PCV was a good thing.

[Jackpine]

Great post, Cody! Since I used to drive cars with the old "standpipe" method of purging the crankcase, I agree 100% about PCV being a good thing. As I recall, there used to be a possibility that the standpipe could get blocked, which would really put you in a world of hurt. I guess it didn't happen often though.

But do I EVER remember the the crummy EGR system in my Mercury! I loved that car, but when I started hearing pinging, I knew it was time to clean out the EGR ports. That damned valve would just fill up with a hard, brown carbon "plaque", sort of like what happens in people's arteries when they are about to get heart attacks. It was always a pain to clean too, due to the tight curves in the narrow passages and the fact that the stuff was really "hard". Just a brilliant piece of engineering ***NOT***.

The smog pump was another wonderful invention, wasn't it? Took engine power to run, which made you burn more gas, producing more emissions.... I also seem to recall those things having a habit of breaking down, thankfully, mine didn't.

Don't you think though that some of the new "environmental" efforts against diesels are the result of the very visible particulate matter that some of the badly tuned ones can produce (although I am seeing far fewer of those today). I can't help but cringe when I see the "smoke show" tune for diesels. Is this a really good idea, or are we shooting ourselves in the foot?

Thanks for the trip down memory lane though. It brought back a lot of fond and not-so-fond recollections of time spent out in my carport or garage with the hood up and parts of the engine all over the place.

- Jack

[88Racing]

Great post Cody!
The best motors out there are still the non emission type with the electronic ignition on top.

Lars

[sam8]

I guess I am an automotive dinosaur.
At 50, I can still tune a Holley. Got a box or two full of jets, power valves, etc.
I know what a Dwell Meter is, and even have one that works.
I love my F-350 PSD, but have no interest whatsoever in messing with "fun" cars that need a computer to run, unless it is just an MSD.
Give me my '40 Ford with it's little 302.
My '56 will have a 460 in it if I ever manage to put the $ together to build it.
I know electronics are here to stay, and they do improve performance in many cases.
There is just something about looking under the hood of a hot rod and seeing a wiring harness that looks like an octopus laying across the top of the engine, (where the double-pumper should be) that strikes me as wrong.
So this dinosaur is thanful for folks like Bill who understand & like playing with the electro-whiz bang stuff that makes my PSD sing while hauling my camper and pulling the toy trailer.
If it were my responsibility to build the stuff, I'm afraid diesels would still only be in Class 8 trucks, and we'd all be getting 5-6 miles to the gallon on premium as our big blocks and double pumpers strained to haul all our junk around.
PCV remains a good thing.
It keeps the M/T valve covers clean.