Hello,

I recently had very rough idle and discovered red oil all over my air filter (aftermarket Edelbrock reusable) & housing.
I'm thinking it may be due to vapors/oil from the PCV that runs to the air filter. Then reacting with the red spray that was on the air filter.
i decided to run the PCV to the 3/8 vacuum port on my Edelbrock (1403) carb.
Now I can't get it to stay running, it dies about 20 seconds after it starts.

I'm Curious as to where everyone else is running their PCV hose to.
Also, this got me thinking, what does the thin tube on my PCV connect to?

History on the car, the engine was rebuilt in 2005 and it ran like a champ. Then I stopped driving it and let it sit for too long.
Also, PCV is in the passenger side and a breather with filter media is on the driver's side.
MSD distributor with electronic ignitionEdelbrock intake and carb.
I just picked up a random PCV that would fit... Not sure if it's one that will really work or not for my application.
i sprayed carb cleaner all over the carb and just a little bit inside of it

To recap the questions:
-what does the small tube on PCV in photo go to?
-Where do you run your PCV to?
-If I run my PCV to the port on the carb will that make it run more lean?

Thanks,

Shawn

 

You have it hooked up wrong. The large port needs to go tot he air cleaner and not a vacuum port. With the large port hooked to vacuum, you just created a huge vacuum leak. The little tube would hook to a little vacuum port.

 

Also need to clean that valve. I soak them in gas over night and then blow them out with compressed air. That or pick up a new one on eBay. That valve is also directional. It has to be flat so the internal plate will lay down when not under hard acceleration.

 

Are you using the original air cleaner housing or is that an open element type?

The PCV flapper valve mounts in the valve cover. The large port on top connects to the air cleaner snout via a rubber hose or a metal tube depending on carline and year. The small port connects to a port on the back of the carb throttle plate.

This is 63 but 62 will likely be the same. Look at the top left illustration.

*edit, figures the damn attachment didn't take*

 

If you want to eliminate all that mess and go with a TRUE positive crankcase ventilation system, use this diagram for the 1964 big cars. It will require a 3/8" nipple in the carb base, a 1965-90 style PCV valve, a valve cover grommet for that valve, and a length of 3/8" hose. You won't need the tube and filter inside the air cleaner. You can continue to use the oil fill tube breather cap for the fresh air source.

 

You guys are quick, thanks for the responses. I'm looking forward to fixing this soon.

Also, for clarification, the air cleaner is this Edelbrock one pictured below.

Ave the true positive crankcase system looks interesting. I might stick with the easier option for now though.

I'll let you know how it goes.


​​​​​​

 

1 more thing, has anyone run into the issue of oil in the air filter?
it was a decent amount that was dripping out.
I have a basic paper style one now. I'll try that and keep an eye on it.

 

Are you sure that the reusable filter didn't get oiled to much? If not that, it could be that you have more blow by that you want. Or maybe the PCV needs replaced. If the plate inside is not laying down proper then it will go through the air cleaner more than go through the vacuum port. These PCV's are on eBay all the time, may be best to replace it if the inside looks grungy.

 

OP said it is a red oil... Does the automatic trans use a vacuum signal like T350's do? Could it be bad vacuum modulator ??

 

Look at the E-brock air cleaner base plate and see if it has provision for a knockout plate between the element and carb ring.

If it does, there's a PCV fresh air adapter available, but I don't know how well it would work with that factory style flapper PCV valve. You'd get all the blowby going into the carb.

Try this. Shake the flapper and see if the plate rattles freely. If not, clean it as Eric said, then put a cap on the big port. A rubber cap like you'd use to cap off a coolant port should work. That would stop the blowby oil from fouling your air filter element. Downside is you'd be relying totally on the small port to handle crankcase vent blowby gases, which is barely one step up from the road draft tubes used thru most of 1962.

 

It's possible that it did get over oiled, but I did that a LONG time ago and have driven it a bit since without issue.
I'll put a light too the PCV to see if the flap is laying flat or not. eBay might not be a bad idea for a replacement.

Thanks

 

Mine has the manual trans.

 

the air cleaner baseplate does have the knockout.
This was my original setup. I just looked into using the carb vacuum port instead because of all the gunk around the air cleaner.
I'll be going back to that setup.
Probably with a replacement PCV if I find one.

Thanks for the response.

 

Personally I think I would put it back the way it was and start over. There probably only one simple thing wrong and you are changing too much at one time.

If it has been sitting for years and you didnt go through the carburetor I would not be a bit surprised if it isn't shooting gas all over the place from the needle and seat being stuck. That might explain the liquid on the air filter. How long has it been sitting ??? Did you flush out the fuel system and put fresh gas in it ?

 

Well it sat for 4 years without really being driven at all. Just the occasional start.
Then in the last 2 years I pulled out out for a spin around the neighborhood every few months and 1 last long cruise through Seattle before I moved out of state.
it was fine until I pulled it off the trailer and pulled it into a parking spot. That's when the rough idle began.

And to your point, i definitely changed too much at once.

​

 

From your description of the problem and the fact that it ran fine before sitting I would almost bet money that the problem is the carb being gummed up. Possible float sticking. I bet if you put it all back the way it was when it was running fine and just went through the carb then you would solve the problem.

 

I'm hoping so
I won't be able to get to it until the weekend to find out though.

 

Well, i replaced the air filter, cleaned the PCV and put it all back to how it was before the issues and I am facing the same problem.
She will start up no problem and run for about 10 seconds then die.

I pulled the cap and it still looks brand new.
Do you all think the coil or ignition control could be the issue?
It's the MSD electronic ignition...a 6A w/ a Blaster 2 coil.

If it's not that, then I'm wondering if it's related to being bounced around for a thousand miles when it was being towed on the flatbed.
As the issues started immediately after the journey

 

I forgot about this comment.
I'll take the carb apart as well to see if the float is sticking.

 

What engine and what carb does your car have?
Make sure to blast carb cleaner through all the jets and offices when you have the carb apart. MAW get a carb kit to install when you have it apart. Chances are that the gaskets will be destroyed in disassembly.

 

Mine don't even run a PCV Valve. I took all of that off and put a Breather in the Valve Cover Hole on the Passenger Side and put a Vacuum Cap on the rear of the carb. Seems to work just fine.

 

It's the 215 V8 with an Edelbrock 1403 carb.
Good call on getting a kit.

 

Looks clean!

 

Thanks!

 

Ok, so the PCV was not laying flat before, i had it at an angle for hose routing to air cleaner.

Now I realize that just allowed all sorts of stuff to get in the carb. I went to check the floats... Everything was fine except for the crap from PCV. Lots of gunky oil and debris in the float bowls.
​​​​​​ After cleaning the bowls, am I good to put it back together or do you recommend doing a full rebuild at this point?

 

I don't see how the PCV allowed stuff into your float bowl, they aren't interconnected.

 

Hmm I didn't think about that.
i figured because the PCV went to the air cleaner, and the filter had red oil all over it, that some of it got in the carb. I suppose that wouldn't go to the float bowls though.
Also, i had the tank 1/4 filled for a few years and filled it up before my last long drive in August.
if that pushed anything through, my 2 fuel filters should have caught it. I have 1 before the pump and 1 after.

 

With all that varnish from old gas in the bowls it is very likely that some got into the jets and is messing up the idle. Time to get that carb kit. When cleaning the carb shòot carb cleaner through all passages and orifices.