posted
I was reading a thread on SLP's boardwhere someone added headers and started burning oil. The discussion leads into the installation of a "catch can" as a 'fix'. Does anyone have a technical explanation why you might burn oil after installing headers? (I have my thoughts, ...re: post in SLP's thread, ...but still curious) Also, even though a 'catch can' may catch some of the oil and minimize/eliminate smoke, ...isn't the root problem the oil being sucked from the block?? Additionally, a recent post mentions a PCV system from an LS6, ...any comments here??
Thanks for any input,
Kevin
-------------------- Kevin Kolvenbach, 2002 Sunset Orange SS (#3455), Convertible, Black top, Ebony leather, Bilstein, ASR, 6SP w/Hurst, 345HP Dual-Dual Posts: 1046 | From: Pine Bush, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged
posted
Haven't looked at the SLP thread yet, but I'm sure you could get into a discussion about lower back pressure and better scavaging etc.
Bottom line, IMO, is that properly installed headers on a properly maintained engine, not exessively warn, will not cause oil consumption problems.
Every racing engine in the world has headers and they don't have oil consumption problems?
Posts: 376 | From: Friendswood, TX | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged
posted
I think that they are discussing two issues - one, when you start building revs and power you increase blow-by ( the amount of combustion seeping around the pistons) to the point where the PCV system can't handle it. A catch can collects this blow by rather than having go into your intake and appear out the back as burning oil. I personally don't think the addition of headers will overrun your PCV system unless you spend 90% of your driving time above 5k RPMs!
The next issue is whether or not the addition of headers made the car run really rich, effectively washing the oil film off the cylinders and causing it to burn along with the fuel (he said it smokes mostly at WOT and higher RPMs). I think this is more likely the problem.
In conclusion, I'm thinking that properly installed headers (with tuning if necessary) on an otherwise stock engine, will never cause our cars to burn oil.
-------------------- 2000 SS Convertible, M6, Onyx Ebony leather, Hurst, Monsoon, 12 CD SLP Options: Syntech, Mats, Fobs, Plaque, Cover. SLP add ons:SS Grille, SLP Lid & K&N, smooth bellows, SLP CAI.... Other Add Ons: TTS LT headers Y Pipe and Cats, TR 220, LS6 Intake, GMMG, ASP underdrive pulley, Hypertech 180 stat, Granatelli MAF, Rapid Motor Sports custom tuning, BMR STB, LCAs, Relocation brackets, Adj. Panhard, Don Goetz bolt on SFCs, Hotchkis springs, Hurst Billet Plus shifter Appearance: FRCs with afterthoughts SS overlays, Mark's Caliper decals on black painted calipers, AR TTIIs (Gunmetal Spokes) with BFG Gforce T/A KDWs...
96 Impala SS Black Flowmasters SSOA, WCA, NAISSO Posts: 3403 | From: Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA | Registered: Dec 2000
| IP: Logged
posted
I've seen kits out there - can't recall where at the moment to handle that situation.
I am reminded though of a conversation I had with Jeff Y of SLP. At the time he said that there was not much to gain by adding after market headers to the LS1, as the factory exhaust manifolds are very efficient. It becomes a question of payback in terms of HP and tourque gained for the money and aggravation involved.
Has anyone a real world answer to the amount of power gained from adding headers to an LS1? and I mean just the headers - to see if it's really worth it? I can recall one article actually showing a decrease, but that involved other mods as well. Some back pressure is a good thing!
My $0.02.
Posts: 5558 | From: Windsor, Ontario. Canada | Registered: Feb 2000
| IP: Logged
quote:Originally posted by Hawkeye: I've seen kits out there - can't recall where at the moment to handle that situation.
I am reminded though of a conversation I had with Jeff Y of SLP. At the time he said that there was not much to gain by adding after market headers to the LS1, as the factory exhaust manifolds are very efficient. It becomes a question of payback in terms of HP and tourque gained for the money and aggravation involved.
Has anyone a real world answer to the amount of power gained from adding headers to an LS1? and I mean just the headers - to see if it's really worth it? I can recall one article actually showing a decrease, but that involved other mods as well. Some back pressure is a good thing!
My $0.02.
To a certain extent Hawkeye is correct, the LS1 manifolds are pretty efficient as cast iron manifolds go. The May 2002 HOT Rod magazine "top 10 bolt ons" article says that you get more bang for the buck with high flow cats and Y pipe. On the other hand, the headers do help and if you plan to do a cam anywhere down the road, they will help even more.
I selected the TTS headers for mine because I wanted as trouble free as possible, good clearance etc. If you use the random tech high flow cats and Y as an example, they are about $550, so the headers cost about $600 more. In the case of the TTS, there is no sacrifice in ground clearance, the flanges are massive and the overall quality is excellent so I am hoping for very few problems over the stock manifolds. If you keep the cats, there aren't any backpressure issues.
Aside from all of that, I just plain wanted headers on my car so the decision was easy for me.
As for smoking after a header install, I think that you have to do a really bad job of installing them or you must have something else wrong.
My .02
Posts: 3403 | From: Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA | Registered: Dec 2000
| IP: Logged
posted
Thanks everyone for the feedback, ...that's pretty much what I was expecting as an answer. It seems that with headers installed, ...tuning should/must be checked to confirm your engine is not running too rich (as Rich mentioned), ...which makes sense.
Thanks guys...
Kevin
Posts: 1046 | From: Pine Bush, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged
posted
First do a Dyno run and look at the A/F ratio.
After a header install, especially if you do the Y-pipe and cat-back at the same time, I'd drive it around gently, or at least normally, for a few days ... at least 3 - 4 ... and then do a Dyno run and look very hard at the A/F ratio.
The reason for driving it around for a few days is to let the CPU "learn" the new exhaust system.
The Dyno run is to ensure you aren't going too lean.
On my stock SS, the A/F startedat 12.0 at 1800 RPM, went to 12.4 or so about 3100 RPM, and then gradually dropped to 11.6 at 6000 RPM.
If I went up more than a few tenths of pojnt anywhere, I'd think about a tune session. The LS1 seems to detonate a bit when warm anyway, so there's no point in going any leaner.
Steve Da' Wrench, what do you say about this logic?
Posts: 67 | From: Monroe, WA | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
