LS Engine Angle?

[lt1yj]

I posted this in the Jeep section and got a response but looking for more input.

I have the engine tilted 4 degrees up relative to the frame or level ground.

It looks perfect to me in the frame/body. Wondering if anyone has any reason why it's ok or needs to be higher or lower.

Any ls swap experts in here?

 

[chaplinfj60]

not an expert by any means but when i did mine i did not stress that so much, i was more worried about drive line angle impacts. for instance if engine is leaned way back the front tcase out put could pointing up, and then thats less angle you have for a drive shaft yoke.

again thats what i worried about more than the number was how does it impact other things. maybe this helps maybe not.

 

[lt1yj]

Good point to consider.

On the front driveshaft I'm able to use non-CV 1350's. Rear is too short so I'm stuck with a CV unless he kicks in for a high pinion rear.

Forgot to mention that I'm helping a friend build this.

My goal is a flat skid from the frame to the front of the engine skid. With the 4 degree angle the trans pan is level with the frame. Engine has a truck pan on it but it's getting an F body pan. I think it will sit pretty close to level with the trans pan when installed. I won't know for sure for at least two weeks.

 

[Rockwood]

Adding to this discussion since I have my engine at 5*-ish and discovered some fun facts/fixes when my ****box would make a vector control smoke screen every time I started it over the weekend after a quick day trip....

So yeah. The back-angle can be a bit of a problem with how Chevy decided to design their PCV system. If you're running original Gen III valve covers and no catch can (like me, because I hate catch cans), there's a strong chance your **** is straight siphoning oil out of the valve covers and into the intake. Why? Because GM located the drain hole on the PCV side super low in the driver's side valve cover:

With the engine angled back, lots of RPM shoving oil everywhere, and a steep hill climb or (even worse) heeled over on the driver's side, there's a strong chance that oil is pooling where where the PCV hose is located since the drain is likely submerged since GM located the oil drains at the top of the head:

on a 90* V8:

In my case, it was likely pooled enough to straight siphon out of the valve cover. Why do I think this? Because I found about half a ****ing quart in my intake manifold. No pictures, but I was greeted with something like this:

When I pulled my intake off. Yes, that's pooled oil in the intake, which is tilted back 5* or so. ****loads of oil. Everywhere.

Luckily, there's an updated part, that Dorman copied:

Amazon.com

Which has less points of entry for oil (and baffles to keep slosh to a minimum), as well as a drain hole higher up in the valve cover:

Will report back on if this fixes it, and if the gaskets that come with it are ****ty. I'm fairly certain I don't have another issue as it stopped smoking once I used my Mity-Vac to suck all the oil out of there, and I left the PCV unplugged with no air puffing out indicating a blowby issue.

 

[Winchested]

Adding to this discussion since I have my engine at 5*-ish and discovered some fun facts/fixes when my ****box would make a vector control smoke screen every time I started it over the weekend after a quick day trip....

So yeah. The back-angle can be a bit of a problem with how Chevy decided to design their PCV system. If you're running original Gen III valve covers and no catch can (like me, because I hate catch cans), there's a strong chance your **** is straight siphoning oil out of the valve covers and into the intake. Why? Because GM located the drain hole on the PCV side super low in the driver's side valve cover:

With the engine angled back, lots of RPM shoving oil everywhere, and a steep hill climb or (even worse) heeled over on the driver's side, there's a strong chance that oil is pooling where where the PCV hose is located since the drain is likely submerged since GM located the oil drains at the top of the head:

on a 90* V8:

In my case, it was likely pooled enough to straight siphon out of the valve cover. Why do I think this? Because I found about half a ****ing quart in my intake manifold. No pictures, but I was greeted with something like this:

When I pulled my intake off. Yes, that's pooled oil in the intake, which is tilted back 5* or so. ****loads of oil. Everywhere.

Luckily, there's an updated part, that Dorman copied:

Amazon.com

Which has less points of entry for oil (and baffles to keep slosh to a minimum), as well as a drain hole higher up in the valve cover:

Will report back on if this fixes it, and if the gaskets that come with it are ****ty. I'm fairly certain I don't have another issue as it stopped smoking once I used my Mity-Vac to suck all the oil out of there, and I left the PCV unplugged with no air puffing out indicating a blowby issue.

I wrapped vac hose around the manifold and to a catch can and then back. Get a lean code for it not seeing the orifice metered PCV leak that it wants to see stock. But it runs perfect. Oh and it never burns a drop of smoke screen oil. Intake never has a drop. On steep vertical climbs or decents nothing.

Prob don't even need the catch can, there's nothing ever in it.

 

[Rangerrod]

Shannon Campbells Jeep he’s building is set at 5 degrees. I’d say 4-6 is what I’ve commonly seen.

 

[lt1yj]

I measured at least a dozen TJ's, LJ's and JK's with LS swaps. The lowest I found was 4 degrees, the highest was 9 degrees. The 9 degree was a 2wd dune truck. By far the most common was right at 5 degrees =/-. We ended up just over 5 degrees to get the oil pan above the bottom of the frame rail and maintain a flat skid.

It's off to the tuner next Tuesday and first shakedown run June 14 so should know pretty soon if there's any PCV oil scavenging issues.

Any pics on how you ran the vac line and catch can? May need that info in the hip pocket if there's issues.

 

[Winchested]

I just checked mines like 5.5-6 degrees.

 

[gt1guy]

I think in a vehicle that can be in any funky angle at any time, running the vents in the valve covers at the top center is about the best you can do.
No engine that comes from a passenger vehicle was ever designed to be pointing straight up or straight down.
All we can do is to try and make the best compromise in placement.

Same thing kinda goes for the angle of the engine. Set it where it helps your drive line angles the most and send it.

 

[Winchested]

I also run an extra qrt of oil in the truck pan for the offroad angles.

 

[Rockwood]

I wrapped vac hose around the manifold and to a catch can and then back. Get a lean code for it not seeing the orifice metered PCV leak that it wants to see stock. But it runs perfect. Oh and it never burns a drop of smoke screen oil. Intake never has a drop. On steep vertical climbs or decents nothing.

Prob don't even need the catch can, there's nothing ever in it.

Yeah. On mine, when I took the valve cover off, it was the second try by GM with the vent hole moved up, but no baffles on the inlet port towards the front of the engine like on the 3rd try one pictured above.

The drain in the back was clogged with some schmoo. Cleaned it out, drilled 2 additional holes (taped off all the holes and used air pressure to shove chips out) and reinstalled. Valve cover won't arrive for a couple of weeks, so this will have to do for now. I'll see if there's any oil in the intake when the new cover shows up.

Might run a catch can if I have to. Preferably sealed. Might just DIY it since I don't ever want to have to drain a catch can.

 

[Rockwood]

Installed the new new new version of the valve cover, have put over 1,000 miles on it. PCV hose is BONE DRY.

 

[bad zuki]

Installed the new new new version of the valve cover, have put over 1,000 miles on it. PCV hose is BONE DRY.

Thank you. I've been fighting the same problem on Mine.