I am updating my valve covers and bought a nice finned aluminum Shelby cover from Drake automotive (via SummitRacing). When they arrived - it wasn’t quite what I expected. The passenger side was normal with hole & grommet ready for the PCV but the drivers side had 3 inch tube (I’ve been calling it a snorkel). I called SummitRacing and they had no idea about the snorkel. They thought both sides were the same - got their picture from Drake and only showed passenger side.
Their is a cap available for the snorkel but I wanted a clean look like I have now with PCV on both covers.
Any ideas on this snorkel? Is this an old holdover from the 60’s?
Last edited by Scowally; 04-07-2021 at 10:04 AM.
Reason: Adding picture
In the old days there was no positive crancase ventillation. You had a breather on the valve cover which also served as an oil fill and a road draft tube which came somewhere out of the crankcase usually in the cam chest area, which ran down below the car and was cut on an angle to create a slight vacuum to pull air through the breather and out the road draft tube as the car went down the road. In the old days 60s and 70s there were always black strips on every concrete road where oil just dripped out of the road draft tube onto the highway. The good old days.....
My "COBRA powered by ford" came the same way. I am using a PCV system so I don't need the long fill/breather tube to reduce oil misting out the breather so I cut it off for a cleaner look. You have to hold the funnel correctly to add oil but I like the look much better.
HTH
Norm
Mk4 base kit 7721, 331 Stroker, Holley Sniper EFI, Wipers, Heater, Whitby Soft Top, Drop trunk mod and more
Another option is to go with a breather filter in that hole (once you remove the tube). I got this one from Summit.
Steve
2nd MK4 #10639 received 3-19-23. Wife's version. Street Snake - IRS, Willwoods, no roll bars, no hood scoop, no stripes, Blue Print Sniper 2, 302 with 4R70w trans, and under car exhaust. McLaren Racing Green with saddle leather interior.
1st build - Mk4 Roadster #9319, received 4-10-18. IL registration 8/6/19. Moser 8.8. 3 Link. Wilwood brakes. Blue Print 427, Holley 750, TKO 600, 0.64 OD. Paint Dec 2020. Ruby Red with Carbon Flash Black metallic stripes.
How did you cut the tube? Did the breather filter just fit right over the hole or did you have to do some customization?
The Ford Performance Cobra covers did not have a tube, just the hole. Sorry I'm no help here.
2nd MK4 #10639 received 3-19-23. Wife's version. Street Snake - IRS, Willwoods, no roll bars, no hood scoop, no stripes, Blue Print Sniper 2, 302 with 4R70w trans, and under car exhaust. McLaren Racing Green with saddle leather interior.
1st build - Mk4 Roadster #9319, received 4-10-18. IL registration 8/6/19. Moser 8.8. 3 Link. Wilwood brakes. Blue Print 427, Holley 750, TKO 600, 0.64 OD. Paint Dec 2020. Ruby Red with Carbon Flash Black metallic stripes.
How did you cut the tube? Did the breather filter just fit right over the hole or did you have to do some customization?
I cut the tube with a hacksaw. Cut it a little long and then finish it off with a good flat file or sander to get a flat smooth end to the tube. The grommet fits right over the cut end with no problem.
HTH
Norm
Mk4 base kit 7721, 331 Stroker, Holley Sniper EFI, Wipers, Heater, Whitby Soft Top, Drop trunk mod and more
The reason for the long neck is help keep oil (oil mist) in the motor. Short breathers tend to nose bleed oil over the exhaust as the motor loosens up. This is why you see tall ones on drag and old ace cars. It’s common to use a K&N type filter that clamps over it. Other breathers may fit over it too. You can cut the tube but you’ll notice it will oil up the covers and headers.
Mk4, Moser M88 rear end, Eaton truetrak, Craft Racing 461 Windsor, MMR pro trans, Glenn’s 1,000 hp cobra fuel system and lots of other parts.
The reason for the long neck is help keep oil (oil mist) in the motor. Short breathers tend to nose bleed oil over the exhaust as the motor loosens up. This is why you see tall ones on drag and old ace cars.
True but, these cars aren't running a PCV system like the OP mentioned in his first post. Here is a screen shot of a basic PCV system. The long tube side serves as an oil fill point and an air inlet to allow filtered air into the crankcase when used with a PCV valve on the opposite valve cover. Only occasionally (WOT, plugged PCV valve or an extremely worn engine) will it serve as a vent.
The long tube is left over from the days when a breather was the only source of venting for the crankcase or to make in easier to add oil in the case of an engine where the valve cover access is limited.
HTH
Norm
Mk4 base kit 7721, 331 Stroker, Holley Sniper EFI, Wipers, Heater, Whitby Soft Top, Drop trunk mod and more
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Originally Posted by rich grsc
