Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated!!

[submariner409]

Good - that's $43 you don't need to spend........

[Big L]

also, while I'm thinking about it.

PCV Changed
Oil Changed like clockwork every 3 months. Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic
Aftermarket Volant Intake - Filter cleaned with every oil change
MAF cleaned with oil changes too

Does anyone know of a sensor, if bad, that could cause these issues. There was no gradual decrease, just a sudden slump in performance. The engine sounds terrible when accelerating (waahhhhh). I know, it sounds better than it spells out. I've also noticed that it stays in second a longer than it should. I've never replaced the fluid, but that is one of the next things on my list.

Thanks again for all the help!!

[Big L]

Is it safe to clean my existing boots with wd-40 and re-use? Of course I'd add grease.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by Big L

also, while I'm thinking about it.

PCV Changed
Oil Changed like clockwork every 3 months. Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic
Aftermarket Volant Intake - Filter cleaned with every oil change
MAF cleaned with oil changes too

Does anyone know of a sensor, if bad, that could cause these issues. There was no gradual decrease, just a sudden slump in performance. The engine sounds terrible when accelerating (waahhhhh). I know, it sounds better than it spells out. I've also noticed that it stays in second a longer than it should. I've never replaced the fluid, but that is one of the next things on my list.

Thanks again for all the help!!

"I've never replaced the fluid, but that is one of the next things on my list."

I'm talking about transmission fluid

[Ranger]

Aftermarket Volant Intake - Filter cleaned with every oil change

Is that an oiled filter? Might be getting oil on the MAF sensor.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by Ranger

Is that an oiled filter? Might be getting oil on the MAF sensor.

yes, it is an oiled filter. I've had it for just under two years, and this just happened. I religiously clean the MAF. I've also replaced the intake for my original stock unit last night (tired of the sound). Is there any way to check the MAF?

[submariner409]

So-called "CAI" installations on these cars are a constant source of trouble and a midrange stumble. The original factory cold air intake is more than adequate for a 279 C.I. engine. Put it back and use a WIX filter.

Are you sure your DHS has a PCV "rattle valve" or is there a fixed orifice in the rear cam cover ?

Hope all the unnecessary MAF cleaning has not damaged the heated resistors. If the MAF needs attention at your (why?) 3-month oil changes, you have BIG air filter problems.

Your car will go 7,500 - 10,000 miles between oil changes if you drive a combination of city/highway, maybe 6,000 if city/near suburban. This is NOT 1965, oil-wise.

Sure, use the old boots. Not a problem.

Just recently www.rockauto.com had new DELPHI (OEM) MAF's for our cars for $99 - (your car, year, model, emission, mass airflow sensor). I fooled with a mechanically modified JET MAF for a year before I gave up in disgust - a bunch of $$$ down the toilet. Stay stock...........

[Big L]

Originally Posted by submariner409

So-called "CAI" installations on these cars are a constant source of trouble and a midrange stumble. The original factory cold air intake is more than adequate for a 279 C.I. engine. Put it back and use a WIX filter.

Are you sure your DHS has a PCV "rattle valve" or is there a fixed orifice in the rear cam cover ?

Hope all the unnecessary MAF cleaning has not damaged the heated resistors. If the MAF needs attention at your (why?) 3-month oil changes, you have BIG air filter problems.

Your car will go 7,500 - 10,000 miles between oil changes if you drive a combination of city/highway, maybe 6,000 if city/near suburban. This is NOT 1965, oil-wise.

Sure, use the old boots. Not a problem.

Thanks for the advice!!

The frequency of the MAF cleaning was recommended by Dealer when I inquired about pros and cons of CAI. Would over cleaning cause the car to lose the majortity of it's power?

I do agree with you about the stock being better than the aftermarket intake. I only noticed increases in gas and a little power in higher RPM's. Was it worth it, NO. But, I kept it for a while cause it cost me $300, and I lost a screw (lazy). Went to autozone last night to pick up the correct fastener. I will begin looking for a filter.

I also do 70+% of my driving in a very dusty climate (you should see the accumulation under the hood at oil change intervals), and with the oil the consumption the car has I figure safer is better.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by submariner409

Are you sure your DHS has a PCV "rattle valve" or is there a fixed orifice in the rear cam cover ?

Yes. Left rear of engine if facing windshield.

[submariner409]

The rattle valve must have changed over at the end of 2001 then - later engines have a fixed orifice nipple - the vacuum pipe goes from the cam cover to the recess in the end of the intake manifold as usual, just no PCV valve in the cam cover.

