Teraflex Crankcase Vent System

[ChrisNLA]

Ordered the Teraflex Crankcase Vent System last week. Installed it this morning.

https://teraflex.com/jl-jt-3-6l-crankcase-vent-system-kit.html

I actually rode shotgun in a JT that did this - start blowing smoke from oil running into the PCV line and back into the intake when we sat at an incline leaning to the right for a short bit. I did not think the angle was egregious, but the length and width of a JT makes many things feel 'comfortable' that wouldn't in other vehicles.

Now - a catch can I have read can also help with this - until the catch can fills up and overflows into the intake and you have the same problem, just delayed. This depends on how much pitch / roll you are sitting at and for how long. This isn't really to tell you to buy a catch can or the vent system. Pick whatever you like. I bought the vent system. Oil in the intake of a multi-port injection engine is of no concern to me. It may be to you, and that is fine. A catch can will fix that and delay the oil ingestion longer at angles.

Anyway...

The check valve.

Oil filter adapter for the second PCV.

So in the instructions Teraflex says to cut the original PCV line and add these 90* fittings. They will tell you to remove the entire PCV line so you can dip the cut ends into boiling water to soften them enough to push the fittings into the line.

Sounds great in practice, and the OEM line is easy to unhook on both ends, but the back side of the line is held in with three clips (some of which are buried in a rats nest of other hoses) and also - the fact that is weaved through all of these other hoses makes it a nightmare to just pull out.

I did not remove the long piece from the truck and fight that fight. I used a small torch to warm up the ends of the OEM PCV lines to push the fittings in. It worked great. This is riskier than using hot water, but better than fighting the line out of the truck. Do at your own risk if you are comfortable and patient with a torch or heat gun.

To be clear, I think Teraflex instructions are the safest way to not damage you, the truck, or the parts - so what they advise is by no means bad. Just a bit more tedious.

Where I am pointing is where the other end goes. Its easy to reach back there and unhook the line from the OEM PCV valve, but the line is all rat nested with other hoses in the truck.



I used some light dabs of oil to help push the bigger hoses onto the fittings.

The provided hose (the 16" piece, connected to the check valve) was too long. I ended up cutting two inches off of it to get this neater and not hit the hood. You'll see that further down. This is what the parts look like unmodified.

See how high it sticks up. We'll fix that.

Here you can see the added PCV line going into the Teraflex adapter.

Overall completed view.

Hoses lower after cutting excess length.

After looking at the above photo I walked back outside and rolled the zip tie heads to the bottom and rolled the hoses more side by side to get them lower. It is barely touching the hood liner. I may cut another inch out of the hoses to decrease the height further.

I don't love these over built braided hoses. It's a PCV system. They just look out of place and I don't know exactly why they went so heavy duty. Perhaps abrasion resistance? I think at some point I may buy a couple feet of another automotive rubber hose and replace these.

I don't think the product choice is flat out wrong - I think this can be classified as, 'I am picky'

I think these bends in the hoses could have been avoided by moving the check valve up and forward (get a little more creative with the bracket) so that a straight fitting could be used in the side and you can roll the 90 on the top. Get the hoses lower, shorter, straighter.

A minor gripe - Teraflex should throw an extra bolt in the box so you can use two gold bolts to mount the bracket instead of one factory bolt and one aftermarket. Not a big deal at all, but it can't cost much...

Not much to say otherwise. It took some minor tweaking but its on there.

To sum it up:

• I don't like the gaudy braided hoses - I will probably replace that with something else.
• You'll want to fine tune the length of the big hoses to get them to sit / clear the hood exactly how you want. I'd rather Teraflex give me too much hose, then not enough. No big deal. The small hose is fine as is.
• I feel Teraflex could have raised the check valve up some and made the bracket extend forward so that the check valve was more over the ABS pump. With more careful placement you could roll that 90* on the top of the check valve down in front of the brake fluid reservoir and make that line lower / straight, and you could put a straight fitting for the side of the check valve and also make that line more of a straight shot. I may actually fool with this later and see what I can do to improve on it. I think it is fine as is and this does not affect functionally. I built custom vehicles for many years, I am simply picky, lol.

Edit: There may also be other products they are trying to avoid that mount on this side. Perhaps Aux Beam style fuse panels? I am not certain.

