PCV upgrade on '59

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

...separated a new thread from this one.

- there is excessive smoke coming from the oil fill opening
- there is excessive smoke coming from the pipe that leads from the back of the block/intake to the undercarriage along the exhaust
- both smokes were there even before I overheated, before the first ride
- an exhaust smoke 'disapears' after few minutes (and only the 'two places stated above' smoke remains)

...

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

The engine smoking is most likely from the road draft system needing service. Consider a PCV upgrade.

Thank you Gary. Can you please briefly explain what is the road draft system and how difficult/expensive the service could be? I found great info about the PCV here on the web. Do I get it right that the PCV would solve my problem without the need of the service? Should the valve be exchanged every year as it gets clogged in time? How difficult is the exchange and where the parts for it can be purchased? Does any list of needed parts exist? Do both variations work the same?

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

Also they say that one way from the four-way brass connector goes to the vacuum booster of the fuel pump. I have an el. fuel pump installed on my bird instead of the stock one. Is it a problem for the PCV upgrade?

[KULTULZ]

Also they say that one way from the four-way brass connector goes to the vacuum booster of the fuel pump. I have an el. fuel pump installed on my bird instead of the stock one. Is it a problem for the PCV upgrade?

No.

The upgrade is fairly simple and is detailed here-

http://www.squarebirds.org/pcv_conversion.htm

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

No.

The upgrade is fairly simple and is detailed here-

http://www.squarebirds.org/pcv_conversion.htm

Yes, that's the link I found - they say one of the ways from the brass connector goes to the vacuum booster of the fuel pump...

Do I get it right that the PCV would solve my problem without the need of the road draft system service?

Should the valve be exchanged every year as it gets clogged in time?

Do both variations from the link work the same?

[Dakota Boy]

PCVs are pretty easy to check to verify if they are stuck open or shut. And they are cheap.

All you are doing with this modification is "closing" the system; you are essentially "capturing" crankcase gases with engine vacuum, and sending them back through the engine (and then out the exhaust pipes).

[DKheld]

Apparently they had some modified parts to begin with (before they did their PCV install) because the stock Tbird intake only has a 2 port brass vacuum junction just behind the distributor (not a 4 port). One port to the vac booster on the top of the fuel pump and one to the brake booster.

This top section of the pump has nothing to do with pumping the fuel but is a vacuum booster for the windshield wipers. The other side of the line off the top of the fuel pump runs to the pass. side of the car ad hooks to a hose going to the wiper motor.

I kind of wonder why they have that connection on the PCV setup and another to the inlet of the carb? Looks to me to be doing the same thing but if it works why not.

It will still be pretty hard to keep "all" the gasses from coming out of the push on style oil filler cap but yes - the PCV setup is eliminating the need for a road draft tube. I think you need to have a vented oil fill cap for the PCV system to have fresh air intake - could be wrong so maybe some of the other folks will have ideas. Seems you can't just suck air out of the engine if it has nowhere to let air in.

I do notice this set up bypasses the air cleaner and sends the gasses directly into the carb. Probably going to get some build up in the carb. On my setup I'm using the type that installs on the side of the air cleaner with a filter and also is positioned so that the gasses go through the carb air filter - don't have a good pic but here are some snagged from the web.





There is also the option of buying a small plate with a vacuum port that fits under the carb if you don't want to drill a hole in the air cleaner. Similar to this but smaller - maybe some other folks know a source - seems like a '66 Tbird had one? that will fit the original 4100 carb if you have that.


Eric

[KULTULZ]

Ideally... ..., the PVC signal should not be at that fitting but drawn from the manifold carb plenum to enable the fumes/vapors to be distributed evenly between the cylinders to prevent plug fouling. Drawing the signal from a fitting on a single runner will cause that one cylinder to foul very easily and throw the fuel mixture off.

Notice in the photo-



-that this model 4160 HOLLEY has a dedicated vacuum inlet in it's base that is used in this instance for the PCV system. As mentioned in a previous post, a carb spacer with a vacuum inlet nipple can also be used.

