When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
You may need to modify the "tomato can" if you use an aftermarket intake. I had to massage the top of one to move it down about 1/4" to get an Eldebrock intake to fit. I have never taken one apart, but they seem to be a pipe within a can, not extremely difficult to make if you have a welder.
I agree that the PML covers look a little "wrong"... but I was in the same position you are (but with a 350 LT-1 block - no draft tube).
They are a little taller than the stock covers - I understand that roller rockers will fit under them (although I don't have them)
Overall I'm happy with the setup and my oil consumption went from 1Q/100 miles to 1Q/2000 miles.
Here is a photo of the PML cover next to a real deal.
Just a quick update. I found a good used valley can and ordered it. Should be here next week. Now I noticed there is a hole in the valley boss to dist housing hole. I have not seen this before. Anyone tell me what this for?
Thanks Hole is above drain back hole rearward of the last lifter bore on passenger side of valley.
Unknown what you have decided to do with your system but here is what I did on my 57 383 with a 1967 block. I used the draft tube hole as the suction side with a filter (I think it was an aftermarket filter for a valve cover) and a oil fill closed cap with a nipple/hose to the back of the carb on the for the discharge side.
Here is the suction side.
Just kinda reverse of what I was thinking. I was going to put PCV where your filter is and a filtered breather cap on oil fill tube in the front.
Do you have the can in the valley?
Just kinda reverse of what I was thinking. I was going to put PCV where your filter is and a filtered breather cap on oil fill tube in the front.
Do you have the can in the valley?
Yes, I have the tomato can. You need a better breather filter cap than the standard old C1 type. They only have a wire mesh large hole material that is just a step above nothing.
I know, this subject has been beat to death, but I need a second opinion.
Age old problem of no holes in valve covers. 327 early block with road draft tube hole.
I plan to use an intake with oil fill tube in the front with breather for air intake. I do not have the “tomato can” oil separator in the valley. I do have a PCV rubber grommet that is the long style with a block off/slit in the bottom that fits the hole in the block perfect. This style was designed for valve covers without baffles. When inserted it blocks off 3/4 of the hole to the valley. View from valley Top view Valley view Top outside of block Bottom of grommet Top of grommet .
Do you think this would work to separate oil from air to PCV valve intake?
My second thought was put a small freeze plug in the valley hole with some holes drilled in it to give additional oil separation to inlet side.
I do not have the valley can separator and Corvette Central says they are out of stock and they don’t know if they will ever get them in again.
What say ye C1 C2 experts?
Why don't you install the tomato can along with a PCV on the front oil fill tube and run a closed PCV system.
Thanks, I thought about that, but was leaning toward a more hidden look. The jury is out since others have commented on the poor filter ability of the oil fill tube filter.
Thanks
That Moroso baffle gromment didn’t stop my oil usage by itself, had to fab a regular baffle to use along with it. That’s why I recommended using the tomato can and you don’t have to fabricate a baffle.
FWIW, I’ve been running a pcv system on my 57, dual wcfb with a crate 350 using the vented oil fill cap and a pcv valve on the driver’s side valve cover, connected to the base of the front carb. No issues in 20 years, and oil stays amazingly clean.
I have the same setup at vettepoor, except I pull from the passenger valve cover.
And same results... Oil stays very clean, and very little burning of oil.
So just to be clear, you used the grommet with the slit in it, in the road draft tube hole, without the can in the valley, and it sucked oil into the PCV and intake?
Thank you.
Sorry, just now saw your post. My 350 block doesn’t have the road draft tube casting so I drilled a hole for the grommet into the manifold. I don’t like holes in my valve covers. Too much oil got thru so had to fabricate a baffle. Works great now, oil is cleaner, reduced oil consumption, idles well and runs great!
Thanks, I thought about that, but was leaning toward a more hidden look. The jury is out since others have commented on the poor filter ability of the oil fill tube filter.
Thanks
I understand, have you thought about using the 1963 set up. PCV in the back like you want and breather tube to air cleaner in the front. That's basically what you are after but I would consider a closed system by connecting the breather tube to the air cleaner. Check out some 1963 factory PCV pictures.
As mentioned, filtration is something of an issue if using a vented cap as an air inlet. The "steel wool" in the cap will keep out small animals, but that might be about it. Here's what I did--this is some 3/8" 60 ppi filter foam added to the cap. I glued it on with a thin bead of black Permatex RTV (being careful not to block up the foam). The foam can be oiled and cleaned. This was easy to do and fairly unobtrusive. The rest of the PCV system is OE for California 62s, or close to it.
Seems to me there is a lot of “re-inventing of the wheel” here.
Now correct me if I am wrong but I believe the OP has a block with the draft tube hole in his engine. There are several possible “fixes” suggested here that try to mimic a later system with holes in the valve covers. IF THE OP HAS THE DRAFT TUBE HOLE HE DOESN’T NEED THESE OTHER FIXES.
I don’t understand why the OP doesn’t just build what was an original type PCV system for his engine? It is as simple as buying a tomato can, (trim it if necessary to fit under an aftermarket intake) draw filtered air from the air cleaner into the crankcase, and discharge it through a oil fill tube with a sealed cap and hose nipple with hose to the carb base with either a pcv valve or the .090 orfice fitting? GM engineers spent a LOT of time on this as evidenced by the evolution of these systems shown in the article I suggest be read in the link below.
All of these make shifted air systems may work when there is no other way but you can’t beat the air filtered through the carb air filters which have again been the subject of a lot of engineering. I went through much of this trying to create an acceptable, well filter closed system for my 57 which had the small air filter housings with no room to filter it through there air cleaners (which btw were NOT very good filters.)
The entire purpose of a closed PVC system is to keep the oil cleaner and not be sucking the dirty road debris air into the engine from the old road draft tube. Did you ever wonder why our engines lasted longer without need to rebuild as quickly as the older engines an these systems evolved? Engines that used road draft tubes were really dirty and had a lot of cylinder wall and bearing wear compared to the later closed PVC systems. I can’t stress the importance of this anymore. If you don’t filter your intake air you are just shortening the life of your engine.
Likely only the flange at the rear and that can be smashed down as well as any other part of the can without any problems. Now you can simply complete the factory PCV set up your car came from the factory with.
