while i was putting in some oil last night something struck me. my oil filler cap is the hole most towards the nose of the car, and the breather cap with the hose coming out of it is in the hole towards the cabin area. all the pics i've seen have this the other way around. i bought the car about 6 months ago and is this something i should be worried about? is there going to be any problems if i switch them around? it was pretty inconvenient taking off the air cleaner just to add some oil

and another question i have is the hose coming off the breather goes to a little free floating hub looking thing right next to the alternator (v-belt setup) and from there splits off into verious hoses. on the little hub thing it says Control Vac Rochester Products. is this needed for smog because i see one of the hoses going to the little canister by the driver's side headlight.

i'd like to delete the AC and install an open air element to clean up the bay, but i need to keep all the smog stuff so i only have to replace the air cleaner for inspection.

 

You are correct, the VC belongs the other way. In fact, you might find yourself getting rid of some mystery noise by turning it the right way; the intake side of the VC is more straight up and down than the exhaust side, and if it's backwards, the push rod end of the rockers will often rub on the slightly more leaned-in side that doesn't belong there.

Yes you need the little free floating thing. You will not pass smog without it. It's the canister purge control valve.

Don't hack off your AC to "clean up the engine bay". That's about the worst possible reason to devalue your car. Keep it working, it's usually worth several extra coins when resale time rolls around.

 

so is it my whole valve cover that is backwards, or do i just swap the breather and the oil cap? i did notice that the little ~T~ shapped things that stick up are on the inside of the vc on the driver's side, but on the outside of the vc on the passengers side.
makes sense that they should both be on the outside

and thanks for the concern about the AC, but i never use it, and since it is a v-belt set-up i won't need to get a delete pully. i more than likely will keep it to re-install and re-charge if i ever feel the need to run it again or sell the car.

 

The whole VC is flipped.

Sorry to hear about your AC. I think you're making a mistake by hacking it.

 

thanks for your help on the vc and your concern with the ac who knows, maybe i'll end up selling it cheap to somebody on here who's in need.