[KULTULZ]

Can you please briefly explain what is the road draft system and how difficult/expensive the service could be?

The system will be detailed in your Shop Manual (or if you don't have a manual let me know and I will send Ray the info to be posted)..

Service basically is keeping the oil filler cap cleaned and open to draw fresh air into the engine. If the filter becomes plugged to the extent that it cannot be cleaned, it needs to be replaced with a proper service replacement.

The same filler cap will be used on a PCV conversion (Open System) or fresh air can be drawn from inside the air cleaner (Closed System). The closed system is also more emissions compliant in that engine fumes cannot be introduced into the atmosphere (fumes being burnt inside engine). It all depends on the final look you want.

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

Heat Riser Valve

Today I found my heat riser valve not working properly. Or I should say - not working at all . After the engine was warmed up, the valve stayed in the closed position (on the picture) and there was a sort of clicking sound from the engine. It wasn't stuck, when I pushed the valve down/open, the sound disappeared. Without the push, the valve returned to the closed position. Can this part be repaired anyhow or it needs to be replaced for those bloody $70?

Update: I just got back from the shop manual where they say: '...the valve is designed to open when the engine is at normal operating temperature and operated at high rpm.' That is something I did not test. Still, they also say '...a properly operating valve will open when very light finger pressure is applied to the counterweight.' The pressure was not very light at all...

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

More-less for cosmetic reasons, I decided to go with the carb spacer instead of the four-way brass connector. Can you advise if this solution will have the same effectivity? Here is the parts list, hopefully nothing is missing in it:

• '65-'68 oil cap with open/emission
• air cleaner adapter (any idea where to get one?)
• road draft replacement connector from a 1962 to 64 Ford
(any idea where to get one?)
• '66 carb spacer
• PCV valve
• hoses

[jopizz]

Today I found my heat riser valve not working properly. Or I should say - not working at all . After the engine was warmed up, the valve stayed in the closed position (on the picture) and there was a sort of clicking sound from the engine. It wasn't stuck, when I pushed the valve down/open, the sound disappeared. Without the push, the valve returned to the closed position. Can this part be repaired anyhow or it needs to be replaced for those bloody $70?

If the valve opens freely by hand then the problem could be the spring. That is what opens the valve when it gets hot and expands. You can try taking the spring off and seeing if the exhaust causes it to stay open. If it doesn't then it's not free enough and you can try shooting some penetrating oil in the shaft front and back to loosen it up. You can always wire it to stay open all the time. Your engine just won't warm up quite as fast. If you only drive in warm weather it won't be a problem.

John

[KULTULZ]

More-less for cosmetic reasons, I decided to go with the carb spacer instead of the four-way brass connector. Can you advise if this solution will have the same effectivity? Here is the parts list, hopefully nothing is missing in it:

• '65-'68 oil cap with open/emission
• air cleaner adapter (any idea where to get one?)
• road draft replacement connector from a 1962 to 64 Ford
(any idea where to get one?)
• '66 carb spacer
• PCV valve
• hoses

I think that on your year BIRD, that the later PCV carb spacer will cause clearance problems with the air cleaner to hood clearance. The one you are showing (C6SZ 9A589-A) has a nipple for a vacuum signal, not large enough for a PCV signal.

This conversion-

...Has the PCV inlet as part of the carb base.

The other conversion method shows using the brass vacuum fitting on the intake manifold-



You will need a push-on oil filler cap (open) as opposed to a twist-on to fit the oil filler tube properly.

Here is a Y Block PCV file Gary asked me to post for him.

http://www.squarebirds.org/SB/Y-BLOCK- PCV_1.pdf

[KULTULZ]

Earlier Referring And Informative URL-

http://squarebirds.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=856

[KULTULZ]

• air cleaner adapter (any idea where to get one?)

• road draft replacement connector from a 1962 to 64 Ford
(any idea where to get one?)

By adapter, do you mean the carburetor stud?

THUNDERBIRD RANCH has the PCV fitting on the rear of the intake.