Bergerboy

HI all.
Looking to replace the after market Edelbrock air cleaner shown in the photo.
This is currently mounted on a nice Holley 1850-2 4 bbl. With 5" diameter opening on my 350/300 '69 C3.
The PCV hose comes from right valve cover to the carb base. The left PCV hole is rubber plugged.
I want to go back to an original style round chrome air cleaner but not sure if I need a to rehook up a breather hose directly to the air cleaner [some of the base plates I've seen have a pipe to hook the hose up to). Do I need to reconnect the left valve cover hole to the as or cleaner?
Also, is the plugged hole on the left valve cover used to add oil to the engine?
I really can't figure out where to add oil (ok, get your newbie jabs out of the way quickly! )






Thanks

resdoggie

You could do this with a 1-3/4" drop base with a 4" high filter under the stock hood. Not sure if it would clear your choke - I don't use one. I use two breather caps and no pcv. My engine runs just fine and hasn't melted down without pcv hook up.

7t9l82

You have an aftermarket intake holley carburator Mikey Thompson valve covers and headers and you want to put a stock air cleaner on it ,and you don't know where to put the oil in? Any place you can twist or pry a plug out of the valve cover can be used to add oil. The air cleaner you have isn't my favorite but it isn't as bad as the factory one. Get a dropped base 14 inch open element air cleaner.

Bergerboy

Thanks 7t9l82.
I did order that type of air cleaner, but from the pictures it looks like the "drop" may interfere with the choke set-up, no? If not - that would be the look that I want.
Also - any advice on re-hooking up the L/S breather tube to the new air cleaner? He had it plugged.
Not sure if you were being a little sarcastic restating what I have, and noting that I don't know where to put the oil!! Well, that would be fair I guess. Still learning old-school engines, but having fun already!
Is it considered taboo to go back to a stock look air cleaner with the after-market carb, intake, and valve covers?
I don't care for the valve covers either, but those can stay lower on the budget list for now.
Thanks for the patience.

7t9l82

I wasn't sure how exactly to take your post so maybe a touch of sarcasm but no offense intended. Those old valve covers are sought after by some people they are appropriate for a day 2 modification to your car. Those dropped base air cleaners are similar to the higher horsepower engines the year of your car. Choke clearance shouldn't be an issue in most cases. Putting a filter in place of the hose would work fine.I think your concerned about nothing. These old cars are as simple as a can of corn don't over think them. Enjoy your car! Let me know if you have other questions.

resdoggie

Ain't that the truth!!!

Bergerboy

Thanks again 7t9l82.
No offense intended on my reply. Was just picking up on what might have been a little light jab aimed at me (been prepared for a little newbie "hazing") and my beginner questions.
I will wait for the stock-style round 14" air cleaner to arrive to see if I've got clearance all around the carb. I may also need to tweak the fuel intake line coming from the filter.
Any advice from folks on whether to re-hook-up the breather hose back to the air cleaner?
Previous owner has the PCV valve on the L/S valve cover routed into the carb base.
But the R/S valve cover hole is plugged. Not sure if there is a performance difference between that and the stock set-up of having the breather tube back into the air filter. Does the crankcase ventilation on one side only, benefit both sides of the V-8? Or should there be some flow through across both sides?

resdoggie

If you don't put a lot of miles on the car and change your oil at least annually, then you can either hook up the hoses for the pcv system or just use two breather caps like some of us do. Both cylinder heads are open to the crankcase via oil drain holes i.e. flow through to both sides, so it doesn't matter which side you use if you want to hook it up. Lots of discussion elsewhere in the forums on the pcv system if you need more info.

ddawson

Can't tell but make sure the coil isn't going to be in the way.

jim-81

Here is what I did to make clearance for the choke. I heated up the air cleaner base and bumped it out a little.

Jim

Easy Mike

Nope. Nothing is taboo if that's what you want to do. It's your car.

Bergerboy

Hi Again!
Received the 14" drop base, open edge air cleaner in chrome. Looks real nice, but need to accommodate it with a few changes.
Going to upgrade to an HEI distributor with internal coil, so that ugly yellow soda can coil will go away, along with its interference to the new air cleaner.
The choke looks to clear ok, and I hope the soon-to-arrive electric choke upgrade will also clear the base.
The remaining sticky point is the fuel intake to the carb. Currently set-up with a chromed pipe coming from the filter, with a section of rubber hose at the origin. What would my options be to route better from the filter to the carb inlet, but also clear the filter base?
I've seen nice set-ups from Edelbrock, including the chromed pipes and filter, but they appear to be specific to Edelbrock carbs. And I haven't come up with any similar offerings for a Holley 1850.
All I really NEED, is a 90 degree elbow to point down from the carb inlet, but would rather not have an ugly rubber hose going across the top of my deck. A braided S.S. line would be nice, or a Holley-specific chromed pipe set-up would be even better if it were made-to-fit.
Any ideas?

resdoggie

I would suggest AN-6 fittings and braided hose from the pump to carb. You would need adapter fittings for the pump outlet and the carb inlet and a new gas filter with AN-6 fittings. Not sure how how the return line on your gas filter will play out. I don't use one and haven't had any issues but I live in a more moderate climate.

Bergerboy

Thanks Resdoggie.
So, this would be a custom-cut and fitted set of lines?
Something I could do as owner? Or only a professional?
And I'd be re-plumbing going back to the pump upstream of the filter?
And what about that ugly return line pipe coming out of the filter?
Thanks again!

OldCarBum

There are several ways to replace your old fuel line between the carb and the fuel pump. If your pump is the old school manual type bolted to the side of your engine, you can purchase any number of steel braided lines that are pre-manufactured and have the proper AN fittings already attached. They are easy to install in minutes. Don't forget about the fuel filter if its an in-line type. Again, the pre-manufactured type can be ordered with filters that have AN fittings attached so there is no need to cut or use hose clamps. Check out Russell, Earls, or any of the forum vendors. Another option is to buy stainless steel tubing, the bending tools, the AN fittings and build your own custom pieces that will last forever. Or, if you are going for the all original look the tried and true rubber hose is an inexpensive option that has worked great for decades.

Bergerboy

Thanks Bum.
I see several kits online from those vendors, but wondering how I handle the stock fuel return line that comes out of the top of my filter and back to the tank? Can this / should this be bypassed?
Is it possible to keep the existing stock filter and return line, and get an AN6 adaptor fitting from the filter outlet to a new braided hose to the carb?

ddawson

I would bend and flare lines to match.

I was lucky that the LS6 fuel line kit was close but I still needed to modify it.

On the left side you can see the stock filter with return.

resdoggie

I would go with the braid as it is far easier - no bending required. AN fittings are not difficult to fit on braided hose. Lots of how to's on you tube. As for the return line, just remove it from the fuel pump and plug the hole with an appropriate blank. I'm thinking this will work.

Bergerboy

I believe the return line goes from the filter back to the tank, not the pump.

resdoggie

My return line is on the frame beside the supply line going into the fuel pp. It has a plug on the end where, I assume, a rubber hose to the fuel filter was once attached and has been that way before I bought the car in 1988. It hasn't caused any problems, ever.