HELP ! We're just about ready to install the '65 327 and I think that we're in trouble. I saw on another thread that one of the members had scored a truck 327 and was going through it/rebuilding it. One of the photos showed the lifters/pushrods/galley/oil separator and such. My 327 was missing the canister and, being completely unfamiliar with Chevy engines, didn't even notice this when putting the engine together. I don't want to break the engine back down at this point. I now need to know if there is a work-around for the PCV system on these early 327s and really need to know what to do about the hole at the back of the block that once connected to the canister and on top of the block where the PCV elbow/valve should be? I should have noticed all of this, but didn't know what I was looking at/looking for. Is there some way to deal with all of this without pulling the top off of the engine? THANKS ! ! ! !
That is just a baffle and a lot of intakes won't even fit with it in there. It connected to the road draft tube. Just put a soft plug on the hole in the back of the block and throw a PCV valve in the rocker cover. or if you have a front fill intake get a fill tube for a '65 or later Chevy and put an inline PCV in it then a breather in your rocker cover. The baffle is only necessary if you are running a PCV or road draft tube in the hole for the road draft tube.
Thank you ! I thought that I was doomed . . . The engine is a genuine Corvette 300 hp 327, stock intake and carb, nine-fin aluminum Corvette script valve covers, everything original right down to the rotated water neck and twin parallel snout air cleaner. If there's a way around it, I'd rather not drill holes in the valve covers for fitting/barbs/breathers. There's a hose from the oil fill tube to the air cleaner stock, might a second hose running from the base of the fill tube to the carburetor be enough? If not these, is there a way to connect the hole at the back of the block with the hole on top of the block (behind the distributor) and then run a hose onward to the air cleaner or to a draft tube? I know what I SHOULD do, but I'm hoping that there's a way that doesn't involved drilling or cutting into the stock (rare) original Corvette 327 parts and pieces. Thanks again !
Mr Gasket sells a baffled PCV grommet. It will fit right in the hole for the road draft tube, I would use a little silicone to secure it. Then poke a PCV valve in the grommet and attach the other end to a vacuum source, base of carb or ???? With your hose to the carb cover it will ventilate just fine.
This is just a FYI for the rest that may not be aware of it. There are actually TWO different length canisters. The early 55-56 265's used a LONG canister, and installing any kind of aftermarket, or later factory intake, usually meant beating the heck out of it so the manifold would fit, when swapping to a SHORT canister would have taken care of things. The short canister is fairly easy to find, the long one, not so much. 9 fin Corvette valve covers were a one year only, 1956, 2 X 4 carbed 265 deal only, and as such would be a staggered bolt pattern valve cover, and not fit the later "straight across" version heads. What's funny to me is, the "Corvette" centers market the 9 fin valve covers as 56-57 fuel injection covers, when fuel injection was't available in 56, let alone on 265's. You'd think they'd know that! What heads do you have, or do you infact have the more common, 7 fin valve covers? Maybe you have earlier heads like 56, Power Pack heads? Just for the record, there are/were about 6 versions of the Corvette, finned aluminum valve covers used since they first came out in 1956. Or maybe the aftermarket is making/selling 9 fin, straight across pattern, valve covers now? You could probably buy the "kit" to install a PCV valve in the back of the block by the distributor ( a 65 block should have the hole, and be tapped for a hold down), or you could acquire the stock pieces if you're missing them (what' I'd do since the kit is just a rubber grommet that's pushed into the hole). A lot of guys have gotten by without even using the canister; that's one way to "top oil" your heads. The oil fill tube with the "rubber hose" would be an even later than 65, PCV valve item. It sounds like you have a collage of various year parts. If you do have actual 9 fin, staggered pattern, Corvette valve covers, DO NOT DRILL ANY HOLES IN THEM for a PCV valve, they are worth $$$. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Best way=pull the intake, install the can, and hook the pcv valve up like stock. Lot easier to do it now than later, when a sketchy work around doesn't. Sent from my Nexus 5X using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I know that the 300hp engines from the Vettes came with stamped steel covers, these finned ones were most likely installed by one of the previous owners. They're originals though, not repros unless the repros had the GM markings. I kinda like that they have the mold seem error and the half filled in "o", just adds that bit of charm. I would imagine that the Corvette script valve covers got associated with the fuel injection engines because the fins are such a good match to the cover on top of the fuel injection. https://assets.hemmings.com/story_image/279551-1000-0.jpg?rev=2 The heads have the camel hump castings on the forward end, the engine came out of a '64 Corvette. It was pulled so that the original numbers matching engine could be re-installed. We're really only concerned with keeping it as though it was as-delivered from GM because we're sort of shooting for the illusion/fantasy that way back when it was pulled from the Vette after an accident, kept covered for a few months at the back of the shop and installed in our car as-is. No modifications or hop up parts or Edelbrock anything, just a really sweet 300 hp 327 right out of the Vette unmolested. At least that's the lie that we'll be spreading around . . . And again, thank you all for the help with this !
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