Crankcase Ventilation

[Chris Dixon]

My car has a PCV stamped to the effect that it meets California emissions standards for 1963. I'm told all cars had that regardless of market, but I wonder if there is any benefit in removing it, or any potential harm in keeping it. As far as I can tell the PCV has a valve in it that reacts to crankcase vacuum, to vent oil fumes to the air cleaner housing. Unless they can stick shut and stop the crankcase from ventilating, I don't see any reason to remove it from a healthy engine, but if your car has pancake air filters is the pipe just venting to the road, or a catch tank?

[NigelW]

Chris, my car '64 model doesn't have the California markings but I have stack pipes on the carbs with the crankcase venting out to the road via a tube. I have a catch tank waiting to be fitted when I get around to it.

[Jose]

do you mean a PCV "valve" like modern engines?

Where is it located?

The XK engine vents from the engine breather to the air filter housing, an early "pcv" system.