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OLDS 324 Road Draft Tube ????

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by droplord49, Jan 28, 2008.

  1. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    I think the draft tube on my 324 is clogged up because it is breathing out of the oil fill tube. Is there a filter/screen inside the block where the tube mounts to it? Can I just take the tube off and scrape the gunk out from the outside or am I going to need the pull the intake and valley pan off? Thanks, Dustin.
     
  2. Bobert
    Joined: Feb 21, 2005
    Posts: 820

    Bobert
    Member Emeritus

    The can inside the valley cover is simply a baffle. I'd be surprised if that was clogged. There is a filter lower on the road draft tube that may clog. It's kind of hard to tell if the system is clogged or not since I don't think there is much flow through ventilation unless the car is actually in motion. Flow out the filler breather could also be due to blowby.
     
  3. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    I am sure it has alot to do with blow by, but I don't get any smoke or anything at all coming out the the tube. I never had any problems until I added a quart of Lucas Oil(mistake) during an oil change just to see if it would help with my noisy vavle train, shorty after, she started spitting oil and smoke out of the filler tube. I haven't done a compression check, but she just seems to still have to much power for it to be excesive blowby. I am hoping that the thick ass lucas oil just clogged up the filter in the tube.
     
  4. peachey88
    Joined: Jun 4, 2006
    Posts: 35

    peachey88
    Member
    from Austin,TX

    droplord, you will have to take the valley pan off. the bolts that hold the road draft tube filter thread into the filter itself through the block, the way the filter is designed its easier to get it cleaner with it out
     

  5. pete324rocket
    Joined: Nov 7, 2007
    Posts: 99

    pete324rocket
    Member

    very doubtful it would be plugged-there is a lot of room between the inner tube and the outer casing and since it sits horizontally,there is bound to be some opening left.If you really suspect it is plugged,why not try to rig up some kind of way to either blow thru it or hook a vacuum cleaner to it to see if there is flow.On another board,I was wondering how to get all the gunk out of my baffle once I had it out-I hate dirt/sludge! I threw mine on an old habachi barbeque-burnt the crud out! By the way,make sure your oil level is not too high...
     
  6. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,174

    73RR
    Member

    I think that I would try a fresh oil change before taking things apart.
    Depending on condition of the engine, you may want to consider 'flushing' the internals. If later, you need to remove the draft tube then consider installing a pcv in its place.
     
  7. Bobert
    Joined: Feb 21, 2005
    Posts: 820

    Bobert
    Member Emeritus

    Unless the 324 changed from the 303, you shouldn't need to take off the valley pan. The road draft tube is 3 pieces: flange that bolts thru to the baffle in the valley, tube, and tube with the filter (big round thingy).
     

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  8. 3x2rocket
    Joined: May 1, 2007
    Posts: 248

    3x2rocket
    Member

    I've seen mine very recently, just an oil baffle and a filter that closely resembles a scratchy dish sponge. You do have to pull the valley pan to get at the filter. I would be pretty surprised to see it clogged just from putting Lucas in the oil. I'd check the compression and look at the plugs just to be safe but mine still has a little bit of smoke coming from the fill tube when its warm with perfect compression and a brand new filter in the valley.
     
  9. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    Well I pulled the tube off last night and the filter at the bottom of it was so full of shit I couldn't even blow through it. A little soak in some PB blaster/ carb cleaner and a squirt with the water hose and she is like new again. Thanks for the info fellas, I am glad I didn't have to pull the intake and am especially glad it wasn't excessive blowby.
     
  10. pete324rocket
    Joined: Nov 7, 2007
    Posts: 99

    pete324rocket
    Member

    I was going to mention.....I did a teardown of my olds not so long ago-did a leakdown test and a lot of air escaping past the pistons-and my oil was always staying dirty-when I got the pistons out,the rings were really crapped up and everything was just plain dirty-a lot of sludge in the pan..etc. I take some blame because in its earlier life,I may not have used a thermostat,or the correct one..can't remember for sure( a summer car) and eliminated the exhaust manifold heat riser and the baffle above the rad that meets the hood.Engine temperature is crucial to reduce the amount of sludge formed it seems ...anyways,I've fixed all of these things plus some new rings,head work...good to go again!
     
  11. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    What is a normal temp for an olds motor, mine runs at 165-170 on the highway and 180-190 in the city. Although the main reason I was concerned with the draft tube being clogged was because I was getting lots of heat coming out of the filler tube and it seemed like my engine compartment was alot hotter then it should be.
     
  12. pete324rocket
    Joined: Nov 7, 2007
    Posts: 99

    pete324rocket
    Member

    off the top of my head I think the correct thermostat should be 160 degrees-correct me if I'm wrong....obviously your in a warmer climate than I am at the present time...
     
  13. 3x2rocket
    Joined: May 1, 2007
    Posts: 248

    3x2rocket
    Member

    Droplord yours has a filter at the bottom? I was assuming your avatar is the car in question a 55 like mine, just curious if I'm missing something since mine has a filter inside the valley and just a tube going down.
     
  14. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    Mine looks just like the one pictured above. The tube comes down out of the block and at the bottom where it has the bracket that bolts to the side of the bellhousing, the filter bolts to the same bracket.
     
  15. pete324rocket
    Joined: Nov 7, 2007
    Posts: 99

    pete324rocket
    Member

    wow ,I didn't realize '55 's had those...'56 don't as far as I know
     
  16. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    What is the purpose of the external filter anyway? Non of my chevy sixes have them, they all have just an open tube. If mine gives me any problems again, it will probably get hung on my garage wall.
     

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