I have a 1966 Olds 442 and I have a question about the valve cover breathe on the right side valve cover (passenger side). To start with I have an open element-type air cleaner with the with Olds 442 pie pan and it looks like and original air cleaner. Was this type of air cleaner and original item on a 1966 442? The breather question I have is when I acquired the car it had a black plastic type breather (?) that was lost while I was driving the car. I would like to replace it with an original type breather. Was the GM part number for this breather #6421868? If so where can I find one? I have been looking on the internet but all they have is the chrome type aftermarket type breathers for the valve cover. I am in the process of rebuilding the engine and I would like to have the correct part for the car. Thanks for any help.

John

 

manual trans or auto? (makes a difference)

 

4 speed manual.

John

 

You're correct then, an open element air cleaner.
Presuming we're not talking Calif emissions here:
Passenger side should have a hose going to the base of the carb.
Drivers side depends on whether or not you have a "closed crankcase ventilation". Closed will have a tube going back to the air cleaner base, otherwise a breather.

 

if you need one that is just the vent i have one for a 66. this won't work if you have the closed system. if interested let me know.

 

My car was originally from Florida and then the Midwest so I guess it does not have California smog stuff. The car does have a pcv valve but it goes from the base of the carb to the left side valve cover. The right side valve cover had the breather. There no tube going to the base of the air cleaner and there is no fitting on the base of the air cleaner for a tube.

Jensenracing77, I think I might need your vent that came off a 1966. I think I have an open system. What does it look like? Is your vent for sale?

John

 

Okay, you have a "regular" open system. Just the hose and the breather are on the wrong sides. Just swap them over.

 

i would take $25 and shipping. where are you located? if i were you i would replace the rubber part in the valve cover also. just to be sure that another one don't fall out. this vent may not be incredibly rare but i sure don't see them very often.

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Thanks everybody for your help.

Jensenracing77, I sent you an E-mail about your breather. Hope to here from you soon.

John

 

I had an original 67 442 Auto which had an open element chrome air cleaner with an open breather on the valve cover. I now have a Calif Emissions 67 Auto that has a closed air cleaner with the valve cover breather connecting to the air cleaner snout from the left valve cover.

 

Ump. I had forgotten how many aircleaner variations there were on 67 442. Kurt, you have any information that shows what applications got which aircleaner? We got into this with Pankoff's 67 automatic convert about ten years ago and never were sure which one it was supposed to have.

 

Three, basically. But all three would have open and closed crankcase ventilation versions with minor differences.
The two that were common with '66 were:
1. The open element one with a chome lid and black painted base. Mistakenly called a "4-spd" air cleaner, it actually was a "manual trans" version, as it applied to 3-spd manuals as well.
2. The automatic trans version. Totally enclosed chrome topped one. Basically the same as the sole '65 442 one, except the '65 has a passenger side snorkel, and the '66 & '67s have drivers side snorkels. The chrome on these is a "flash chrome" that leaves a satin type finish that is very hard to reproduce.
The third '67 version was a second type auto trans one that came along circa Feb '67. It was similar to the first type except there was no snorkel. The base had a diameter smaller than the lid, but large enough to pass the edge of the filter. That left an air intake gap all the way around the base of the lid. The lid had the same flash chrome plating.

 

I found a picture on Ebay of the type of air cleaner that I had on my original 67 442, it was the third type. It was open underneath with the smaller base and the lid was larger than the air filter. I have enclosed the picture of it.