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The passenger side PCV probably isn't, it is usually an empty fitting not a PCV on both sides. You would not want an open breather on the passenger side unless you plan to clean it often as said above it puts oil all over. Mine was especially bad downhill braking into turn five at Road America.
Pix of mine, driver PCV to can, passenger open breath to can.
You also don't want restrictions and the air finding its way out of the dipstick or engine seals.
Would there be any downside to replacing the passenger side PCV with a simple breather? It seems to me that might be even better because that way the air that enters the crankcase would be filtered in some capacity
It already IS filtered....
Originally Posted by Tom400CFI
Under manifold vacuum, air path should be: Air Filter > snorkel (air filter housing on the CFI) > into 3/8" hose > valve cover > through crank case/valley > opposite side valve cover > into PCV valve > 3/8" hose > into plenum...then burned.
All air going into the engine is filtered through the air filter.
All air going into the engine is filtered through the air filter.
That doesnt appear to be the case in my 84, unless theres a filter in that rubber hose... heres some pics I just took to show you what I mean (sorry about the quality)
As you can see, the hose attaches to the air filter housing outside the air filter. Air could potentially come through the hood > down the hose > passenger valve cover > lifter valley > driver valve cover > up PCV system > into intake plenum without ever going through a filter element. Not that I think its a super big issue or anything...
When i had my crossfire apart i saw signs of lots of oil being sucked in.
i noticed signs strongest in the intake near the cylinder 2 and 4 runners.
and on my number 2 cylinder i had tons of carbon deposits, once the carbon was cleaned i saw signs of pinging on the piston hat.
While I'm pretty sure that was caused by a bad valve stem seal, the bread crumbs also showed me it was possible it was being sucked in.
So while i was going through everything i dumped the pcv valves in favor for a straight vent.
Then over the summer while running the car hard in the canyons, i had some smoke signals coming out of the side vents, and the wheel wells, i found oil coming out of the valve cover vents, dripping down onto my headers.
That doesnt appear to be the case in my 84, unless theres a filter in that rubber hose... heres some pics I just took to show you what I mean (sorry about the quality)
As you can see, the hose attaches to the air filter housing outside the air filter. Air could potentially come through the hood > down the hose > passenger valve cover > lifter valley > driver valve cover > up PCV system > into intake plenum without ever going through a filter element. Not that I think its a super big issue or anything...
Perhaps I'm missing something though?
Nope. You aren't missing anything. That's crazy. I've never seen one plumbed that way before. I agree that it's not a huge issue...but why didn't GM move that grommet over a few inches so it was w/in the filtered air!? Kooky.
Yep, a filter would be better than what GM did there. The PCV system draws UP TO 9 CFM so over the life of the car, that is a meaningful amount of unfiltered air drawn into the crank case area. Weird...and good observation. Thanks for posting the pics!
