TOPIC: 2004 Chevy Astro van 4.3L V6 TB Grooved by Mail

Here are a few images under the hood of my chevy astro. Pick and edit the image you want and repost.

Victor, for a better access to the PCV would require to remove dog housing inside the vehicle.



For the positive crankcase ventilation system.
On my PCV valve job, The tube that connects the PCV valve to the upper intake manifold, I disconnected the hose by pulling on it. On the plastic connector device that is mounted on the upper intake manifold. I plugged it with a tightly fit and make sure there wore no leaks.
This valve is mounted on the driver's side. I disconnected this tube and set it aside





The hose that is mounted on the left side of the engine. I disconnected it and added a filter found in your favorite autoparts store. With a perfect fit. On the intake tube I did a temporary plug raped in tape.



Victor, you're intake tube is different from mine but just try to follow that hose!

Juan

Victor, we can help you do the PCV re-route, but we need to see the rest of the top of engine. There should be a "doghouse" engine cover inside between the front seats. If you can pull it, and give more pics, then I think we could help. Since it's a V6, I think the PCV valve is on one of the valve covers, or it could be in the top of the intake manifold, just depends. Try to give us pics showing both valve covers, and as good a look at the intake manifold as you can. PCV could also be somewhere in the intake manifold. Is the intake manifold black plastic?

The other thing we need to identify is the fresh air breather hose. That's a hose that comes off the main air duct that goes onto the throttle body, and connects to the crankcase. This hose might come off the main air duct, or it could be on a nipple on the air filter box. The other end will likely go to a fitting on one of the valve covers. This breather hose, sends filtered fresh air to the crankcase, as "make up air" to replace the crankcase fumes the PCV valve pulls out of the crankcase.

BTW- PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation system. We do this mod, to preserve the precious manifold vacuum we're enhancing with the Groove. We do it in a way that allows the crankcase fumes to ventilate out to the breather hose. They then get pulled back in through the TB to be burned.

OK, I tried looking up the engine and emissions system vacuum diagram for your Astro van. Way too many results! While looking 'round on the van, look for a vacuum hose diagram, it's likely up front under the hood. It will be a sticker a couple inches wide, and will have a diagram of the hoses we're looking for. It should give an idea of where the PCV valve is and the breather hose too.

So, if you can get a clear pic of that sticker, and clear pics of the top of the engine, we should be able to figure it out.

Tracy G

OK, I've had another look at all these pics. Victor, the sticker should be right up front, it's almost visible on the white painted radiator support next to other such stickers. I think your PCV will be like Juan's, on the driver side valve cover. Juan circled his in red, on the left side of the first pic where the dash and whole engine rear is shown. You can pull the black rubber hose off the metal tube that hooks onto the PCV valve itself. You can plug that hose like JUan did, or you can pull the black hose off the plastic nipple on the manifold, and put a tight fitting cap on the nipple. I prefer vinyl caps they have 'em at the parts store, rubber ones will crack and fail pretty fast.

IF your engine is like Juan's, the breather hose will connect to the passenger side valve cover like Juan's. I like to use the existing breather hose to tee the PCV valve into. The way Juan did his with the little cone filter works, EXCEPT- that little filter, could let water into the crankcase, if it were to get up there. (Ask me why I know!). Myself, I would just look for the breather hose and fitting on the passenger side valve cover. I would pull that hose off the breather inlet fitting on the pass. side valve cover, to check it's inside diameter. It might be different inside diameter from the metal tubing attached to the PCV valve. It might require, one of those plastic hose adapter fittings they sell to adapt different size heater hoses together. I've done this before, by using heater hose of different sizes, or it might be fuel hose. Fuel hose comes in 5/16" and 3/8" I.D., and heater hose is 1/2", 5/8" or 3/4" I.D. sizes. My local O'Reilley's auto parts, or a NAPA parts store, has all the hose sizes, and hose adapters and tee's. Look in the HELP! parts section, or where Heater hose fittings, vacuum caps, etc. are.

Again, all we're doing-is capping the manifold vacuum nipple the PCV valve connects to. Then connecting the PCV hose or tube, to the Breather hose. Once you have identified the PCV valve, and the Breather fitting and hose, it's just obvious.

Juan, do it your own way- But my advice is- right now, your setup can let dirt into the PCV metal tube, it's open to atmosphere. The little cone Breather filter you used is cool, but the crankcase now vents to atmosphere instead of back to the TB. That setup could fail an emissions test visual inspection where I live. I learned to be careful how I do the re-route, so it works both for US, the Smog folks, and keeps the engine protected from dirt, water, etc.

Tracy G

Tracy, the main mechanic here in Anc will get in touch with you tomorrow. Or, I told him you would give him a ring any time during day hours of 8am-5pm Alaska time.

His name is Tim. They said they have all of the equipment and hoses to get it done. They just need to get in touch with you for a brief run through. Thanks guys for the updates and the images!

