I finally got back to my engine problem today. I started the engine and no squeal at first. After the engine started to warm up though the squeak was back. I started to poke around with the thought that it might be a vacum leak. The oil fill cap was hard to unscrew and as it came off the noise stopped. I have a major vacum leak some where.

So I guess I'll take off the intake manifolds again to see what I did wrong. I'm thinking it has to be the lower intake manifold. Maybe a gasket moved or something. Anyone have any thoughts?

If it'* a vacuum leak, I'd expect it to be in the upper, not the lower.

Could it be the upper if the leak is internal to the engine? The leak doesn't appear to be to atmosphere. If I put my hand over the oil fill it'* sucking like crazy!

You know, I always thought pcv'* REMOVED pressure from the crankcase caused by blow-by. I was trying to get you some good advise so I just read a VERY technical article on excessive crancase vacuum. It said that an inoperative pcv return orifice can cause EXCESSIVE crankcase vacuum, NOT PRESSURE! I'm going to have to research this some more.

I did put the pcv into the new manifold but I used the old one. I had forgot to pick up a new one and planned on replacing it later. It would be worth checking out the pcv before I go pulling the manifolds back off.

OK I'm stupid. I thought I put the PVC valve in but I didn't. I put a new one in this morning and now the squeal is gone.

BUT there is still vacum in the valve cover when I take off the oil fill cap!

Is this normal for these engines? Or do I still have a problem? I don't remember having vacum present in the valve covers with other other cars I've had.

jmeinhardt,

I just fired mine up while it was stone cold in the garage.

I have zero vacuum on the valve cover. I checked by placing a piece of flat paper over the opening. You must have a problem. At least, with that vacuum, you probably have no top end leaks.

BTW, mine is a '92 SSE that will turn 200K in about 100 miles. I burn no oil; also, just installed a new pcv last week. The old one had 30,000 miles on her and looked as clean as the new one. I've never seen that before, but I checked and the system was creating strong vacuum through the old pcv so I guess my system is running very clean.
Go figure.

Ted,
Thanks for taking the time to check your engine. I guess I'll have to take the manifolds back off and look for a problem. I'm not sure what would cause vacuum to be present in the vlave cover. Maybe a leak between the intake port and the lifter galley?