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The BBR needed additional crankcase evac under WOT. It would puke a little oil out the breathers at WOT. Not much, but enough to make me want to find a remedy. This may be due in part to my file fit ring noobieness or the fact 8 giant pistons moving 4.5" at 6000 rpm are creating some very large crankcase pulsations. Whatever the case may be, I decided to use an electric vacuum pump to evac the crankcase. I considered using standard header evacs, but man I would rather swallow a box of razors that pull those headers off again. I read on the web about turbo Buick guys using a electric smog pump as an evac pump. Not so much for HP, but for leak prevention under high boost. I decided this was the route I was gonna take, mainly because I got a pump for free. lol
This is the one I have. It is fron a '99 LS1 Firebird. Later modes look a bit different.
Per instructions I found on the web over at www.turbobuick.com, I popped the case open and removed the foam and the brass washer/rubber washer/spring check valve thingy that sticks up on the left. Then I rtv'd it and snapped the pump back together.
I tested it after the mods and it will dang near suck your finger into the housing when it is running. I mounted it with the factory bracket just behind the passenger's headlight.
I also needed a breather tank for this thing to blow into. Wouldn't you figure that I could not find one anywhere in Amarillo the other day? I figured the local roundy-round speed shop would for sure have one.... no dice. So I stopped at a surplus store (more junk pile than store) and poked around until I had an idea.
I picked up an Army canteen there for $6. I added fittings that are sealed with JBWeld (not in pic) and I have a filter that will clamp to the top tube. lol redneck I know.
This pump is not really supposed to run 100% of the time, I really only need it sucking when I an making some rpms. The plan is to hook it to an rpm activation switch to turn it on at a certain rpm. Some other air pumps, like the ones that come on Ford Mustangs and Tauruses have been reported to work great when used 100% of the time. I may switch to one later, but I got mine for free so begars can't be choosy.
For the time being, I just hooked it up on a manual switch. I found a factory connector with nothing connected to it on the fenderwell. I looked up the wire color and it turned out to be the AC clutch switch wire. So, I just connected to it and the A/C button on the HVAC panel now activates the Aerate/Crankcase evac pump. I still want to set it up with an rpm activation switch, but that can come later.
Here it is tucked over where the battery once was.
Another view showing the canteen breather tank. lol
Current view of the motorvation dept.
This is the one I have. It is fron a '99 LS1 Firebird. Later modes look a bit different.
Per instructions I found on the web over at www.turbobuick.com, I popped the case open and removed the foam and the brass washer/rubber washer/spring check valve thingy that sticks up on the left. Then I rtv'd it and snapped the pump back together.
I tested it after the mods and it will dang near suck your finger into the housing when it is running. I mounted it with the factory bracket just behind the passenger's headlight.
I also needed a breather tank for this thing to blow into. Wouldn't you figure that I could not find one anywhere in Amarillo the other day? I figured the local roundy-round speed shop would for sure have one.... no dice. So I stopped at a surplus store (more junk pile than store) and poked around until I had an idea.
I picked up an Army canteen there for $6. I added fittings that are sealed with JBWeld (not in pic) and I have a filter that will clamp to the top tube. lol redneck I know.
This pump is not really supposed to run 100% of the time, I really only need it sucking when I an making some rpms. The plan is to hook it to an rpm activation switch to turn it on at a certain rpm. Some other air pumps, like the ones that come on Ford Mustangs and Tauruses have been reported to work great when used 100% of the time. I may switch to one later, but I got mine for free so begars can't be choosy.
For the time being, I just hooked it up on a manual switch. I found a factory connector with nothing connected to it on the fenderwell. I looked up the wire color and it turned out to be the AC clutch switch wire. So, I just connected to it and the A/C button on the HVAC panel now activates the Aerate/Crankcase evac pump. I still want to set it up with an rpm activation switch, but that can come later.
Here it is tucked over where the battery once was.
Another view showing the canteen breather tank. lol
Current view of the motorvation dept.
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