what is it and can i take it out??

59poncho · Poncho Master!

what is it and can i take it out??

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I believe you'll need some sort of PVC system and should likely get a set of valve covers with the PCV grommet in place. You could by some cheapie chrome ones at Performance Unlimited in the meantime. If you leave those valve covers in place and eliminate the draft tube setup you'll get crankcase pressures and oil leaks. I also assume you'll need to plug the hole if you remove that breather tube. Carl S will know better than I as he's had a ton of experience on these engines.

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

It's called a "flame arrestor" if memory serves me right??? Somrthing to do with stopping a possible back fire into the crankcase!!! Agree with Todd's method, change over to a PCV & plug up the "blow by" tube, it will make the MOE happier if you get stopped as well!!!!!!!!!

67SD396 · Poncho Master!

Hey guys, Carl S is at the lake this week so I'll pipe up and let you know what he did on his Acadian when he encountered the same issue installing a 4 barrel intake. From what he told me, he just adjusted the shape (flattened) with a small hammer until the new intake would fit. As well, he removed the plug in front of the thermostat housing and installed an oil fill tube from a different intake. The only real issue I can see with what he has done is that it makes the upper rad hose very close to the oil filler tube. Flattening the side of the PCV canistor won't harm anything that I can see.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Changing valve covers might not be that easy - I think you have 'staggered' bolt holes on your 59 motor, meaning the distance between the top 2 holes is different than the distance between the bottom 2 holes. 'Normal' SBC valve covers such as cheapies at your local auto parts store will not fit.

Check your measurements, eh? I think Chevy did not go to 'normal' same-distance bolt holes until 1960.

You can buy cheap chrome ones that WILL fit (if in fact you have staggered bolt holes) with PCV holes:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VALVE-COVERS-CHROME-SBC-OFFSET-HOLE-55-56-57-CHEVROLET-/370257229629?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56350cf73d

$20 US = shipping.

You would need the special (not common) matching valve cover gaskets with offset holes too.

Valve covers like those will provide breathing and a way to add oil. Removing the old draft tube system (and plugging the big hole!) will be necessary if you can't just squish the can under the mainold. I think the can is designed to keep liquid oil from going out the draft tube, so don't just remove the can and leave the tube.

4bbl., headers, chrome valve covers, you're making her a real hot rod motor for sure!

Dave

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

If you do remove the road draft, you can hammer a frost plug of teh correct size into the hole. I have done this before.

must run a breather and PVC....

59poncho · Poncho Master!

thx guys, i think plug it up with a frost plug is a good idea. I do have the staggered bolt holes but i was also thinking since i do have this much of the engine apart, and i need to do the valve lash, how hard would it be just to put my 305 heads on and that way i have the oil fill,and the pcv in those covers. I have never put heads on (just off once, and yes i know its just the reverse of off for you funny guys!) but that was awhile ago.
And for Dave, it is looking more like a hot rod engine but i do have to take my headers off though, they hang a little low now with the car lowered and the flange could easily catch and smack on some bumps

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Trevor, don't take off the headers!

1. Scraping on the ground SOMEWHERE is mandatory for lowered cars, eh?

2. It is a hot rodder law that you cannot have Cherry Bomb mufflers without headers.

3. Take a hint from the 4x4 guys and buy a skid plate, maybe? Nah, the brush guards would not go with your 59's cool split grille.

4. What's stronger, your car's steel header flange or some weeny piece of asphalt! Gouge that roadway!

5. Eventually you will scrape off enough of the bottom of the header flange, so no worries, no more clearance issues!

Just a few helpful hints for you.

Dave

-- Edited by davelacourse on Tuesday 27th of July 2010 08:28:29 AM

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

rabbit64cs wrote:

If you do remove the road draft, you can hammer a frost plug of the correct size into the hole. I have done this before.

Beauty! I was wondering about that. I might need to use your trick sometime in the future - Thanks Rog!

Dave

Addicted!

What is life without the odd header Leak? Imo buy a set of chepo valve covers with the pvc holes in them. Or just drill the ones you have. How rare are sbc stamped steel valve covers?

59poncho · Poncho Master!

your a funny guy Dave, must be the Florida climate! LOL

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

59poncho wrote:

your a funny guy Dave, must be the Florida climate! LOL

Just wait until you get to Mexico! biggrin

Dave

59poncho · Poncho Master!

yeah, and i get funnier when i drink, and i think i'll be doing that alot (its warm there, gotta cool down somehow)

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Lying in the hammock under the trees, soft breeze blowing, slurping down those Pacificos (my favorite Mexican beer), ahhh you'll have it made in the shade!

Dave

sixtywagon · Uber Guru

I Agree...If your car is Lowered..Its gotta Scrape Mine scrapes, and I love watching the look on the people standing on the street when it happens....... LOL

59poncho · Poncho Master!

sounds good to me, but im also moveing to a country with cobble stone streets!! LOL i will leave it as is and see how it goes.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

59poncho wrote:

sounds good to me, but im also moveing to a country with cobble stone streets!! LOL i will leave it as is and see how it goes.

If you select the correct path among the cobblestones, little ones and an occasional big one, you can drive to a mariachi beat: scrape-scrape-scrape scraaaaaape scrape

Dave

59poncho · Poncho Master!

LOL!!

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Leave the headers, cut the flanges off, weld 3" pipe to the headers, use the new style butt connectors that clamp the pipes together , thus eliminating a LOW spot with the pipes.

This could be the plan after you've hammered the collectors.

go online with Summitracing to look at the connectors I'm talking about, they're like $8 each.

drill holes in your existing valve covers, buy baffled grommets, as the valve cover will not have one built in. other side is just a normal PCV .

clear as mud....

59poncho · Poncho Master!

i think im just going to put the 305 heads on, that way i dont have to add an additive and there better heads. I have them sitting here and since i have most of the engine apart might as well do it now. Cutting and welding the headers is a good idea, thats the way to go for sure, thx.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

One warning, crazy as it sounds. If you put new (or remanufactured heads) on a used engine, be prepared for the possibility of oil consumption that you never had before.

As far as the dimpling the breather in the lifter valley, that was a 10 minute job. Does your intake have a frost plug at the front that you can remove and install the oil filler tube?

59poncho · Poncho Master!

i did just bang the canister a bit so the manifold sits right. Its a holley dominator aluminium intake, so there is no frost plug that i can see. My one question is, before i take the original heads off, do i use the original rods or do i use the 305 head ones (i havent checked to see the length of each yet) Im going to try and do the heads this weekend, i just have to clean them up first and paint them.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

As far as I know, all small block pushrods are the same length. I would just inspect them (look at the ends to see if they are chewed up) and pick the best 16. Also, roll them on a perfectly flat surface and just make sure there are no bent ones.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

59poncho wrote:

My one question is, before i take the original heads off, do i use the original rods or do i use the 305 head ones (i havent checked to see the length of each yet)
Im going to try and do the heads this weekend, i just have to clean them up first and paint them.

Don't paint the push rods wink

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

If you paint the heads with silver paint you can fool people into thinking you have aluminum heads, eh? biggrin

Dave