Crankcase ventilation?

[Fireball]

Please show me your 1960 430 MEL ventilation setup, my car has only a breather filler cap and I wonder was there originally something more to it that someone has ripped off during the years?

[Howard Prout]

There is a draft tube at the rear of the engine on the driver's side - part 6758 on the attached diagram.

[Fireball]

Thanks Howard, that tube is missing. I crawled under my car and there's an approx. 1" 3/8" hole in the block but no tube. That solves one mystery where the smoke was coming last summer. I might just tinker a PCV valve controlled line between that hole and carb, just to reduce the smell and fumes in the cabin. On the other hand it's starting to look like engine rebuild time...

[simplyconnected]

Take my advice and find a 390 from the 1970's. They were used in Ford, Mercury, Econoline vans, F-series pickup trucks, marine, commercial and industrial applications. They are everywhere compared to the 430.

Original 430 pistons are wedge-dome shaped because the block deck is cut at a nine degree angle (like the Chevrolet 409). Aftermarket pistons are flat, leaving only a fraction of the compression ratio. Real 430 pistons are too expensive and not available unless you have a set cast and machined, then matched to your specifications. All sizes of rings are available. We normally get pistons first, then bore and hone the block to that piston size because piston-to-cylinder clearance is very close.

I love the 430 but it is not an easy or inexpensive engine to overhaul. It's not practical to simply re-ring because the cylinder walls wear in a bell-shape. New rings would flex violently and rapidly, causing them to break. Old rings are already worn with only a little 'flex' left in them. That's why new rings need a straight bore with a good cross-hatch. Keep your old engine around for the next owner to overhaul.

Anyone looking at the 390 will think it is an original 352, because they look the same. - Dave

[partsetal]

The 430 has a dome at the left rear of the valley pan. Under it is another tube that channels the vapors in the engine through several castings to the hole/tube at the bottom. I've seen nipples welded/brazed to the valley pan at this point that are connected to a hose/PCV valve that is connected to another nipple in a carb spacer. This would probably be a solution for removing the fumes if replacing the draft tube does not work.
Carl

[GTE427]

The 430 has a dome at the left rear of the valley pan. I've seen nipples welded/brazed to the valley pan at this point that are connected to a hose/PCV valve that is connected to another nipple in a carb spacer.
Carl

Some example photos to go with Carl's explanation.

[Joe Johnston]

Certainly a good way to add a PVC. Similar to the Y-blocks with the exception of the valve being vertical and in a hole in the valley pan on a Y-block. All you need is a sealed way for the vapors to enter the intake and an adequately sized check valve. I'm old enough to remember following high mileage cars on the highway with smoke coming from the road draft tubes - must have really stunk inside.

I'm wondering, is there any material like co**** steel wool in the underside of that domed area to help filter or condense vapor into
liquid before the fumes enter the intake via the carb or a spacer plate?

[partsetal]

Yes, there is some steel wool type filtering material in the area of the dome. You have to remove an internal pan for access to properly clean it.
Carl

[Fireball]

I decided to build an PCV valve controlled system. Here you can see the 90 degree nipple replacing the stock draft tube, and the other end will go via PCV valve to designated port in my Edelbrock carb.