Yep, ditto all that. Sounds like a really neat find being one owner.
I'll add that when Cal first passed the law requiring PCV valves, in particular when they revised it to require the closed type, the problem was mostly that they required retrofit devices for used cars (with certain exceptions) when they changed hands.
If the engine was in bad shape, the closed system made things worse. Most of these cars weren't worth the engine overhaul. So they were junked. Or violate the law if you could get away with it. Or maybe sell the car out of state.
But before Cal legislators latched on to the crankcase emissions issue, engine designers recognized the merits of positively scavenging vapors from the crankcase. These vapors which were mostly unburned fuel that contaminated the oil which resulted in bearing wear and so on.
Also, the oil leaks you mention in part because the inefficient draft tube could plug up, oily vapor under excess crankcase pressure was gonna escape somewhere.
So the PCV was not just a good emissions control device, it solved an engine performance problem as well.
The engineers were mostly on their toes. The PCV valve was designed to close in the case of a backfire for example, else a backfire could ignite the gas vapor in the crankcase with catastrophic results (one reason to make sure the PCV valve is not stuck open).
When the closed system was designed, they had to consider backfires from the other side of the system. That explains the element at the air cleaner to hose connection.
Can't wait to learn more about this GTO.
|