Technical Non-oil filler tube manifold on oil filler tube engine?

I was thinking of putting a Performer or other inexpensive manifold on my 283. Most aren't available in a version that can use an oil filler tube, and if they are they are considerably more expensive.

I don't care about keeping the look of the filler tube, but I don't want to replace my cool looking old school finned aluminum Corvette valve covers, which have no filler caps.

I was thinking I might be able to drill and thread something like a 1/2" hole somewhere on the manifold. I could use that for ventilation and installing oil. I could thread a bung into it and put a small filter on it.

See anything wrong with this?

Anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.

 

I took mine to a machine shop and had them install the filler tube on a Performer intake, there was a blank where the hole belonged. I believe Speedway had the tube in chrome.

Rich

 

I had a 283 in a 58 Chevy pu that the previous owner had put a Performer intake on. He swapped to later model valve covers to fill the oil. I also wanted to run a set of Corvette covers like you mention. So, I pulled the intake and we milled the hole for the oil fill tube in the front...

 

Engines stay cleaner with an in vent and an out vent. Does the 283 have the rear vent out the cam valley?

 

I don't know what that is.

 

Machine or hole saw out the blank for a tube

 

Sorry about not getting the text on the first post. I used a performer manifold on my 350 crate motor. It had the boss where the fill tube was supposed to be. We just drilled it out to fit the tube and all was good. If the intake doesn't have a fill tube then the valve covers must have a fill area or a removable breather to get the oil into the engine. The valve cover on the other side has a hidden pcv valve also. Gary

 

I was thinking of that, but I think the version with the blank is like $80 than the standard one, plus you need to pay for the machine work. On top of that, it seems most other manifolds don't even offer that option. How do you like the Performer?

 

I haven't ever bought a new one, they're almost free at most swap meets so I have 2 Performers & 1 Performer RPM. I like the Performer but actually was looking for a GM cast iron filler tube intake but the prices were too high at the time. Of course I later found one that was affordable and bought it. I painted the E'brock intake so it matches the engine and so far I haven't been unhappy with it in any way so it's still on the engine.

Rich

 

OBTW, the earlier motors had a road draft tube at the back of the block just behind the intake. It created a "suction" when moving that pulled air into the crankcase from the filler tube and out the road draft tube. When they went to PCV they just stopped machining the hole but the blank was still there.

Rich

 

Those old road draft (blow-by) tubes kept the cardboard industry alive, trying to protect garage floors from oil stains.

 

That’s what I did too.

 

That's a great way to go, not a bad price either.

 

Edelbrock has what you want, #2703 Performer EPS with fill tube. I just put a fill tube in the Performer RPM pictured using a 1 1/8" hole saw (that cut oversize) and took it to 1 1/4" with an adjustable reamer. I have M/T valve covers that I don't want to put holes in and my 327 has the PCV valve coming from the road draft tube hole in the back of the block.

Gary