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Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 04:50 PM
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Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

Alright so I decided that a filter breather just looks much better than that black hose running to my valve cover. So I just unplugged it but left it plugged in to the plenum because I am unsure. Now I am not going to drive my car until I get the okay.
I just did this for aesthetic reasons. Is there any chance that this could affect/harm my engine?

Heres some pics:





Last edited by Stangski09; Jul 16, 2009 at 05:51 PM.
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 06:38 PM
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Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

You changed the wrong one. That side is the PCV valve. You need that on the street or you'll end up with oily valve covers from the vapors that slowly trickle out of it. If you want to put on a breather you need to do the OTHER side. The black hose that goes from the pass. side of the TB to the pass. side valve cover. Put the breather on that side and plug the hose nipple on the side of the TB.
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 06:46 PM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

So I can't have a breather on the driver side? Cause on the passenger side you just can't see it. .
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 07:09 PM
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Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Yes, if you put the PCV valve on the passenger side and route the hose from it to the plenum.

You need to keep some flow of air going through the crankcase to get the contaminating blowby fumes out of there. The factory did that by routing them back into the intake air/fuel stream to be burnt in the cylinders (keeps the unburnt hydrocarbons out of the atmosphere). It's only a small amount of these fumes being burnt in any given combustion cycle, but if you don't get them out of the crankcase, they'll build up and contaminate your oil.

You need an air inlet on one valve cover, and the PCV hooked to a plenum vacuum source on the other. The factory hooked the air inlet between the air filter and throttle body so another filter wouldn't be needed, and also so the fumes aren't released to the atmosphere when the engine isn't running.

And, you can't really use a PCV valve to act as the breather, because it is a check valve that won't let air flow back into the engine (backfire protection).

Other than having an "old school" look to it, I think the hose has a cleaner look to it than a breather. Personally.
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 07:56 PM
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Car: 2001 Jeep 1984 S-10 daliy drivers
Engine: 1983 has a 305 1984 Trans Am
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Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

would puting a pcv on my car make it run better. As of right now i have a breather and a breather with a filter on it. it is a 305 w/ carb. I am just finding out more about the pcv now. and was they used on older cares like in the 50, 60, 70?
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 08:13 PM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

OH gotcha.
Well I really like the look of it.
So All I have to do is put the valve into the passenger valve cover and route a hose from it to the plenum. Disconnecting the throttle body to passenger valve cover hose.
Then I can have my breather on the driver side valve cover correct?
That shouldn't be too hard.
Thanks guys
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 09:26 PM
  #7  
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From: Cary, North Carolina
Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
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Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

Originally Posted by Stangski09
OH gotcha.
Disconnecting the throttle body to passenger valve cover hose.
{ Assuming you're going to put the PCV valve on the pass side, connected to the vacuum port on the driver-side}

Don't forget you need to cap off the source of that passenger-side hose if it's seperate, otherwise you'll have a vacuum leak.
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Old Jul 16, 2009 | 09:29 PM
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Stangski09's Avatar
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: Unplug Black Breather hose and replace with aftermarket filter breather.

So to break it down.
-Remove passenger side hose and cap off throttle body port
-Place pcv valve into pass. side valve cover and route hose from plenum to pass. side valve cover.
-Then I can use my breather on the driver side
Sounds right to me.
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Old Jul 17, 2009 | 01:06 AM
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Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
And get rid of or gut the PCV valve under the breather/filter.
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