Valve cover breather

[grannyknot]

I don't intend on going back to SU carbs so I would like to turn the breather nozzle 90* so I can run a breather hose down the valve cover and back to the firewall.

I've seen this done but I don't want too screw it up. I guess I'm going to have to remove this baffle inside the cover to get access, does anyone know what this red compound is that is sealing the baffle and what product I could use to replace it after I'm done?

Thanks,

Chris

Edited January 26, 2014 by grannyknot

[zKars]

No need to fiddle with the interior baffle. The fitting is threaded into the valve cover. There is a hard sealing compound at the base thats keeping it tight. Just heat it up with a propane torch and it will spin out. Clean it, thread it back in and JB weld it into its new position.

[240260280z]

Some time in the future I plan to drill and relocate the fitting and hose to back end of the valve cover ( hidden between the fire wall and the valve cover) ...and plug then french the top. Adding and internal pipe can draw from the centre above the battle to the new exit location at the back.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Blue

[grannyknot]

Thanks Jim, whole job took 4min.

Blue, that's great idea, I have DatsunSpirits plug wires coming, the ones that wrap around the front of the valve cover so I was thinking and grinding off those 3 little bases for the plug wire seperaters on the top of the cover.

If I did the same as you with the breather nozzle that would be one smooooooth looking cover!

[240260280z]

Yup, thats the beauty. I think milling off the letters and strips and machining an aluminum plate to go over the centre area would be a nice mod.

I hope to get a milling machine and lathe this spring so I'll soon be able to knock out a lot of these ideas finally.

[Mike W]

I used to use a medium size K&N breather that I attached directly to the right angle fitting on the valve cover, but I found over time that as they got "saturated" I would get an oily residue around the area of the breather. It wasn't terrible, but it was definitely a PITA to clean up.

So to remedy this once and for all, I installed a catch can, which has been a great replacement to the old breather. This particular one was actually a gift from my son and was designed to be installed in a 99 C5 Corvette that I had at the time. I never got around to installing it in the vette so decided to re-purpose it for the Z. Turned out that it fit perfectly on the firewall and in fact I was able to even re-use the bracket that came with it for the Corvette. I decide to use AN fittings and SS braided line to plumb the catch can and this required that I re-tap the hole in the valve cover to mate with the AN fitting that I chose.

I've attached some pictures so you can take a look. I've never had a residue problem since and I simply empty the few tablespoons of liquid that accumulate in the catch can each time that I change the oil.

I'm happy to provide the details of the company that makes the catch can if anyone is interested.

Mike.

[Hank240]

Holy Eye Candy Mike - that is one sweet engine bay. And a fine idea as well.

Hank

[grannyknot]

Mike, do have both the valve cover breather and the block breather going into the snot can?

[Stanley]

Here's a little screen filter from M-C spliced in the crank breather/PCV valve hose. Cost about $15. So light it doesn't need a bracket. Put it in about 2 months ago, it's picked up about 10-15 drops of oil since then. Better there than in the PCV or the balance tube I guess.

Blue hose is from the cam cover vent. Should have a filter too.

[Mike W]

Grannyknot,

To answer your question. I only have the valve cover breather going to the catch can. For the block breather I use a large K&N breather that seems to work well. I don't seem to get any residue from the block so I have left this one alone.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Mike.