Check my PCV setup please

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This is the deal with non element filtered air entering your engine.

Look at the part the red arrow points to, and note that this is the only thing between dirty air and your crank case oil because it is on the outside of the actual air filter element.
Trust that to keep junk out?, NO way.

That specific design even makes it worse because dirt collects on that little element, then when WOT venting happens the oil mist loosens the dirt caught by that filter and rinses it down into the bottom of the plastic housing allowing it to run back into the engine.

The second picture (Ford design) even funnels the dirt and oil mixture back into the air intake hose to get sucked back into the motor by the PCV.

I say let a little WOT oil mist get by the baffles in the covers, then the foam in the vent cap will catch most of it.
But if oil does go farther up the hose toward the intake and filter, when it eventually runs back down into the engine it won't have dust mixed in with it like the picture shows all over that little foam filter on the outside of the element in the first pic.

Yea, it's probably very little dirt that gets by those, but as easy as it is to stop, why not stop it all together?
 

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This is why Ford used a valve cover breather with filter media inside the breather itself. I have two on the 400 I just assembled sitting in my bedroom floor.
 
All this talk of "unfiltered air" is totally false. Every single bit of the air we are talking about here is filtered. Crankcase vapors come from the air that the air filter first filters, then goes into the engine. Whatever gets past the rings becomes crankcase vapor. It is already filtered.
 
RustyRatRod said:
This is why Ford used a valve cover breather with filter media inside the breather itself. I have two on the 400 I just assembled sitting in my bedroom floor.
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Mine have that also, but I didn't trust that media to keep crap out of the engine with the rinsing back and forth action in the hose above it.
Like I said, it is probably very little crap, but crap still and simple to stop.
 
RustyRatRod said:
All this talk of "unfiltered air" is totally false. Every single bit of the air we are talking about here is filtered. Crankcase vapors come from the air that the air filter first filters, then goes into the engine. Whatever gets past the rings becomes crankcase vapor. It is already filtered.
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And then it picks up crap out of the hose that got by those little foam elements and returns it to the engine when the pressure lowers in the case and the air starts moving back the other way again. :D
 
Engines have run hundreds of thousands of miles with the system, so it works.
 
I thought the OP said he is Fighting a oil leak. Did you remove the pins on the block and use rtv front and rear?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Good point.

My apologies.
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X2

Sounds like a bit of a guess on where it's coming from to me.
Maybe a good idea to make sure of that first or we could make guesses all night.

Oil sender
V covers
Distributor shaft
Down the back corner of one head or both because of intake to block seal
 
TrailBeast said:
X2

Sounds like a bit of a guess on where it's coming from to me.
Maybe a good idea to make sure of that first or we could make guesses all night.

Oil sender
V covers
Distributor shaft
Down the back corner of one head or both because of intake to block seal
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68 street hemi`s came like rustys diagram. so, what does an aftermarket 6 pack hood scoop add to this equasion, that is sealed to a 14" k-n type filter ? pressurizing that system, making it circulate more air at higher speeds ??
 
Hey everyone, sorry I was not around for most of the discussion.
Let me try to respond to a few things:
Yes, pins removed and RTV red used when installing the intake. I was pretty hopeful I applied plenty of RTV the second time around.
The valve covers and gaskets are only a few months old. I get a mirror down there on the mating surfaces and am not seeing any leaks, but I will check again.
The distributor was installed less than a week ago, and we used a bit of RTV on the o-ring just to be sure.
Oil Sender is new and installed with Teflon tape.
Thanks again for the responses.
 
equium said:
Hey everyone, sorry I was not around for most of the discussion.
Let me try to respond to a few things:
Yes, pins removed and RTV red used when installing the intake. I was pretty hopeful I applied plenty of RTV the second time around.
The valve covers and gaskets are only a few months old. I get a mirror down there on the mating surfaces and am not seeing any leaks, but I will check again.
The distributor was installed less than a week ago, and we used a bit of RTV on the o-ring just to be sure.
Oil Sender is new and installed with Teflon tape.
Thanks again for the responses.
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Yea, it would help a LOT if you can find where it is actually coming from.
 
straightlinespeed said:
My question is why?

He has the hose from the PCV valve to the carb (drivers side front), the passenger side breather should allow air to enter the engine. As long as that breather has a filter is should be clean air.

I've seen a lot set up this way. Just curious why the breather is hooked to the air cleaner.
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You are correct. This is the 67 down PCV setup, I would loose the breather on the PCV valve cover. RRR gives the 68 up PCV setup. Either is fine. nm9stheham has hit the nail on the head. Chevy's would fill the air cleaner housing with oil from blowby. To the OP, I doubt the valve covers have baffles and the breathers may be less than up to the task. Can you still get Stant breathers?
 
TrailBeast said:
Yea, it would help a LOT if you can find where it is actually coming from.
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I can tell that most of the leak runs down the driver side of the tranny bell housing, with minimal on the passenger side.
I would like to clean it up, and stare at the running engine until I see something, but I don't think there would be enough crankcase pressure to generate the leak. Then again, I could possibly rule out the valve covers as the leak source.
 
