GM dress up kit/importance of breathers!!

[Irishpilot]

Hey all,

For those of you wondering about the GM performance engine dress up kits, here is the flat black one I installed on my 406. The aluminum valve covers are really nice looking when you don't drive the truck every day. They are just too much work to keep nice. Here are before/after pics.

Also, for those of you who are burning oil through the PCV valve (like I was for the last few thousand miles). If you don't have baffles on your valve covers...get them!! That solved my problem immediately. They are really important to keep from burning oil, while relieving crank pressure.

Anyways, let me know what you think, good or bad about the flat black look.

Alum:


Flat Black:

[Slick67]

Yep, huge difference!! It looks really good. Try using black touch-up paint with the brush to paint some bolt heads, makes it look detailed! Keep up the good work!

[Cisco714]

It comes to preference, And I must say the after pics look really good with the Flat black. Thanks for sharing.

[ChevLoRay]

In an open or closed crankcase system, it is extremely important that there be a path for air. That air enables the engine to breathe...internally. Remember, those pistons moving up and down within the cylinder bores are compressing air on the topside (for combustion) and moving air within the crankcase (because the pistons are moving up and down). So, the air that is moved and creates blowby gasses, has to go somewhere. Until '63, most engines had a road draft tube, that vented those gasses to the outside....usually off of the backside of the engine and onto the ground beneath the vehicle. When PCV valves became mandatory, they enabled those gasses to be introduced into the combustion process. About '68 (or so) the oil fill on the intake moved to the valve cover and was a cap. The air for the crankcase became sourced from the funky little filter in the side of the air cleaner housing. That made for a closed crankcase ventilation system and it became more important for that air path to be maintained.

So, you're right to make sure you have the proper venting equipment.

[Irishpilot]

LoRay, those are good words on the PCV system. I know I went without the breathers because my valve covers wouldn't clear the 1.6RRs. That was a mistake. The tall valve covers clear no problem with the breathers attached.
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[big_al_71]

Love the black crinkle gm performance dress up kit. I instaed one in my 65 El Camino's 327.....

[stich626]

like it..

[Irishpilot]

Big Al...looks just as good on that 327!

[sleepertruck72]

I personally like the before pic, but I think the satin black finish looks nice on your truck. Did you use adapters for the valve covers ? I have chrome GM center bolt valve covers on my truck and the breather always keeps the valve cover dirty to the point where the chrome is peeling... so I know what you mean about dirty valve covers

[Ed 72 Sierra Grande]

Originally Posted by Irishpilot

Hey all,

For those of you wondering about the GM performance engine dress up kits, here is the flat black one I installed on my 406. The aluminum valve covers are really nice looking when you don't drive the truck every day. They are just too much work to keep nice. Here are before/after pics.

Also, for those of you who are burning oil through the PCV valve (like I was for the last few thousand miles). If you don't have baffles on your valve covers...get them!! That solved my problem immediately. They are really important to keep from burning oil, while relieving crank pressure.

Anyways, let me know what you think, good or bad about the flat black look.

Alum:


Flat Black:

Nice Dress Up!!

Now tell us about your AC / I noticed you did some upgrading there.

Any parts or CO info would be helpful.

Thanks

[red71cheyenne]

Originally Posted by Ed 72 Sierra Grande

Nice Dress Up!!

Now tell us about your AC / I noticed you did some upgrading there.

Any parts or CO info would be helpful.

Thanks

I was gonna ask the same thing. Its the Oldair kit I put in mine, I just haven't charged it yet. How do you like it?

And I really like the look of that flat black. Better than the chrome.

[Irishpilot]

I don't have adapters for the fasteners because the heads have both the center and outer mounts. They are the edelbrock alum etec heads.

You guys are correct, that is an Old Air AC that I recently installed. It was an awesome mod! I just moved to Las Vegas and it is an absolute must for a daily driver. The install took about three days to finish and get charged. But it works as advertised and is a clean install. I kept my original controls, and it works great.

The kit is complete and the lines are already at length. You will have to cut a hole in your firewall for the drain. Since I had things apart, I upgraded the alternator to a 12SI unit.