I got a pair of new chrome valve covers from a guy next door. Each cover only has one hole, so oil fill on left and ??? on the right. Im currently running a PCV valve, and the cover is pissing oil ALL over the place. (I dont know if ther are related.) My question, can I get away with just running a breather element?

 

The PCV is just emissions so a breather will work. But if it is pissing oil, is there any baffels in the covers? The breather will eventualy get full of oil and make a mess.

 

If you don't use a PCV valve you will need breathers on the valve covers and some sort draft tube to get the air circulating through the crankcase, otherwiswe you will eventually wind up with a gunked up engine and mechanical failures. The PCv valve does a better job because it continually sucks the fumes out of the crankcase and gets rid of pollutants at the same time. As MadMike said, make sure the valve overs have baffles to prevent the the oil spray from the pushrods from being forced into the breathers and other openings.

 

Right now I have a chrome 'breather style' pcv valve, going from valve cover to the base of the carb. The oil leak seems to be coming from the mounting studs on the valve cover. (Im using the removable, tall wingnut types). I guess Ill just pull the valve cover and see if its all seated correctly. Its just that when I hammer the throttle, oil just sprays the entire inside compartment. I had just wondered if a PCV valve might be causing some type pressure problem.

You mentioned some type of 'draft tube'. WHat is that? Like I said, my covers only have one opening per cover, so I can only add ONE pcv or breather on the right and the oil fill on the left.

 

When you remove the valve covers check if there is a baffle under each opening to deflect the oil spray away. There is a large volume of oil being pumped up there at high RPM. Also make sure that all the drain back holes are clear. You may want to try neoprene gaskets and steel reinforcing strips under wingnuts to prevent the valve covers from being warped by too much tightening.

Cars that used draft tubes had an opening at the top rear of the block where a tube was connected. The tube extended down between the engine & the firewall. The plan was that when the car moved, it created a draft at the tube's end that would suck the fumes out of the crankcase. Later on, when the PCV came into being, that same opening was used to bring fresh air into the crankcase by conncting it with a hose to the air filter.