Just confirmed:
DS valve cover has baffles on both openings.
PS valve cover has no baffle on it's single opening.
I have already replaced the DS breather with a cap. I'll be heading to the parts store for a new PCV and breather to add the hose from the PS cover to the air cleaner.
 
Keep in mind too that we have seen MANY cylinder heads right here on this forum that were not straight on the valve cover rail area. That could be a source of contention, especially with aluminum valve covers that do not conform to the irregular shape of a poorly machined valve cover rail. Might be something to pay particular attention to.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Keep in mind too that we have seen MANY cylinder heads right here on this forum that were not straight on the valve cover rail area. That could be a source of contention, especially with aluminum valve covers that do not conform to the irregular shape of a poorly machined valve cover rail. Might be something to pay particular attention to.
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aside from having the heads machined, what would be the solution?
The gasket I am using is the rubber type (Fel-Pro VS13395R).
I vaguely recall hearing of a brand of gasket that has a near 100% success rate for exhaust manifolds, do they make valve cover gaskets too? (I can't remember the brand, sorry).
 
equium said:
aside from having the heads machined, what would be the solution?
The gasket I am using is the rubber type (Fel-Pro VS13395R).
I vaguely recall hearing of a brand of gasket that has a near 100% success rate for exhaust manifolds, do they make valve cover gaskets too? (I can't remember the brand, sorry).
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Probably thinking of Remflex but I don't think they make V cover gaskets.
A factory small block head has a rise in the center that does not allow fabbed or cast aluminum covers to sit down at the ends. (about 1/8 up on each end)
You have factory style ridges on the heads and cast covers so I betcha that would be the troublemaker right there.
This is also why some people end up snapping the corners off cast covers also.

I was determined to do exactly this with my motor so I got two sets of rubber gaskets and cut about 6 inches of the ends of one set and contact glued the cut off ends over the top of the full gaskets and used a moto tool with a sanding drum to taper the 4 edges of the cut ends down to the full gasket towards the center.

It was a bit of work, but it has been flawless ever since (over two years) and dry as a bone.
 

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I would suspect that if the valve cover rail is the problem, the only viable solution other than removing the heads and having them machined on the valve cover rail would be running stamped steel valve covers.

But that's puttin the cart before the horse. Hopefully it will be something that doesn't require that.
 
I had the same leak on my 340.Have the black mopar performance valve covers.I did not notch out the covers for the intake runners.I tightened them so tight to stop the leak it warped the covers so after notching the valve covers they still leak.Bought a new set and notched them with thick valve cover gaskets no problems.If you take the gaskets off and set the valve covers on the heads if they rock back and forth ANY they are warped.Good luck
 
Remflex, that was the name I was thinking of. Nope, they don't make V cover gaskets.
I don't want to go to stamped steel covers, so I may try some of the hints given here.
I'm going to order up a few sets of rubber gaskets and plan to replace them soon.
thanks
 
69_340_GTS said:
Moroso Perm-Align are the best v/c gaskets you can buy. If these don't stop your leaks, nothing will. But really, please, check for interference between the v/c and the intake manifold. #93050 http://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/valve-cover-gaskets/make/dodge/engine-size/5-6l-340/engine-family/mopar-small-block-la?N=400105&SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending
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Good info, thanks. a bit pricey, but I'd rather a large initial cost than to keep having an issue.
 
I have those M/T cast covers on my Eddie headed 360 with an AirGap. I had to notch the covers to go over the AG runners. No leaks.
It is fairly easy to pressurize the entire engine with a regulated air source, through the dipstick tube. The breather ports, and the PCV, have to be blocked. I use 4psi. Then a soap and water test will find the leak(s).
If it blows the dipstick out,or spits oil out the breathers, you need to perform a blow-by test. The PCV system cannot keep up to bad rings at very much throttle/load settings.It's only there for light throttle and cruising, really. At WOT it backs up and usually exits into the air cleaner housing, where the oil(if existing) condenses out, and the air goes back down the carb throats, and at idle it sits on a minimum bypass disc.
In your case, the breathers need to be open in both directions, so WOT blow-by can exit there. If they are one-way check-valved, the engine will be pressurized at WOT and it will find the weakest places to blow out. Most/All engines will exhibit some pressure into the crankcase at full-load WOT.
So pull the breathers out and blow hard; making sure they are two-way breathers.
 
AJ/FormS said:
I have those M/T cast covers on my Eddie headed 360 wit an AirGap. I had to notch the covers to go over the AG runners. No leaks.
It is fairly easy to pressurize the entire engine with a regulated air source, through the dipstick. The breather ports, and the PCV, have to be blocked. I use 4psi. Then a soap and water test will find the leak(s)
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This might be the issue. I've seen many valve covers hit the runners as well.

Danny, if you look at the Barracuda's valve covers, you can see where I notched the to clear the LD340 intake runners.

Another thing to look at is to make sure you are getting the silicone laid down in the proper place for the intake to seal. Lay a gasket down and trace it with a Sharpie so you can get the silicone in the proper area. Also, let it dry overnight before running the engine.
 
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