Air Cleaner/ Breather Question

[P72Ford]

My car is carbureted, and from the factory had the silenced air cleaner unit on it. It has the breather tube from the passenger's valve cover up into the air cleaner, where there is a little foam element. I replaced the air cleaner with an unsilenced unit, and put the little chrome breather on the valve cover. Is this okay? Have I changed my system from "open" to "closed" by doing this? Is this in any way harmful to the engine? Thanks you in advance.

[mrltd]

No, the opposite. Closed to open. It should be fine though.

[P72Ford]

So it doesn't matter that the old system was inside the air cleaner, and that the vapors (or whatever) were sucked into the engine?

[Nathan in MI]

You've got it backwards--the vapors weren't sucked INTO the air cleaner at that spot, they were sucked OUT. The positive crankcase ventilation system pulls air from that breather, through the crankcase, out the PCV valve, and into the intake manifold at the base of the carburetor.

[mrltd]

The gasses are sucked from the engine into the engine!

From the crankcase into the intake and cylinders.

It does matter, for emissions and the environment.....Motor Doesn't care.

[Tiggie]

Many older cars didn't even have a PCV system, my old Mustang for example. As long as you have no vacuum leaks with your setup, you're fine.

[P72Ford]

Many older cars didn't even have a PCV system, my old Mustang for example. As long as you have no vacuum leaks with your setup, you're fine.

I have 16 in. Hg @ idle. It doesn't idle rough like there is a vac leak, and I can't hear any leaks.

Thank You to all for input thus far. Nate, your post cleared up alot. Thanks again to all.

[Nathan in MI]

Always glad to help, sir. And don't eliminate the PCV system because it's "just for emissions". Some people figure that they can get away with eliminating them because they change the oil all the time, but that PCV helps draw out the acids that get into the oil as a byproduct of combustion. Once the engine is heated to operating temperature, those acids evaporate into the air in the crankcase, and the PCV system pulls them out. Improves bearing life quite a bit.

[DuceAnAHalf]

I have an aftermarket breather that is plumbed back into the air cleaner. i had a problem with an open breather because oil would leak past the grommet. the new one has a little suction on it so it seals a bit better.

[Glen]

If you remove the PVC and plug it you WILL blow the seals on the engine.

[P72Ford]

I didn't remove the PCV. I did nothing of the sort. I simply used a vc mount breather and the unsilenced air cleaner. The valve and such is still there. Just moved the breather inlet.