The restoration is on…

[roffey]

I was out to the boat today. This is the first real time I have had to look at my purchase as I bought the suncruiser 255 in November and had to put it away for the winter. I started the 5.7 350 and it sounds amazing. The only things I have to do are change the lower unit oil, engine oil and install two PCV valves. For some reason the motor was missing the valves?

For year one I am going to have a new mooring cover and camper top made and redo the back sun deck. I will redo the teak wood, replace or refinish and buff out the exterior. Next year I will do the cabin. The cabin will be the big job as the previous owner redid the interior with kitchen cabinets from his house and put ceramic tiles on the floor. The cabin is a real mess.

[smokeonthewater]

they don't HAVE pcv valves.... just breather hoses to the spark arrestor

[roffey]

OK, maybe that's why they’re not there, LOL. I thought the 350 was just the same as a car motor. There would be a PCV valve on the crank case and reticulate the unspent gas back into the carb?

[THEFERMANATOR]

You can install 1 PCV valve. but one has to vent to atmosphere or else you will get all kinds of oil leaks. 2 PCV valves most likely will not be able to keep up with the blow by, and teh excess pressure will push oil out the seals. Leave it like it is, or you can install 1 PCV valve as later boats did this.

[roffey]

OK will do. I have limited experience with motors. I know enough to make me dangerous. The boat is at a friend’s house who is at your level of experience. A farm mechanic, who can fix anything, makes me envious. I thought he said PCV but I may have not got it right. It’s a hose that goes from the valve cover to the carb...? Keep in mind I am a country boy who fixes computers, not tractors.
Feel free to keep telling me where I go off the track, LOL. You guys give me advice on boats… I’ll keep your confusers sorry computers going.

[THEFERMANATOR]

PCV=positive crankcase ventilation valve. It hooks into the engine(normally in the valve cover), and then to the intake. At low loads the engine is at high vacuum which pulls the PCV valve almost closed, but under load the vacuum drops which opens the valve up and allows it to pull crancase pressure back into to be burned by the engine. You must have a vent to atmosphere though for any engine even with a PCV valve. Personally why change it what you have and complicate the system any at all. It's worked this long so why change it(if it aint broke, don't fix it).

[roffey]

Good question, I would change it because the PVC valve it not there and I want to keep the boat in running condition. Having said that, I am looking to you guys for advice and guidance. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect you will fix my boat but maybe keep me off the rocks. I have some money and can put it into the boat if need be but I don’t have the cash to just toss it into the water. Not sue if I make sense or not. Just excited that the motor runs and maybe the boat will float.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by roffey

Good question, I would change it because the PVC valve it not there and I want to keep the boat in running condition. Having said that, I am looking to you guys for advice and guidance. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect you will fix my boat but maybe keep me off the rocks. I have some money and can put it into the boat if need be but I don’t have the cash to just toss it into the water. Not sue if I make sense or not. Just excited that the motor runs and maybe the boat will float.

The thing is it never came with one origanally, so why add one in? It wasn't until the late 90's that I seen them start getting used in boats. It has no real benefits other than maybe stopping any oil residue from going through the flame arrester, but on the other hand it would just go through the intake instead. A PCV valve is an emissions control device, so boats weren't required to use them.

[smokeonthewater]

the pcv valve it NOT SUPPOSED to be there... just a couple of fittings to attach the vent hoses... the purpose of the fittings and hoses is to direct the gasses from the crankcase to the intake where they will be burned instead of building up in the bilge and possibly causing an explosive condition....

[roffey]

I will go ahead and do nothing. It looks to be set up as you say. One side of the valve cover has a hole with nothing, vented to the atmosphere. The other side has a hose connected from the valve cover to the flame arrestor. No valve just a hose.