Oil consumption...........do not fill the oil to the MAX mark, rather keep it at halfway up the dipstick hashmark. That level is the 7.5 quart mark, with filter, and is the subject of a GM TSB on oil consumption. Go up in the black bar and read the entire Cadillac Technical Archive, especially "Occasional full throttle operation is good for your engine".

[Big L]

Originally Posted by submariner409

The rattle valve must have changed over at the end of 2001 then - later engines have a fixed orifice nipple - the vacuum pipe goes from the cam cover to the recess in the end of the intake manifold as usual, just no PCV valve in the cam cover.

Oil consumption...........do not fill the oil to the MAX mark, rather keep it at halfway up the dipstick hashmark. That level is the 7.5 quart mark, with filter, and is the subject of a GM TSB on oil consumption. Go up in the black bar and read the entire Cadillac Technical Archive, especially "Occasional full throttle operation is good for your engine".

I have what was "called" another pcv valve. This, I am unsure of as I am not all that knowledgeable when it comes to cars. It is located on the front ignition coil. This is stationary.

What sucks is, I was able to take pictures of both, visually mark both "valves" in photoshop. But, I don't know how to shrink the resolution to fit the forum upload size guidelines.

[submariner409]

There is only one PCV valve or orifice: the one in the rear cam cover which is piped to the intake manifold. The other line, in the front cam cover, is the fresh air feed which taps off the throttlebody ahead of the butterfly: non-vacuum. There is no orifice or valve in there, just a 3/8" (?) plastic pipe with rubber connectors. If there IS some sort of valve in the front cam cover line take it out and return that line to a fresh air feed. The engine fuel/air management calibration depends on that constant fresh air bleed for proper fuel trim, especially at idle and part-throttle cruise. PCV, or Positive Crankcase Ventilation, insures that vaporized moisture, acids, and any combustion blowby is routed to the intake manifold for burning in the engine. The system is one of the main reasons that modern crankcases do not suffer from "sludge" buildup from moisture to anything approaching the degree of older (pre-70's) engines.

I do a somewhat non-technical picture sizing for this site: I made a folder called "email resizes" just for me in My Files. I take a Kodak digital picture and load it to Temporary Files. Then I hover on the picture and get the sidebar "email this file". Click on the sidebar question and the question box "Make my pictures smaller ?" comes up. Click yes and mail the pic(s) to yourself. Open your email and save as the attachments to your "email resizes" file. You'll see your digital pictures come in at about 50 - 75 kb, small enough (in file size) to post here. Just go to manage Attachments, browse to your email picture file and click on the (renamed by you) picture title.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by submariner409

There is only one PCV valve or orifice: the one in the rear cam cover which is piped to the intake manifold. The other line, in the front cam cover, is the fresh air feed which taps off the throttlebody ahead of the butterfly: non-vacuum. There is no orifice or valve in there, just a 3/8" (?) plastic pipe with rubber connectors. If there IS some sort of valve in the front cam cover line take it out and return that line to a fresh air feed. The engine fuel/air management calibration depends on that constant fresh air bleed for proper fuel trim, especially at idle and part-throttle cruise. PCV, or Positive Crankcase Ventilation, insures that vaporized moisture, acids, and any combustion blowby is routed to the intake manifold for burning in the engine. The system is one of the main reasons that modern crankcases do not suffer from "sludge" buildup from moisture to anything approaching the degree of older (pre-70's) engines.

I do a somewhat non-technical picture sizing for this site: I made a folder called "email resizes" just for me in My Files. I take a Kodak digital picture and load it to Temporary Files. Then I hover on the picture and get the sidebar "email this file". Click on the sidebar question and the question box "Make my pictures smaller ?" comes up. Click yes and mail the pic(s) to yourself. Open your email and save as the attachments to your "email resizes" file. You'll see your digital pictures come in at about 50 - 75 kb, small enough (in file size) to post here. Just go to manage Attachments, browse to your email picture file and click on the (renamed by you) picture title.

Thanks - I'll try that right now

[Big L]

here are the pics.

Side Note: I guess my cell camera aint all that bad! 2560x1920 resolution
Pic 1 Tube that was recently explained by submariner409
Pic 2 PVC

Both have been disconnected and circled (But, I'm sure you all knew that!).

[submariner409]

Yup, you got a rattle valve. Summitch !

OK, Troops: When did the Northstar go to the fixed orifice PCV system ? This is just one more example of how fast/much the running changes came from 99 - 03.

Anybody remember AJ's thread from a year and a half back on the earlier engines splashing oil past the baffle in the cam cover and sucking it into the PCV system ????