[jfarcas]

So I'm thinking of doing a couple small mods this year to clean up my engine compartment, one of which is to fabricate my own PCV setup.

As most of you CFI owners most likely know, the CFI doesn't have a conventional PCV system. It has a baffle and filter setup that doubles as a crank breather and PCV. I'd like to hook up a separate breather on the valve cover first. I'm thinking up using the larger diameter hose fitting on the back of the valve cover that the "PCV" system uses to pull crankcase fumes out as a port for an aftermarket breather filter. I then thought of drilling a hole in the valve cover (yes, while it is OFF the engine!) and fitting a rubber grommet in the hole with a conventional metal or plastic PCV valve.

My problem comes in routing the vacuum lines. Can I just plug the end of the line that goes to manifold vacuum that the baffle was using? It's a diameter much smaller than a PCV valve requires. And what is the best place to get new vacuum to the PCV?

Anyone every attempted this? Seems like it would be more efficient, and would get rid of that messy plastic baffle/filter setup.

 

[marshpoprock]

Well, if you drill your valve cover, and then your project won't work they way you wanted, I have an extra from the pony part out. Not saying it won't work, just incase. But if it does, post what advantages you get. Maybe you're to the next big thing.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

You'll need a baffle on the inside of the valve cover to take care of oil splash. I've thought of the same thing before, and then another idea hit me:

Find a PCV oil cap. They exist, and should be able to be found to fit our valve covers. Take that vacuum line and run it directly to the intake manifold, bypassing that funky valve system behind the manifold for the baffle box. After that, just run the regular crank breather to the intake bonnet with the stock hose.

Heck, you can even keep the baffle box and add in a conventional PCV. The next I'm in Athens I'll bring my spare valve cover, along with a Tempo piece, and we can take some measurements. Shoot, I'll volunteer mine for modding, as it's a simple enough mod and should turn out. I'm all for this, as it should decrease blowby in the CFI engines, which always seemed to have more than the EFI ones.

Of course I can take my own measurements and figure out a cheap way to make this work, but two heads are better than one. You've got my support, Farcas! Let's make this happen!

 

[jfarcas]

Sounds solid, man. I'll run to the junkyard and pick up a couple valve cover caps from the old Ford trucks that have the PCV built in. Great idea, man.

I've modded my air cleaner so that it's an open style, eliminating the junky intake tube and creating a two piece aftermarket air cleaner setup. After doing this, though, I had to rig up my breather with some electrical wire! So....nowhere to keep the existing breather. Maybe I'll weld in a small baffle inside the valve cover to prevent oil splash.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

I'll have to see what you did...it almost sounds like the old school method of inverting the intake bonnet cap so the air filter flowed more. The downside is heat...still, it should flow more, and we all know the CFI is a little choked up.

 

[jfarcas]

Yeah, I thought of the heat issue...thinking of letting my EGR take in fresh air when I swap in a header to compensate a bit for the hot air. And yeah, it's rather like the old school method! I'll get ya a pic. I did it mainly for looks. I always hated the bulky look of the CFI's intake system and wrenched on carbed cars and trucks a lot, getting used to the open air cleaner look.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

If you're very willing, I know you could create a hood scoop that would push air directly into the CFI manifold...might require some skillful relocation or modifying of the filter, but it would definitely be the best way to go.

Don't forget to add a filter if you swap the EGR system over to take in fresh air. I've thought of disabling mine anyway since it doesn't work correctly, and doesn't impact mileage to my knowledge. Also, if you're not using the fender to bonnet plastic extension, mind giving/selling it to someone (me) who needs one ???

 

[89Pony]

I've modded my air cleaner so that it's an open style, eliminating the junky intake tube...

I think that intake tube is called the snorkel, it runs to the inside of the driver's front fender?

My 'snorkel' broke in half and now ends just past the radiator. I've put screen on that end but am wondering whether I should try to reattach the broken halves so I can get the colder air from inside the fender? I mean, the way mine is now, the air coming into the broken snorkel is rising from the radiator and is likely a bit hotter than air from inside the fender.

On a similar note, have any of you looked at the plastic chamber that hangs off the snorkel that has 1 or 2 small tubes going to the main snorkel pipe, and says 'EFI' or something? I wonder if there's any point to that. Seems like a pressure relief thing or something.

 

[jfarcas]

I would have totally given it to ya, Noall! I already chucked it though, I believe. I figured you'd have 20 of those lying around!

As far as EGR goes, it's supposed to increase gas mileage, right - i'm confused though, because if it takes warm exhaust fumes and recycles them into the intake, that seems like it would make the air/fuel mix less combustible, producing less power....