Awesome how people have stepped in to offer advice, isn't it? That's the kind of people we have here; the kind of community or "nation" Gadgetmanland is. We all help each other.
Fantastic!

Got the PCV re-route done today and two new O2 upstream sensors installed.

Big difference in power and response! I noticed I drove about 47 miles and touched only about 1/16 of the tank.

Of course it will be a few more weeks before I know where the real saving are as far drive patterns and drive style.

Did the drive relearn process and got the vehicle on the highway to up about 80-85 max. Was able to rev it even more at those speeds, and it will easily give.

Wasn't going to max out speeds on semi snow covered roads, but I did get the throttle opened up near max a few times coming down the highway.

Now that the engine is the way I wanted it to be, will be getting ready for the RVS treatment next.

Thanks for everybody's recommendations and help in this process. Hats of to Tracy G, Ron H and the rest of you Gadgetman enthusiasts.

Hey Victor, good for you and the Astro, buddy!

I'm glad you found us, as I know you are. I again thank you for your detailed posting of this, another successful Gadgetman Groove victory!! I already know the Astro is a victory, I can tell by all you've told.

Your appreciated feedback, is helping more than you know, my friend. Believe me!

Groundwork is being done, strategy plotted, the path to further Victories in our War on excess emissions, high operating costs and low engine power, is open. Victories will be won, the War never ceases. Today, we have the tools, the techniques, the Knowledge to win, as never before. Today, we have a System.

please keep Ron Hatton the Founder, in your thoughts and Prayers, his struggle is ongoing.

ONWARD!!

Victor, I'm sure you must be talking about this to friends. If you have another engine to be Grooved, and you can refer any new customers, I'm sure we can work out something Good for you.

thank you!

Tracy G

This is just the tip of the spear Tracy G! I will be updating in a week or two on MPG's and every other month after.

Will update on when I get and start the RVS treatments and their outcomes.

There are several people at my work place that knew the mod I been using, and they seems to get it. Some do not.

Will be directing several people your way, after introducing them to this kind of technology. People need to be acclimated and learn about it first, before they understand what it is. Many people are still in the dark and need to see results. Slow and patient process but it takes time.

Anything most people don't understand need different approaches in learning. The YouTube videos are one approach, having the actual technology in front of them is another.

Congrats Victor!
47 miles on 1/16 of a tank? If that holds up, you could possibly end up getting 800 miles out of the tank, no doubt a significant improvement. I track my fuel consumption with an app on my phone, and it graphs out MPG and cost per mile and how the price of fuel changes. You could do that with a pen and notebook, but then you'd have to graph it yourself.

Skeptics - I whip out my phone and show them my app's graphs. The guy who pumps my gas was so impressed with my results, he called his boss (the owner of the garage and station, a mechanic) out of the shop to show him, and He was torn between being happy for me and sad for his business. I think he believes I'm going to blow my car up or something. I'll have the last laugh as the years pass though...now you will too, as long as your 85MPH habits don't result in you bending your ride irreparably or yourself permanently

I recommend the Orange Test method to determine the potential MPG's I've yakked about it a bunch, in the Index. Heysoundude's phone app is another great way to go with it, since he has constant data tracking of it. Just think, if we are improving MPG's during the cold of winter, how much better it gets in the Summer!

Ron said years ago one of the best ways to express MPG gains, was to express the numbers in terms of how much further a tank of gas goes for. " I get an extra hundred miles on a tank of gas now!" That kind of thing. Most will have an idea of how far they go, or how often they get a tank of gas, even if they have not done real calculations. That's real street level communication.

you guys rock!

Tracy G

I was going to say it maybe closer to 500-600mi per tank. I read it closer to 1/8th vs 1/16.

That is still some insane MPG gains for an 11 year old vehicle. Right?

Sister notices a huge difference in power and response when driving the van compared to before it got modded. I'm a bit in favor of driving the modded van vs the diesel truck for some reason. (Hint Hint)

The pcv re-route mod did make a huge difference in power and when the vehicle is started and in idle. Back to normal, no jumps in idle, it just idles at start. The trace amounts of exhaust smell are virtually gone or non-existent.

RVS bottles are being shipped in via the company direct. The van I just modded and a dodge diesel I will be treating. Will most likely be doing an oil changes on both prior to treatment and or after their first batch of RVS. It does come with instructions and I know there can be no additives in the oil prior to doing the treatment.

Whats are the most noticeable changes and things to look for during and after treatments? Tracy G, I'm sure you have some insight as to what to expect. Both vehicles have about 100K miles, van has about 127k and truck has about 100K. They recommended 3 bottles for 120K and 2 bottles for 100K. I did order the right stuff for both gas/diesel and the correct recommended liter sizes for the treatment.

What kind of performance and MPG gains have the users in these forums experienced on their first RVS treatments? Please share thanks.... I'll be waiting for mine to arrive before I make another update post.