For the last hour I've been surfing the net seeking information on "using a PCV valve on one valve cover, while running a breather on the opposite valve cover". All I learned was that other sites do more arguing than teaching, wow. I wont repeat all the many, many, many theories I read, each more certain that they were correct than the next.LOL OK my question, for a mild, flat tappet, carbureted 1968 302 is this an acceptable set up?? Boy, I'm sure glad I reside here on FTE. I would appreciate any comments, or information that you may have.

 

Let's see how many different answers you get.

When the PCV valve was introduced the crankcase was a sealed system so no crankcase fumes would escape into the air. For smog purposes.

Now my thought is..if you have an open breather and a pcv valve would it be like having a vaccum leak? The engine would be sucking in more air than if the crankcase was sealed.

 

Jimmy,

In a simple answer to your question, Yes. You can run the PCV with a breather on the opposite side. That was how it was done on the early 302 Fords except Ford had a hose off the cap that went to the air cleaner on the non-PCV side.

(Sorry John but that is not correct.)

 

Yes you are right. I had forgoten about the hose running to the air filter.

 

The crankcase fumes/air you remove with the PCV must be replaced with fresh air. So yes you need some sort of vent, preferably filtered.

 

Yep, my older Fords and non Fords were setup exactly like that. The PCV valve is a "metered" vacuum leak. Not like it's an open hose.

Sucks out the fumes and the breather filters the fresh air coming in to replace it.

 

Wow now that's what makes FTE so special, Ask a simple question and get a simple answer from people who care more about you getting the correct answer, than proving to the world that they are the only one in the world that knows it. Thank you guys. "FTE ROCKS"

 

Well at least 3 out of 4 rocked. LOL

 

Hey John you tried, no harm in that.

 

Yeah I feel there is harm in that because I hate to give out wrong info. And I don't want anyone to take my wrong advice.

And what makes it worse is, I was in the automotive business for 30 years and after your post I remembered that there has to be a breather of some sort. Wether its a breather cap in the valve cover or a hose plumbed into the air filter.

I think I will go crawl into a corner of a room and LOL !!

 

You can run either a breather or a tube to the air cleaner ( filtered air ) and a pcv on the opposite corner is best . The PCV valve is designed to make the opening smaller as the RPM increases so it does not suck large amounts of air thereby taking oil with it .

 

All that matters to me is that you gave input as you remembered it. The thread itself ,with everyone's input combined, is usually what provides the answers that I have always trusted with confidence. So the way I see it your input was just as important to me as anyone else's, so yes you ROCKED IT, in my book and I appreciate it.