'96 - 3.1 - where does this line go?

[Scottyjr]

My son and I are about to finish up a head top end gasket job on a Ciera 96 3.1. We have an emissions line that we cannot determine where it fits. I rember taking the end with the elbow off and the whole line was in my hand as if the other end wasn't connected to anything, although I'm sure it should have been. I have the service manuals but after about 30 minutes of searching, I cannot find a diagram. Searching on these boards has not brought any results we can use.



First, can someone dirrect me to a section, page in the manual that illustrates the diagram?

or

Second, can someone tell me where it goes?

Thanks, Scotty

[PCGUY112887]

You can't find a diagram for that in your service manual? My 96 3.1 Grand Prix shows the diagram for that line right under the hood along with the firing order.

The back piece (top in pic) goes into the rear valve cover, the middle piece goes into a hole on the upper intake near the throttle body... part of the throttle body bracket holds it down in the hole, and the front of the tube goes on the PCV valve in the front valve cover.

[Scottyjr]

Thanks, but thats not it. We have the one you describe installed. That piece in the the middle has no fitting, it's just a short piece of flexible tubing connecting the two pieces of rigid tubing together. This tubing assembly was routed from somewhere around the driver's side of the engine to the other side and was routed in the very back of the engine. We can't spot any connection points that don't already have a line attached. - Scotty

[IsaacHayes]

Looks like someone spliced 2 factory pieces together in the center with that tube.

Is the rear cover breather going to the intake tubing?

[PCGUY112887]

If there is no fitting in the middle, then yes that must be the line that goes from the rear valve cover to the intake hose. Look for a hole in the intake hose somewhere, after the MAF and before the throttle body.

Although... my hose looks different than that, and I haven't seen GM do a whole splice looking deal as it looks in that picture. Maybe someone has modified this hose?

[1988GTU]

Looks like someone tried connecting the front and rear vc holes with that tube. Did the car have a CAI installed?

[Scottyjr]

Bingo! Underside of the throttle body to the rear valve cover it is! Thanks guys. That'll get it all back together.

We started this work about two weeks ago. This was a big jump for my son of 17 since he had never done much more than change the oil and brake pads and I hadn't been this deep into a vehicle for a l-o-n-g time.

This vehicle got towed home. The oil looked good but the next day after we ran it for a while it bogged down and stalled. The oil then had a lot of water in it. I thought it was a head gasket so we pulled the heads; of course, it wasn't a head gasket. Since we bought a full head gasket set we changed the valve seals and started reassembly.So tomorrow's the day we give it a go. My son is full of anticipation and itchin' to get his car back. I hope he does.

At any rate this has been a good experience for us both. My son (one of three) has, what I percieve to be, a high mechanical aptitude. I have often mentioned that I think he could do well in an automotive career. He agreed but has since changed his mind and has no idea what interests him for a future career. Sounds like me - I didn't know what I wanted to do until the Navy told me what I wanted to do.

- Scotty

[1988GTU]

COOL!

I would not encourage your son to go into the automotive world right now. It would be a waste of money for the education. I would go for something more involved with food or medical.