• I think the actual machined parts are of fantastic quality. The oil fill adapter fits well into the oil fill neck, and the OEM cap fits fantastic into the adapter. The check valve appears to be made so that you can disassemble and clean it (not sure if Teraflex advises that - or if it is ever actually necessary?). I intend to tap the bracket and make sure I can hear the ball rattle inside when I have the hood up to make sure no oil, etc, has made it stick. Granted, if it did stick, you'd have PCV either way.

It seems like a great product overall and with a little more tinkering it could be perfect. Perhaps Teraflex has a reason for all of it and I simply do not know. That is fine too

I'm going to @WILDHOBO since he wanted to see a rundown of this and then I don't have to blow his messages up this morning

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[WILDHOBO]

Ordered the Teraflex Crankcase Vent System last week. Installed it this morning.

https://teraflex.com/jl-jt-3-6l-crankcase-vent-system-kit.html

I actually rode shotgun in a JT that did this - start blowing smoke from oil running into the PCV line and back into the intake when we sat at an incline leaning to the right for a short bit. I did not think the angle was egregious, but the length and width of a JT makes many things feel 'comfortable' that wouldn't in other vehicles.

Now - a catch can I have read can also help with this - until the catch can fills up and overflows into the intake and you have the same problem, just delayed. This depends on how much pitch / roll you are sitting at and for how long. This isn't really to tell you to buy a catch can or the vent system. Pick whatever you like. I bought the vent system. Oil in the intake of a multi-port injection engine is of no concern to me. It may be to you, and that is fine. A catch can will fix that and delay the oil ingestion longer at angles.

Anyway...

The check valve.

Oil filter adapter for the second PCV.

So in the instructions Teraflex says to cut the original PCV line and add these 90* fittings. They will tell you to remove the entire PCV line so you can dip the cut ends into boiling water to soften them enough to push the fittings into the line.

Sounds great in practice, and the OEM line is easy to unhook on both ends, but the back side of the line is held in with three clips (some of which are buried in a rats nest of other hoses) and also - the fact that is weaved through all of these other hoses makes it a nightmare to just pull out.

I did not remove the long piece from the truck and fight that fight. I used a small torch to warm up the ends of the OEM PCV lines to push the fittings in. It worked great. This is riskier than using hot water, but better than fighting the line out of the truck. Do at your own risk if you are comfortable and patient with a torch or heat gun.

To be clear, I think Teraflex instructions are the safest way to not damage you, the truck, or the parts - so what they advise is by no means bad. Just a bit more tedious.

Where I am pointing is where the other end goes. Its easy to reach back there and unhook the line from the OEM PCV valve, but the line is all rat nested with other hoses in the truck.



I used some light dabs of oil to help push the bigger hoses onto the fittings.

The provided hose (the 16" piece, connected to the check valve) was too long. I ended up cutting two inches off of it to get this neater and not hit the hood. You'll see that further down. This is what the parts look like unmodified.

See how high it sticks up. We'll fix that.

Here you can see the added PCV line going into the Teraflex adapter.

Overall completed view.

Hoses lower after cutting excess length.

After looking at the above photo I walked back outside and rolled the zip tie heads to the bottom and rolled the hoses more side by side to get them lower. It is barely touching the hood liner. I may cut another inch out of the hoses to decrease the height further.

I don't love these over built braided hoses. It's a PCV system. They just look out of place and I don't know exactly why they went so heavy duty. Perhaps abrasion resistance? I think at some point I may buy a couple feet of another automotive rubber hose and replace these.

I don't think the product choice is flat out wrong - I think this can be classified as, 'I am picky'

I think these bends in the hoses could have been avoided by moving the check valve up and forward (get a little more creative with the bracket) so that a straight fitting could be used in the side and you can roll the 90 on the top. Get the hoses lower, shorter, straighter.

A minor gripe - Teraflex should throw an extra bolt in the box so you can use two gold bolts to mount the bracket instead of one factory bolt and one aftermarket. Not a big deal at all, but it can't cost much...

Not much to say otherwise. It took some minor tweaking but its on there.

