PCV and valve cover info needed

1978 Commander 302 CCW w/ aftermarket (sleezy chrome) valve covers on my boat. On one side I have a PCV going into the flame arrestor (probably needs manifold (not ported) vacuum?) and the other side has a valve cover breather, one of the filtered kind. Sumabich stinks like buring oil and there is blowby coming out of the breather. I run the blower a LOT and I want to square this away.

Can somebody please tell me what goes where? A pic of the appropriate configuration would be much appreciated. I'll be installing a new distributor Wed or Thu and want to fix this at the same time.

thanks,
/s/sMTM

...and the breather goes to the spark arrestor.

You are basically correct; you HAVE introduce a big vacuum leak, but that is the correct way to plumb it.

Now, you will need to do some idle adjustments to your carb and possibly your timing also.

Oh I will surely be re-visiting the timing just after I stab the new distributor. I'll carry the vacuum gauge and tach and timing light down to the lift and tweak away. And a can of carb cleaner and a shade tree stethescope (peice of fuel line stuck to ear) to check for vacuum leaks around the new plumbing.

I'll go take a look at the "donor" motor on my engine stand and see where the vacuum port goes in the intake. It's a common port that drives brake booster and vacuum accumulator cannister on automotive apps. Leaning out a cyl SHOULD not be a prob.

I was reading and researching and the PCV valve lets about 3 cfm through @ idle and around double that at cruise. With that said -- it's small vacuum leak and it is controlled, I assume that won't degrade idle nor driveablity. Unlike a bad gasket, cracked vacuum line or such.

Reminds me of the old days... We had a '56 Plymoth Belvedere (I think it was a 383). One valve cover had a sealed oil filler cap, the other had a 1" steel pipe that vented onto the ground.

No vacuum leaks on that baby!

Ok I am having idle issues. I just put on some killer Ford racing valve covers and a Edlbrock performer manifold and a rebuilt 4160 Ford blue carb on my 78SN. It looks sweet, I did not re-use my PVC valve, but I did plum the breather vent to the carb spacer plate at the rear. My idle won't hold under 1200 rpm and I can't think that my carb guy screwed up the float adjustment. Do you that not having the PVC valve there is causing my idle problems, or do I go after the float adj?

Ok re-installed the PVC valve and re-adjusted the carb screws back. Still won't hold idle under 1200. Looking for other leaks tonight, I'll keep ya posted...

PVC was the problem idle is fixed now I have to go after the same hesitation problem out of the hole I had last year b4 I had the carb rebuilt.

Still had problems so it went back to the carb guy, after talking with him, he realized I did not have a exhaust heat riser tube. Da so that is where he said my vac leak is, he pluged it and I pick it up Sat. Car guys don't have a clue about boats.