Empty Valve Cover Holes? HELP!

[MrClean]

Help! I'm missing stuff...

So the P.O. told me that someone had stolen stuff from the motor: battery, carb, washer fluid bottle, and air filter.
Took a closer look this weekend and noticed that except for the oil cap I have two empty holes in the valve covers?
Its a 1972 with a 350 motor and a Edelbrock carb

Hole:
1. I think one is for a PCV valve, do I need it? Where does it go?
2. Flame Arrestor??? do I need it? Can't find any information on that...


Also have a hose from the canister that is mounted on the left side of the engine compartment that to goes nowhere...

Don't have any pics, but will post some tonight if needed...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[raycow]

If the installation is stock, 1 for the oil filler, 1 for the PCV valve, and 1 goes to the air filter housing.

Ray

[geezer#99]

Post some pics. Easier for us to help.

[nikwho]

I could be wrong, but the one from the canister would probably go to the left side forward most hole in the valve cover, another hole would have a short section of rubber hose that connected the right side valve cover to the bottom of your factory air cleaner. Third hole would be an oil filler and should just have a quarter turn cap on it.

[SSedan64]

On my 71 C10,
Front driverside is PCV,
Rear driver side is Oil fill plug,
Rear passenger side is crankcase breather to Carb air breather. A vent/breather cap could be used here if you don't have stock breather on Carb.

As Nicwho said above, hose from cannister connects to PCV hose w/tee. One to Carb & one to tank, I think.

[MrClean]

Sorry had it wrong... two empty spots!
Red arrow is from the canister

[MrClean]

Another view

[MrClean]

anyone have any pictures of what it should look like?

[masterlock]

If I understand you correctly the canister you are referring to is the charcoal canister. It should have one hose that comes from the fuel tank vent and the other (the one thats not connected) goes to the carb. It is to burn off the gas fumes from the tank. Your truck is smog exempt so you can rip it all out cap the hard line in the engine bay and get a vented fuel cap. It might smell of gas a bit more but to me the canister is ugly.
Thats my guess without a picture so dont go throwing stuff away until we can see it.

[MrClean]

This is the can I'm talking about...
Is there any benefit to the motor to keep it?

[Captainfab]

One thing I would like to add is, before you get this running, I would suggest redoing that fuel line from the pump to the Carb. That is a serious bad accident waiting to happen. You will want to use as much steel fuel line as possible, with as little rubber hose as necessary. If you need to run an inline fuel filter, get a all metal one. I'd hate to see your truck go up in flames.

[VA72C10]

get that fuel line fixed before starting it again. the lines fail due to the gas and you don't want fuel spraying on exhaust manifolds that it looks like it's touching practically.

Looks like PCV on the left side of the picture and should be a breather on the right.

[79gmcc15]

Okay my 2c. just to get it running, get a pcv value, and about 1-2 of hose in correct size. Plop in pcv, run line to the black capped off port. Shove a old bolt into other loose hose and put hose clamp on it. Then get fuel line fixed. Start er up!
Posted via Mobile Device

[MrClean]

So if I understand everyone:

Driver side valve cover front hole should have a PCV going into carb (connecter in center of carb facing forward that as a black cap on it)?
Passenger side valve cover rear hole should connect to air cleaner?
Can I just toss the charcoal canister, I am planing on putting the gas tank under the bed in the future?

As for the fuel line, isn't there a fuel filter somewhere else in the system or do I have to keep one on top of the motor?

I will be making a hard line for the fuel.
Probably would have just left it how the P.O. had it if you guys didn’t say anything, thanks for the heads up!

[masterlock]

When you say passenger side I assume you are refering to the hole on the valve cover. If so you need a valve cover filter (See pic below)

The canister can go just need to make sure you cap it off and have a vent cap so the fumes can escape.

The PCV needs to go to the carb but im not sure which spot, I can check when Im home or someone else can tell you.

[Captainfab]

The Edelbrock carbs don't have a fuel filter inside the inlet like the Q-jets do. If you don't want to have the fuel filter up on top of the engine, see if there is room to put one between the line on the frame and the fuel pump. You could shorten up the line going from the left front of the carb to the vacuum advance on the distributor. You also might try connecting it to the carb port that has the blue cap on it. The engine may or may not run better that way, but it's worth a try.

What air cleaner are you going to run? Does it have a place to connect the breather hose from the right valve cover?

Originally Posted by MrClean

So if I understand everyone:

Driver side valve cover front hole should have a PCV going into carb (connecter in center of carb facing forward that as a black cap on it)?
Passenger side valve cover rear hole should connect to air cleaner?
Can I just toss the charcoal canister, I am planing on putting the gas tank under the bed in the future?

As for the fuel line, isn't there a fuel filter somewhere else in the system or do I have to keep one on top of the motor?

I will be making a hard line for the fuel.
Probably would have just left it how the P.O. had it if you guys didn’t say anything, thanks for the heads up!

[oldblue1968chevy]

edelbrock carbs have a lil screen...lol

fix fuel line (post pics how you route yours, i need to do mine so its prettyer (functional now but not sleek/prety)

pcv goes from a big port on front of carb (middle) then to valve cover the other side needs a breather or a hose going to a can looking thing on the carb

[MrClean]

Can I get tube and connectors at any autoparts store?
I beleive it should be 3/8" tube and I don't have a clue on the ends...
Don't want to have to order anything because I would like to get this all done this weekend...

Captainfab: the air cleaner that the P.O had on it has a port for the breather hose, I just have to buy the hose and any adapters.

Oldblue: it might not be pretty, but i'll post some pics when done...

[geezer#99]

You can buy pre-built tube with connectors on them in various lengths and tube sizes at Napa or other fine autopart stores.

[MrClean]

Update:
Bought and installed PCV valve, and valve cover to air cleaner hose.
Installed a steel fuel filter in between the fuel pump & carb, and changed the rubber hose from carb to filter to steel line.
The line from the fuel pump to filter is the original steel line so I just left that alone.

Thanks for the help!

[Captainfab]

Glad to hear you got that taken care of. So how does it run?

[MrClean]

Another question, from the pictures above: Is my vacuum hose from the vacuum advance can to the carb in the right location?
Posted via Mobile Device

[etg]

I would move it to the passenger side on the carb. It's the ported vacuum as opposed to the full time. This will help regulate the vacuum advance better. I'm not 100% sure on the mechanics behind it, but there is a difference.

[MrClean]

Thanks etg!
I will be changing that over and retiming it this weekend.

[Jacfourteen]

I disagree about using ported vacuum for timing advance, it is just a band aid fix to lower emissions at idle. Using full vacuum for advance is better as it allows a better idle with less carb plate opening (more of a problem with holleys, causes a flat spot just off idle if the plates are open too much at idle), and it makes the engine run cooler at idle. There is more to it, but these are the ones that stand out in my mind.