To sum it up:

• I don't like the gaudy braided hoses - I will probably replace that with something else.
• You'll want to fine tune the length of the big hoses to get them to sit / clear the hood exactly how you want. I'd rather Teraflex give me too much hose, then not enough. No big deal. The small hose is fine as is.
• I feel Teraflex could have raised the check valve up some and made the bracket extend forward so that the check valve was more over the ABS pump. With more careful placement you could roll that 90* on the top of the check valve down in front of the brake fluid reservoir and make that line lower / straight, and you could put a straight fitting for the side of the check valve and also make that line more of a straight shot. I may actually fool with this later and see what I can do to improve on it. I think it is fine as is and this does not affect functionally. I built custom vehicles for many years, I am simply picky, lol.

Edit: There may also be other products they are trying to avoid that mount on this side. Perhaps Aux Beam style fuse panels? I am not certain.

• I think the actual machined parts are of fantastic quality. The oil fill adapter fits well into the oil fill neck, and the OEM cap fits fantastic into the adapter. The check valve appears to be made so that you can disassemble and clean it (not sure if Teraflex advises that - or if it is ever actually necessary?). I intend to tap the bracket and make sure I can hear the ball rattle inside when I have the hood up to make sure no oil, etc, has made it stick. Granted, if it did stick, you'd have PCV either way.

It seems like a great product overall and with a little more tinkering it could be perfect. Perhaps Teraflex has a reason for all of it and I simply do not know. That is fine too

I'm going to @WILDHOBO since he wanted to see a rundown of this and then I don't have to blow his messages up this morning

Great write up. Thanks very much. That helps any of us that either didn’t know this product existed (me), or wants to figure out how to mount it either more crap in the way (also me) I agree with all of your points. It makes me want to buy a bunch of Pcv hose and do it differently to account for all the crap I have under the hood.

Question, do you have the 3.6 engine cover? Does it fit if someone does?

 

[ChrisNLA]

Great write up. Thanks very much. That helps any of us that either didn’t know this product existed (me), or wants to figure out how to mount it either more crap in the way (also me) I agree with all of your points. It makes me want to buy a bunch of Pcv hose and do it differently to account for all the crap I have under the hood.

Question, do you have the 3.6 engine cover? Does it fit if someone does?

My truck did not come with a cover. It would probably work fine with one, though.

 

[WILDHOBO]

My truck did not come with a cover. It would probably work fine with one, though.

It hides all the dirt, stuck to the oil, from the previously leaking oil sensor gaskets on both valve covers.

 

[DanJT]

My catch can accumulates a decent amount of oil over time, what it does catch kept it from going into the intake,

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Chris, that was a very good write up! This mounts right where the Mishimoto oil catch can mounts. I understood what you said about the oil catch can filling up and not functioning properly to prevent the oil heading into the PCV. Can any engine gurus, which I am NOT, give some further insight on which system is more effective or “mo betta” for the engine or is it use case specific? Curious minds like rabbit holes so just peering down another one.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Chris, that was a very good write up! This mounts right where the Mishimoto oil catch can mounts. I understood what you said about the oil catch can filling up and not functioning properly to prevent the oil heading into the PCV. Can any engine gurus, which I am NOT, give some further insight on which system is more effective or “mo betta” for the engine or is it use case specific? Curious minds like rabbit holes so just peering down another one.

IMO, there isn't a perfect choice exactly. Lets call it, based on use case, ish?

The catch can keeps oil out of the intake. This is a big deal to some folks. It doesn't matter to me personally as a multi-port engine is spraying fuel in the lower intake tract, cleaning off the back of the valves (this is the important part).

A direct port injection engine does not have that luxury and the oil in the PCV cakes up on the back of the valves. This is a problem.

So I would buy a catch can on a direct injection engine (I have in the past). No difference to me on a multi port - and I have derived that opinion from taking apart more than one top end and seeing a multiport having gone without.

If your catch can is already fairly full and you get at enough of an incline that oil is being pulled through the PCV - it could finish filling up the catch can and then suck up the oil into the engine anyway (and begin smoking). But that's a big might / depends on factors. If the catch can was low / empty you would probably be level again before it filled up and dumped. If it was full, and you spend a bit of time at this angle, you could overflow it.

I'll look at it as such:

• Since I don't want to service / drain a catch can and am not worried about the benefits of it on MPFI, I chose the vent system.
• If you want the benefits of a catch can, you can go that route and it will likely perform the same benefit as a Teraflex vent unless its pretty full and/or you spend a prolonged amount of time at sufficient angle.
• If you don't offroad anyway (or angle / oil ingestion is of no concern to you) and want a catch can - the whole PCV/smoking ordeal doesn't matter anyway, get you a catch can of your choice

 

[DanJT]

Chris, that was a very good write up! This mounts right where the Mishimoto oil catch can mounts. I understood what you said about the oil catch can filling up and not functioning properly to prevent the oil heading into the PCV. Can any engine gurus, which I am NOT, give some further insight on which system is more effective or “mo betta” for the engine or is it use case specific? Curious minds like rabbit holes so just peering down another one.

