extended high RPM operation (like when I was towing the big old trailer in trailer mode all those years).

I think I am still really puzzled about that AFM relief valve and when it is normally open.

 

[iamdub]

So tonight was the first time driving with the new Catch Can. Drove 20 minutes (a few WOT runs to clean things up ) and I can’t believe how much oil is in the can just from 20 minutes of driving....

View attachment 274282

Good lawd! You at least need the updated rocker cover. I'd do the upper engine cleaning TSB since your engine has been burning so much.