Not meant to be a dumb question about crankcase breather

[purzell]

Originally my crankcase breather tube went into the air cleaner housing. Is there any reason that, rather than attach the crankcase breather tube to the air cleaner housing, I can't run a pod filter on it? I have swapped out the air cleaner for an open style chrome one which is stamped for a knock-out underneath. The location of that tube at the back of my 351E V6 is awkward however and I got to thinking a little pod filter would be an easy solution...
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[maxwoof]

My take is that fitting it to the air filter allows the engine vacuum to draw crankcase gasses through the system. A filter, while still allowing the crankcase to breathe, would not draw gasses out.
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[geezer#99]

As long as you have a working pcv on one valve cover then a vented cap on the other cover will work great.

[purzell]

Refreshing my old post to ask this:

I tried to hook up the breather tube to the knock out on the bottom of my open style Holley air cleaner. I can't do this because the hose hits the carburetor linkages underneath (Holley 4412 carb.)

So without going back to the old closed style air cleaner housing, what are my options for properly assembling this system? I am considering just going back to my original idea which was to run a longer hose along the fenderwell and put a pod filter on the end up near the front of the hood, but that won't suck air in like hooking it up to the air cleaner would.

NOOB QUESTION: What exactly is the purpose of this system? And how does not having it hooked up properly affect my engine?

Now Geezer #99, I don't have a PCV on my valve cover at all, so if that is a modification your are suggesting, can you provide more details?

Thanks guys: again the motor is a GMC 351E V6

[1963c-10]

As far as the PCV valve, you can remove a valve cover, drill a hole in it. The grommets are available at most car parts stores for abou $3-4. Install PCV valve and hook to vacuum on the carb or the intake manifold.

[purzell]

I would love to see a picture of this.
Where do you drill the hole on the valve cover? Which side valve cover? What's on the inside of the hole inside the valve cover? Then what do I do with the original breather, just cap it?
If someone who has done this could send me a pic, or I can get more details that would be great. To be honest I hate to drill a hole in my valve covers so maybe I could find a spare somewhere...

[100%Chevy]

GMC,v/6 engines already have 2 pcv valves.One in each head,under the valve cover.
All you need is a method of allowing clean,air into the engine.This is what the filter on the rear of the block does.
You can remove it and add an extension hose to where-ever you want and put a comparable filter in a remote spot.It doesn't have to go to the carbs air filter housing.
A pvc system is a controlled vacuum leak that draws clean air thru the engine to suck crankcase contaminants into the intake,which goes into the cylinders to be burned.
Do not put a hole in the valve cover.It is not needed!
Here is a picture of the pcv's in the heads.Yours will be the same.



These guys are thinking Chevy engines,not GMC!
Mike./

[geezer#99]

Hows about a better pic of your motor?

As for just drilling a hole in your valve cover you'll need to put a baffle under it too or you'll suck a lot of oil into your motor.

[1963c-10]

Yes, forgot to mention the baffle.

[newbe351]

On mine, I cut the tube off that went to the air cleaner and taped it up (black electrical tape). Then I drilled a hole in the top of the can and stuck one of those K&N type filters in the top (with a grommet). It was back behind the engine and out of the way but accessible.


http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G3417/

[purzell]

Newbie351 can you post a photo of what you did? What can did you drill a hole in?

Geezer#99, are you asking for a better photo of my motor? Or of 100%Chevy's?

100% Chevy, I think you are saying that I can do what I was thinking about doing. That is, add a longer hose to the tube coming up from the back of the engine and then put a small filter on the end of this. I was going to run that hose up the side of the fender and put the filter near the hood to allow more air in while driving. The only question I had is that my old set up had a small filter in the rubber hose between the metal breather tube and where it went into the air cleaner assembly. What is the purpose and type of that little inline filter?

Thanks again.

[100%Chevy]

Mines a 351-C,btw.
Yes,you can do what you originally wanted with a remote filter.
The old set-up you had used a little filter because the hose was getting air from the outside of the carb air filter(un-filtered air).Your new chrome air filter with the hose outlet under the bottom gives you clean air from inside the carbs air filter(filtered air).So,you can add a hose from here to the original location on the rear of the block and do the same thing.No extra filter needed this way.
Either way requires no new holes in the valve covers!
Mike.

[newbe351]

[QUOTE=purzell;5295690]Newbie351 can you post a photo of what you did? What can did you drill a hole in?

I don't have the V6 any longer, but mine had a metal tube coming from the bottom rear of the engine with a larger diameter "can" attached to the top of the tube. A metal tube then came from the "can" and connected into the air filter. I cut this tube off and taped up the hole coming out of the side. I drilled a hole in the top and stuck the small diameter filter in there.

There is a picture of the system I had in the lower left picture in this link:
http://www.6066gmcguy.org/351v6.htm