The bottom can detaches (unscrews) from the top so you can empty it once it has enough to do so.

 

[ChrisNLA]

The bottom can detaches (unscrews) from the top so you can empty it once it has enough to do so.

Yep.

Years ago I had a 2012 Camaro with the LFX 3.6L (direct injection) and it had a catch can on it since new. It did not unscrew but instead had a valve and a hose that ran down and I drained it when doing oil changes.

 

[Jaxmax]

Great write up. Thanks very much. That helps any of us that either didn’t know this product existed (me), or wants to figure out how to mount it either more crap in the way (also me) I agree with all of your points. It makes me want to buy a bunch of Pcv hose and do it differently to account for all the crap I have under the hood.

Question, do you have the 3.6 engine cover? Does it fit if someone does?

Dan, you can do this! it is easier then all the other stuff you are doing, Lift up the 813 plate, mount the check valve, get some threaded ninety degree fittings, to route the lines low and below the plate , put plate back on........Boota, Botta, Bing.......Jack

PS:
Thanks for posting Chris, I think a lot of us had no idea it was out there!

 

[WILDHOBO]

IMO, there isn't a perfect choice exactly. Lets call it, based on use case, ish?

The catch can keeps oil out of the intake. This is a big deal to some folks. It doesn't matter to me personally as a multi-port engine is spraying fuel in the lower intake tract, cleaning off the back of the valves (this is the important part).

A direct port injection engine does not have that luxury and the oil in the PCV cakes up on the back of the valves. This is a problem.

So I would buy a catch can on a direct injection engine (I have in the past). No difference to me on a multi port - and I have derived that opinion from taking apart more than one top end and seeing a multiport having gone without.

If your catch can is already fairly full and you get at enough of an incline that oil is being pulled through the PCV - it could finish filling up the catch can and then suck up the oil into the engine anyway (and begin smoking). But that's a big might / depends on factors. If the catch can was low / empty you would probably be level again before it filled up and dumped. If it was full, and you spend a bit of time at this angle, you could overflow it.

I'll look at it as such:

• Since I don't want to service / drain a catch can and am not worried about the benefits of it on MPFI, I chose the vent system.
• If you want the benefits of a catch can, you can go that route and it will likely perform the same benefit as a Teraflex vent unless its pretty full and/or you spend a prolonged amount of time at sufficient angle.
• If you don't offroad anyway (or angle / oil ingestion is of no concern to you) and want a catch can - the whole PCV/smoking ordeal doesn't matter anyway, get you a catch can of your choice

For all of these reasons, the vent makes more sense to me personally.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Dan, you can do this! it is easier then all the other stuff you are doing, Lift up the 813 plate, mount the check valve, get some threaded ninety degree fittings, to route the lines low and below the plate , put plate back on........Boota, Botta, Bing.......Jack

PS:
Thanks for posting Chris, I think a lot of us had no idea it was out there!

I had the same thought. I really like what this adds. And I’ve experienced the white smoke several times in mine. Once I used a half quart.

 

[ChrisNLA]

For all of these reasons, the vent makes more sense to me personally.

I couldnt see your photo initially. The kit would be a little more custom for you but would still work. I bought it on sale and think all the machined bits are still worth it at that cost. You could mount the check valve In another location and use different hoses if needed. Just mount it at the same angle. I could put an angle finder on mine and find that out

 

[WILDHOBO]

I couldnt see your photo initially. The kit would be a little more custom for you but would still work. I bought it on sale and think all the machined bits are still worth it at that cost. You could mount the check valve In another location and use different hoses if needed. Just mount it at the same angle. I could put an angle finder on mine and find that out

I’ll need you to measure your rake first. Then we’ll compare it to mine, calculate the difference, and come up with the perfect mounting method, down to tolerances within 3.2 microns.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

For all of these reasons, the vent makes more sense to me personally.

It does to me too. Less maintenance to deal with. Just asking questions to see what I was missing from the equation.

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