An Escort with a hood scoop? Do I dare? That would be funny.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

No, man. I have just one on my car. The resonator/snorkel fell apart years ago, and the intake bonnet nose (plastic piece housing the hot air butterfly) split down the middle as well. If you manage to find any others, though, keep me informed. If I don't go that route, I'll figure something else out...but haven't decided if I want to go with a hood scoop or not.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

Good things were found today. In rummaging around for a main pulley I found an old Ford PCV type oil cap meant for a 1.6 valve cover. Guess what? I have a 1.6 valve cover sitting around. I'll be swapping it on, along with a brand new spare gasket, probably tomorrow, and rig up the PCV/breather system. I'll let you know how it goes. I may or may not keep the baffle box, as I have to see how well things work.

 

[jfarcas]

Sweet! I was wondering how we were going to mount that old Ford PCV style oil cap, since the newer 1st gens have the screw-on plastic cap style, not the old metal tab style.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

I took a closer look at the PCV oil cap. Turns out it's the same baffle setup as the CFI already has, although it's integrated into the oil cap. Not that I mind this design, since it will split the vacuum system and breather between either end of the valve cover, so it might work better. Also, all I'd have to do is run a vacuum line from the manifold to the oil cap, without touching the regular pcv system, and both should work quite well. The oil cap is on the driver side of the valve cover. I'll also have to modify the late model gasket, and remove the compression washers since the 1.6 valve cover already has that as part of the stamping. Really not much work is required to fit this together. Once it's done, and I have a pulley, I'll report back on how things run, if there's even a difference.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

Alright, stopped at Advance today, and picked up an appropriate PCV valve. Part number is PV1013. Ironically it's for an '89 Honda 2.0L EFi engine. It's a small straight type valve, so it will fit in the valve cover tube just fine, and then run a vacuum hose to the intake. That will rid the system of the silly vapor box and behind-the-intake vacuum valve.

I also bought a cheap ($10) external breather valve to fit to the breather cap that's going on the car. I'll take pics probably tonight, maybe tomorrow.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

Got it installed, hasn't affected idle vacuum (still at a very low 17-18" with all vacuum lines sealed). Engine idle seems a little smoother, and there is better part throttle response, and a little better low end torque (it's subtle).

 

[jfarcas]

Right on man! I'd love to see the pics! Was actually thinking about this mod today. Wonder why the performance is better?

 

[UnexplodedCow]

Probably faster reaction by the real PCV valve, along with a simpler vacuum diagram. I completely deleted that stupid 2 way valve piece, and capped off the nipple that goes to the port just above the throttle plate. The EGR controller now gets vacuum from the tree, and the PCV has a large hose going directly to the manifold. Plus I have a ricey little crankcase breather filter sitting atop the valve cover now....for added bling factor.

Ghetto fab....it just works (but looks like poop).

 

[jfarcas]

Did you install the aftermarket breather on a fitting on the valve cover? Does the PCV hose go to the oil fill cap?

 

[UnexplodedCow]

The PCV comes off the valve cover nipple, and right onto the main intake vacuum....really a straight shot. I used a breather oil cap that had a 90 degree bend on top, and a small conical breather filter. Works well. I also did use the 1.6L valve cover...so unless you can find a screw on type breather cap you may also have to switch.

 

[UnexplodedCow]

An update to this: there is a serious fly in the ointment for using a direct-vacuum PCV setup. I discovered this a few days ago. I had sealing issues with the valve cover around the bolt holes, so I used a smidge of silicone to seal each one (using the 1.6L stamped cover). Well, two days ago I pop my hood, and after a month of dry valve cover (and horrid mileage) I have a PCV valve that no longer rattles, oil coming out the bolt holes again, and a positively oil-soaked breather filter.

I have a theory on why this happened. The location of the baffle, and the very snug fit of the valve cover might be conspiring with any oil splash (and mine splashes a LOT) is the issue I think. My guess is the PCV provides too much vacuum with the low rise cover, as I actually found oil in hose. This clogged the pcv, causing crankcase pressure to build up, making blow-by pretty bad and causing oil to leak out the top end (no main seal or camshaft seal leaks that I've seen). The car also got terrible gas mileage ( mid 30's if I was lucky). The CFI baffle box is back on again, mileage and power increased.

Moral of the story: don't do it . Knowing is at least half the battle. The other, easier part, is to just leave the CFI setup as is (although I'm keeping the 1.6 cover on my car...looks better).