Three questions, unrelated. Talking about a 2004 SS here.
1) My throttle body is sticking. I'm trying to get it off and I can get everyhting but the bracket that holds it to the crank. The bolt that holds that bracket has access restricted by itself and the exhaust heat shield. Am I missing something here? Is that maybe not a bolt, just a swivel mount and will pull off to the side when I remove the bolt from the bracket/throttle body connection?
2) If I grab my axle, and push/pull side to side, should there be lateral movement in the boot closest to the wheel bearing? I have a feeling I know the answer based on clunking noises, but I figured I'd ask.
3) Which way should air flow over a PCV valve? After a history of 5k mile oil changes without adding oil, I just got a low oil light after 2k miles. If my PCV valve was clogged, could that increase oil consumption? Other quick things to look at for a problem?

Thanks for your help.

 

Air flows from the crankcase, through the PCV and into the intake. So it passes in through the base of the PCV and out through the nipple. If your PCV was gummed and stuck open it could increase oil consumption.

 

Your throttlebody bolts up to your upper intake manifold, not to the crank.
There should be just three bolts holding it onto the UIM, remove the intake tubing from the airbox, disconnect the sensors and vacuum lines, then undo those three bolts and it should come right off. It could be stuck to the UIM slightly due to the gasket, and you should replace the gasket when you reinstall it.

I've honestly never heard of that, but if the PCV was stuck shut it would cause the crank case to build pressure and blow oil out of the dipstick tube or through one of the gaskets. Either way, the pcv valve is really cheap and super easy to replace, I would recommend doing so if you haven't before.

 

I might have been a little unclear, I apologize. As you look at the TB from the drivers side, the bottom left bolt can not be removed right now because a bracket that supports the TB is blocking access. It's that bracket that is connected to what appears to be the crank that I can't remove.
https://montecarloforum.com/forum/sh...=throttle+body
If you look at the forum linked above, there's a picture of the TB about halfway down, the bracket I'm talking about is right at the bottom of the picture in the middle, sorry for not knowing more names.

I went ahead and changed the PCV valve, had a bit of oil on it, I thought it was just for air and gases?

 

The PCV valve doesnt just vent blow by gases into the intake, but oil vapor as well. Think about it, with the PCV constantly open, you are running straight vacuum right into the crankcase. Alot of time the excess oil will puddle up inside the intake manifold also. Ive had that problem on mine. I was loosing about a quart a month from a faulty PCV valve. When I did my intake gaskets I noticed an excessive amount of oil buildup in the UIM. I replaced the valve and I dont think I have had to top it off since.

 

Crankcase gases will have vaporized oil in them.
Right, I understand how the PCV works. It just seemed like a quart in 2k miles seemed like it would be a little excessive, but I guess not. I would think that with that much oil getting into the intake you would see a good bit of blue smoke on startup, but who knows. I've never experienced a pcv valve sticking open before, but like I said...it's so cheap and easy to change, why not just change it if it's old?

I honestly can't see much of the bracket, and haven't worked on the L36 engines enough to really know what the bracket is attached to. Are you sure you can't get at that nut with a box wrench? It's definitely not attached to the crank in any way, as the crank is pretty well sealed up inside the engine.

 

Sorry I missed that part. No a quart in 2k miles probably wouldnt be from the PCV only. Probably a combination of a few things or a leak somewhere. Agreed on the cheap and easy to change part.

 

I don't know. The PCV valve went out in my Monte and I lost 6 quarts in about 100 miles time. It was dark out and I was driving home from school (300 mile drive) and then my low oil light came on. So I stopped at a gas station and bought 4 quarts and drove for an hour. The light came back on. I could only afford two more quarts and went another half hour before I had to park the Monte. The next day I bought a $3 PCV valve, changed the oil, and I've been fine since. It sucked though and I thought something worse had happened. So the OP might be having a problem with his PCV valve.

As far as the t/b, I can't remember how it bolts up but I'll take a look in the morning. I can't tell with the pic in the other thread.

 

I apologize on the crank wording, the bracket appears to bolt up to the same housing that my thermostat housing bolts onto. I could get a box wrench on it, but to move the wrench at all, I'll have to pull my thermostat hose and thermostat housing. If I have to, I have to, I just want to make sure I'm not missing something here. I figured someone else has done this so I wanted to ask around. Thanks for everyone's help so far.

 

I just looked at my t/b and I was able to get to all 3 bolts with a socket and rachet. Now that may be because I don't have the stock air box, but if you get that out of the way, you should have no problems getting to the 3 bolts.