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Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
I have a dumb question. I am just about done with buttoning up the L31-R 350 that I am going to drop in a 1984 Camaro Z/28, now I'm getting down with the nitty gritty. I have a Reman Holley Street Warrior 600cfm carb with electric choke. There is a port on the back of the carb that is either supposed to be going to the Brake Booster or a PCV valve on top of the valve cover. There is also two other full manifold vacuum ports on the front. Then there is also a port on the intake manifold behind the carb that I plugged off that I think has full manifold vacuum. I'm going to plug in the Brake Booster no matter what, so my question is: should I plug the PCV valve into the front of the carb, on the intake manifold, or just push in a breather? Or is there a better alternative than what I thought up? I got some pictures.
You have the valve covers on the wrong sides of the motor, and the pass side one turned around backwards. (PCV belongs at the front driver's side and oil fill at the rear pass side, and no, the VCs aren't symmetrical, they have a definite intake side and exhaust side)
PCV should go to the front of the carb. Brake booster should go at the rear. The port on the manifold is for the vacuum source to "the car" (things that AREN'T the "engine") such as HVAC diaphragms and cruise control. You could also use the small port on the rear of the carb for that.
You have the valve covers on the wrong sides of the motor, and the pass side one turned around backwards. (PCV belongs at the front driver's side and oil fill at the rear pass side, and no, the VCs aren't symmetrical, they have a definite intake side and exhaust side)
PCV should go to the front of the carb. Brake booster should go at the rear. The port on the manifold is for the vacuum source to "the car" (things that AREN'T the "engine") such as HVAC diaphragms and cruise control. You could also use the small port on the rear of the carb for that.
Someone should inform GM. It appears they are sourcing one stamping for both sides these days. How my SP357 came right out of the crate.
Well I guess those VCs aren't the same as any that ever came on cars. Which is no surprise as far as that goes. I "assumed" (we all know what components that word breaks down into0 that you had the car's original VCs.
Well I guess those VCs aren't the same as any that ever came on cars. Which is no surprise as far as that goes. I "assumed" (we all know what components that word breaks down into0 that you had the car's original VCs.
You might be correct the OP has OG valve covers, I really can't tell from the pictures. The second pic certainly looks like vintage OEM pattern, but I'm not sure that's even the same engine as the first pic. The crate engines from GM most certainly appear to be using one pattern for both sides these days and that might help explain the discrepancy since OP mentioned an L-31R.
You might be correct the OP has OG valve covers, I really can't tell from the pictures. The second pic certainly looks like vintage OEM pattern, but I'm not sure that's even the same engine as the first pic. The crate engines from GM most certainly appear to be using one pattern for both sides these days and that might help explain the discrepancy since OP mentioned an L-31R.
Sorry about the confusion. I got the motor from a person on Facebook Marketplace who got the motor as a crate from JEGS. Here’s the link: https://www.jegs.com/i/ATK-Engines/059/0282/10002/-1
They have two sets of pictures for what it looks like, so who knows
Sorry about the confusion. I got the motor from a person on Facebook Marketplace who got the motor as a crate from JEGS. Here’s the link: https://www.jegs.com/i/ATK-Engines/059/0282/10002/-1
They have two sets of pictures for what it looks like, so who knows
All the pictures I can find of L-31 engines in OEM trim show the PCV at the rear driver side of the VC with the oil fill front drivers, and the breather going to the air cleaner on the passenger side front. I would do as Sofa recommended as far as where to hook up your vacuum sources and put a breather/air cleaner connection on the passenger side.
The valve cover orientation looks like it was set up for the later TPI engines. The oil fill and PCV locations are in the correct location for my TPI cars.
Which is no surprise as far as that goes. I "assumed" (we all know what components that word breaks down into0 that you had the car's original VCs. 
