Valve cover/Cylinder head weirdness

[Jerryred94silvy]

I love these tangential conversations lol. I can’t say I disagree with y’all. Public caning mixed with keeping fathers in the home raising the kids they made would drastically reduce crime rates.

On a different note lol. Are the GM style PCV baffles adequate, are they overkill, are there better options? The covers I’m looking at have baffles that look like original style baffles in them. The research I’ve found indicates that my current lack of baffles would explain my excessive oil consumption issue…mixed with the massive oil leak of course lol.

 

[Schurkey]

GM baffles are NOT "overkill". They tend to be "adequate".

Aftermarket baffles--if they come with the valve covers at all--tend to be less than adequate. Maybe you got lucky with the ones you're looking at.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I love these tangential conversations lol. I can’t say I disagree with y’all. Public caning mixed with keeping fathers in the home raising the kids they made would drastically reduce crime rates.

On a different note lol. Are the GM style PCV baffles adequate, are they overkill, are there better options? The covers I’m looking at have baffles that look like original style baffles in them. The research I’ve found indicates that my current lack of baffles would explain my excessive oil consumption issue…mixed with the massive oil leak of course lol.

Overkill means you can't cram anymore meat in your freezer,no such thing when it comes to baffles. The idea is to keep the oil in the motor.

 

[Jerryred94silvy]

Chevy 350 383 Tall Alum. Finned Center Bolt Vortec Valve Cover Black E41021BK | eBay

Chevy 350 383 Tall Alum. Finned Vortec Valve Cover Black E41021BK. 1986-Up Chevy Center Bolt. 3-11/16" Tall.

www.ebay.com

These are the ones I’ve been keeping my eye on. The pro form ones from summit are excellent but I can’t justify spending $200 on valve covers just yet.

 

[Schurkey]

Got a push-in oil fill cap to fit those grommets?

Are the grommets the right diameter to suit the PCV fresh-air tube or PCV fresh-air breather cap?

 

[Scooterwrench]

Those are good looking valve covers. Does your current covers have the hole for the fresh air inlet? You can get a push in cap with a grommet hole in it for fresh air. I have never been a fan of the filters that push in,moisture gets in and oil gets out.

 

[Jerryred94silvy]

I had planned on running breathers on both sides. I’m still learning all this stuff though so I’ll take all the advice I can get.

 

[Schurkey]

I had planned on running breathers on both sides.

NO.

PCV valve in one cover leading to a 3/8 manifold-vacuum nipple preferably on the primary side of the carburetor (if used). Then a fresh-air inlet on the other cover. Ideally, the fresh-air inlet is a duct (tube) leading to the air cleaner, similar to practically every stock engine since about 1970 or perhaps before. Less-effective is a fresh air inlet on it's own air filter separate from the air cleaner used by the engine induction system.

Depending on the OEM system, some PCV fresh-air inlets are ducted from the "clean" side of the main air filter. Others use a secondary filter inside the air cleaner, on the "dirty" side of the main air filter. Either way, the fresh air going into the valve cover has been filtered.

Start with the PCV valve specified for your vehicle. Since there is NO good source of data for PCV valve flow rates, or spring tensions, you MIGHT have to experiment with various part numbered valves to get one that flows appropriately for a custom application. Or spend enormous money for an "adjustable" PCV valve.

 

[Jerryred94silvy]

NO.

PCV valve in one cover leading to a 3/8 manifold-vacuum nipple preferably on the primary side of the carburetor (if used). Then a fresh-air inlet on the other cover. Ideally, the fresh-air inlet is a duct (tube) leading to the air cleaner, similar to practically every stock engine since about 1970 or perhaps before. Less-effective is a fresh air inlet on it's own air filter separate from the air cleaner used by the engine induction system.

Depending on the OEM system, some PCV fresh-air inlets are ducted from the "clean" side of the main air filter. Others use a secondary filter inside the air cleaner, on the "dirty" side of the main air filter. Either way, the fresh air going into the valve cover has been filtered.

Start with the PCV valve specified for your vehicle. Since there is NO good source of data for PCV valve flow rates, or spring tensions, you MIGHT have to experiment with various part numbered valves to get one that flows appropriately for a custom application. Or spend enormous money for an "adjustable" PCV valve.

Sweet. So this motor didn’t come with that either lol. It has a rubber plug on the driver side with no slit in it and I ran the stock PCV valve to the base of the carb. Current valve covers are unbaffled on either side.

 

[Scooterwrench]

The TBI engines have a breather spacer with the fresh air nipple on them that pulls filtered air into the crankcase. May be a way to go if you've got the hood clearance.