Life Expectancy for Mopar Flathead 6

[martybose]

(snip)

AND, if you want them to outlast your grandchildren, rig up a PCV system, add a good quality paper air filter and use synthetic oil in a full-flow filtration system. It'll still be running when the national debt is all paid off.

It sure seems to me that there would be a market with this group for a PCV conversion system that used new material instead of WW2 Power Wagon stuff. Anyone willing to take this on? I'll put in my order now!

Marty

[TodFitch]

It sure seems to me that there would be a market with this group for a PCV conversion system that used new material instead of WW2 Power Wagon stuff. Anyone willing to take this on? I'll put in my order now!

Marty

A while back, maybe even back on the old server, there was a post about making up a PCV system using materials available at your local plumbing and auto supply stores. If I recall correctly, it looked fairly easy to do. But it may take some digging to find that posting.

[aero3113]

I installed the PCV and it was very easy to do. I ordered the PCV kit from Vintage power wagons and got the rest of the supplies from the hardware store.

[blueskies]

A while back, maybe even back on the old server, there was a post about making up a PCV system using materials available at your local plumbing and auto supply stores. If I recall correctly, it looked fairly easy to do. But it may take some digging to find that posting.

Here's the images I saved from way back when. Can't remember now who posted them...

First is the home-made setup, and the others are the VPW setup.

Pete

[Don Coatney]

The name Dwayne rings a bell. He did a modern PVC system on his D-24 several years ago. I have not heard from him in quite a while.

[oldmopar]

The instructions for those that want to roll their own is in the download section here is a link

http://www40.addr.com/~merc583/mopar/framesets/softwareframeset.html

[flattiefreak]

when i first got my 58 plymouth with the 230 flattie it ran good. i fired her up one day and it dies. i tried troubleshooting for a few months why it wouldnt start. it was getting fuel, has spark at the coil.. i looked at the dist rotor and it didnt spin. thought it may have been the oil pump drive gear. took out the oil pump, replaced it.. rotor still didnt spin. i finally pulled the head and rotated the engine and watched the valves. half moved half did not. turns out that dirt had stopped up the oil pickup tube and starved the camshaft of oil. the cam shaft was broken in 3 pieces. the part that catches the oil pump gear was broken off and was in the oil pan along with 2 tappets..

[aero3113]

Here is how I did mine with the kit from Vintage Power Wagon. I just used some fittings and metal tubing from the hardware store and a piece of flexible rubber tubing to go to the adapter on the vent tube hole in the block. The kit comes with the valve and adapter for the vent tube hole.(The adapter is not pictured). I used a "T" fitting so I can still use the wipers.

[Tom Skinner]

OK help me fellows, are we putting PVC Sysytems in our Flatheads to

help them last longer, get better gas mileage, or cut down on pollution?

Please explain?

Tom

[laynrubber]

Well mine quit at 73,000 but I'm sure it led a hard life for most of those miles. Pistons look like the ones pictured above, connecting rod #3 was loose, several rings broken.....low compression and plenty of oil leaking out.

BUT it still ran ......smooth just noisy.

500,000 miles is a long time i'd have my doubts for most of these engines under average conditions.

[greg g]

2 out of three ain't bad. Don't know what it would do for mileage, but sucking out condensation can't hurt, and being green is sustainable.

I believe the original purpose for installation was on military vehicles to enhance there water fording abilities. sealing the crankcase, and moving the filler and breather to a higer location made wadding in the river a less chancy

affair.

[aero3113]

I did it because I had a little bit of smoke coming out of the draft tube and it was coming into the car (did not want to pass out while driving) It also helps with condensation.

[TodFitch]

OK help me fellows, are we putting PVC Sysytems in our Flatheads to

help them last longer, get better gas mileage, or cut down on pollution?

Please explain?

Tom

I have heard that the first American car to have a PCV system was a late 1920s high end car. Pierce Arrow perhaps. The major reason for it is to keep the crankcase oil cleaner and thus extend engine life.

It has some side effects:

1) Most pollution from a "uncontrolled car" is unburned hydrocarbons from crankcase blow by. So the PCV is the easiest "quick fix" to dramatically lower air pollution. For that reason many people thought/think that PCV meant "pollution control valve" when it actually means "positive crankcase ventilation".

2) The blow by is, apparently, largely unburned gas. From what I understand the higher pressure rings are under the better they seal. So the rings leak more on the compression stroke than they do on the power stroke. Net result, a lot of the blow by is fuel-air mixture (a.k.a. "unburned hydrocarbons"). Putting that back into the cylinder to burn it might increase you gas mileage slightly. Probably not enough to measure.

3) As pointed out in another post, a draft tube can let water in to the crankcase if your ford too deep a river. So the military wanted that. Along with water proofed ignition, snorkels and other costly things so they could drive where others couldn't. This is probably not a big deal for most of our cars.

4) A PCV valve cost the auto manufacturer a few cents where a draft tube was practically free. So Detroit resisted putting PCV systems on cars for cost reasons. This lasted until mandated by the government for smog reasons. See 1) above.

It is my personal opinion that PCV systems, unleaded fuel and much better oil are the big reasons why engines last a lot longer no than they did 50 years ago.

[Tom Skinner]

Tod,

Thanks for explaining that to me.

I was ignorant as to its application.

I think I'll leave mine stock, (Breather Tube) and respect those that don't.

Tom

[James_Douglas]

Mine had better go 100K or more or I will be pissed off.

One thing though, at about every 25K miles (or 8-10 years) I will pull the head and clean off any carbon on the head and pistons and at the same time pull the side covers and make sure the oil wells for the lifters are spotless.

James