I have been hearing a strange noise at around 6000 rpm'* and when it upshifts during WOT merging on the highway. Sometimes it sounds like a wooshing noise, other times like a loud tinging noise coming from the right front of the engine, or the belt area. It only makes the noise for a second or two and under the 6K WOT conditions. All of the pulleys seem to be fine, and the alternator is fairly new. I checked the PCV valve and it'* full of oil. I've never seen fresh oil in the valve in other cars I've owned. Is this normal? Any ideas about the sound? I'll try and take a vid of the noise. Thanks.

6K RPM? Do that often? These engines are tough but aren't really designed to run often that hard, unless you've had the bottom end and top end beefed up.

PCV'* should run somewhat dry, but I have seen crud and dirty blow-by oil on them as the engine ages. Oil in the pcv system is caused by combustion gasses getting by the rings and into the upper intake area where the pressurized oil is drawn off and then sucked back into the intake manifold to be burned with intake air. If you have that much fresh oil in the pcv then I'll bet your intake runners are soaked with it. Do you use oil? Bet so if you run real hard often. This will also shorten life of the plugs, oxygen sensors, and cats. How'* your compression? Check it lately.

Hope she holds together for you. I wish you the best.

6000 rpm? I'd take it easy on that thing, just my opinion. Ted, real good explanation.

Well damn, why does Pontiac advertise these engines as high performance then? I have had nothing but trouble with this car since I bought it. Things replaced since February:

Covered by Dealer Warranty
Upper and lower intake manifold gaskets
Alternator
Idler arm pulley
Both valve cover gaskets

Repaired by me
Door leak
o2 sensor

Current Problems
Gas gauge not working lower than1/4 tank
Noise at high RPM'*
Oil in PCV
Broken seat heater
rear window that doesn't go down half of the time.

My last car was an '05 G6 which I ditched due to "fly by wire" steering issues. The best vehicle I ever had was a 97 Explorer with the OHV 4.0. I use to beat on that thing 24-7 for three years, went offroading every weekend, and never had any problems at all with it, except for tie rod ends. I'm know seriously thinking about ditching the Bonne for a Dodge Caliber, or another X.

Uh....like Ted says, you're gonna have to do a compression check to check for broken or worn compression rings. Blow-by is the only thing I can think of that would cause a PCV valve to get oil soaked like that.