I'm going to use a vacuum pump. Will this setup work?

[BuickMike]

I'm sick of fixing oil leaks and am going to get myself a vacuum pump.

I was thinking of having it connect off of the stock breather hole on the passenger side valve cover. The one that originally connects to the turbo. Then I'll either put a check valve on the drivers side breather or just use the stock oil cap. Should I also block off the PCV valve?

Also, do I need a check valve going into the pump?

Where can I find a catch can?

I'll also use a hobbs switch with the setup. Where can I find one of those?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by BuickMike
...............I'll also use a hobbs switch with the setup. Where can I find one of those? Mike

Forget the hobbs switch. pump needs to operate all the time the engine is running.

 

[azgn]

uh huh......I have a pump on my engine and it has to run at all times or you will have problems (we have stories....)

for that reason, vacuum pumps on our motors are race only items

if your pump is truely creating a vacuum, the other breather will essentially be blocked (a small leak is necessary so you don't suck the engine oil out!)

race only!

 

[TS6]

Originally posted by azgn
uh huh......I have a pump on my engine and it has to run at all times or you will have problems (we have stories....)

for that reason, vacuum pumps on our motors are race only items

if your pump is truely creating a vacuum, the other breather will essentially be blocked (a small leak is necessary so you don't suck the engine oil out!)

race only!

I don't understand. You say its "race only", but then you say it has to run all the time. Since you drive your car to the track an hour away, which is it?

 

[azgn]

I only use it at the track....otherwise I use regular breathers in the valve covers...very easy to pull the breathers and plug in the pump at the track

the motor we used was an LT1 smog pump....it draws a ton of current and I do not know if it would stand up to continuous use....I believe they run very little in their original application

 

[BuickMike]

it draws a ton of current and I do not know if it would stand up to continuous use....I believe they run very little in their original application

That's why I figured that if I had a switch to turn it on only at boost I would be safe. I was going to incorporate this with a check valve on the breather so that it would close under suction.

Maybe I'm getting too complicated with this. Can I put a driver's side valve cover on the passenger side and put a big breather on that to help out?

 

[azgn]

if you had a breather on the other side, doubt the pump would approach a vacuum.....prolly would still help some, tho

this why I say "race only"......not as simple as it first appears

 

[BuickMike]

I was thinking that maybe I should use a breather on the other side of the motor instead of using a vacuum pump.

 

[Dwayne]

I use a check valve on both valve covers. On the driver side I have a check valve in the valve cover with a breather on top of that. The reason being is that when under boost, the check will close and seal the engine. I also have a check valve on the pass. side that checks the other way, so when you are under boost the pump pulls from the pass. side while the driver side is sealed off. I also trigger the pump with a hobbs switch set at 1 lb. The lt1 style pumps were only designed to run about 30 seconds on initial start-up so constant running of the pump will prolly kill it.vac pump .....I can give you the GM part number for the check valves if you want.........Good Luck.....Dwayne

 

[Scott231]

I like that check valve idea. What are the chances of us getting some pictures?

 

[Dwayne]

did you click on the link in my previous post?

 

[buickboy]

We use a 6.32 DFI to control the pump with the TCC ground function for the relay. Works great. Turn on/off at desired RPM
Mitch