Just picked up a TTA...

[Gokou]

Well, after having a ride in one about 10 years ago and saying to myself "one day I'll own one of these", I bought the very same TTA from the friend that gave me the ride 10 years ago. It's a cloth/hardtop car, with 2500 original miles. Nearly perfect, I couldn't be happier. That makes 3 of the 15 cloth/hardtop cars accounted for here on this board

The car already runs 12.5s courtesy of a few tweaks by ATR back in 1991. Next up for the car is subframe connectors, a Terry Houston 3" downpipe, and possibly an ATR 3" exhaust and a few assorted other tweaks... I'm so close to 11's I can taste it

I've got a couple questions about the factory PCV/breather system though. I've read that under boost, the PCV essentially backflows pressurized air into the crankcase and can pressurize the motor and pop seals, and not only that it forces all that nice contaminant-laden blowby back into the inlet bell of the turbo and over time will plug up the intercooler.

Am I way off base here? Is there anything else I can add/do, such as a checkvalve on the PCV, an open breather on the oil fill cap, etc? Or is the stock setup OK?

Another thing-- why the heck are there coolant lines running to the throttle body? All I can figure is that it's a cold weather deal GM added to possibly prevent freezing/sticking of the IAC and/or throttle butterfly. Is it safe to loop the two hoses from the coolant pipes and cap off the passage in the throttle body?

Thanks!

 

[Tow Man]

Definitely remove the breather from the turbo bell!

If you remove the up-pipe, I'm sure you'll see an oil film covering the inside of the pipe, TB and intercooler! This is the result of the stock breather system. The factory and part store PCV valves can leak boost pressure and add to this problem as you have stated.

ATR sells a PVC check valve Part # CV101.
Johns Performance sells a machined aluminum addapter that twists into your oil fill cap hole and has a K+N breather mouted on top. You can also junk yard another left side valve cover for use on the right side and run 2 breathers! I believe the buick 3.0 front wheel drive's have the same VC's (check previous posts for more on this subject)

I have 1 extra breather if your interested. It's brand new and I'll ship it free!

Remove the IC and flush it with an entire can or 2 of O2 safe carb/TB cleaner (GUM OUT ). Slosh it around really good and follow up by washing it out degeaser and rinse with clean water. I use a hair dryer shoved into one side of the IC to get the remaining moisture out!

There you have it! Sqeaky clean and it won't happen again!

Good luck with your new TTA Vic

 

[tim87tr]

Sounds like a nice car

You can get the valve cover breathers on both sides from any of the vendors. You can cap the opening to the turbo inlet bell when you replace that tube with the K&N on the passenger valve cover.

I use a check valve inline above the pvc. Maybe someone else can give you more in depth info on the crankcase pressurizing, but I did have a little blowby and that is why I got the checkvalve. Kirban vendor has these.

As for the oil in the IC, the IC can be taken out and cleaned internally. Not a bad idea to do each year, see this link on spring cleaning:
http://www.gnttype.org/maint/basics.html

Yea, the coolant lines to the TB must be for cold start up, not needed, and considered a free mod. I don't know how much it matters, but everyone just hooks the one on the coolant line back to itself, and the one on the TB can be left off.

 

[tim87tr]

I see Tow Man has the passenger VC breather. I have an extra DS one for the oil fill cap if you want it. It has a nice chrome cover over the K&N also.

 

[Two Lane]

Tim,

How much for the DS cover?

 

[Tow Man]

The breather I have is also a driverside for the oil fill hole! There are no breathers on the right side unless you change to another left valve cover!

 

[TTA89]

As I recall the breather is specific to the TTA and a GN one won't fit. Metco sells a Valve cover breather that works great. I use an ATR PCV Check valve as under boost mine was blowing the oil pan gasket out.

 

[Gokou]

Thanks for the pointers everyone. Looks like I might have to hit my local pick and pull for another driver's side valve cover at some point, but I'll start by putting the breather on the driver's side cover. What should I do with the hole in the side of the valve cover for the tube running to the turbo? Plug it, and if so, with what? Or do you leave the tube connected and cap it near the turbo, then also cap the fitting on the turbo? Grabbing another pair of valve covers would also give me another opportunity... I think the stock valve covers powdercoated in semi-gloss black with brush polished fins would look pretty darn good.

My intercooler probably isn't that bad... the car only has 2500 miles on it, but I'll look anyways if I ever yank the up pipe off. If I see anything, I'll clean it out.

Any preference on the PCV check valve? Should I get one from Kirban or ATR, or are they the same pieces?

I've already replaced the stock turbo drain tube with the braided piece John makes... even my near-new car had one hellacious oil leak from the stock drain tube at the block even though everything was tight. I Simple Green'd the motor off the day I got the car home, went for a 15 minute drive and the front of the block, the oil cooler, and the crossmember was wet. Blech! No leaks from John's braided hose... yay!