Short version: does the orientation of the PCV valve matter? They seem to be installed within a few degrees of vertical in nearly all OEM applications. I would like to mount one horizontally... will the valve still operate correctly? Will any problems result?
Longer version: I have a modified Ford smallblock (302 block, 347 stroker) that has cast aluminum valve covers. The covers have no breather or PCV holes, so I'm adding a breather to the left one and a PCV valve to the right one - more or less factory configuration.
The covers are quite tall and there is plenty of room to put the PCV valve port on the side of the cover, near the top. It will be well above the valve gear and oil splash, baffled of course, and will actually be higher from the head surface than a stock mounting would be.
I'm not 100% clear on the details of how PCV valves work, but it doesn't seem to me that there would be much difference between "vertical and being rattled around like hell by the engine" or "horizontal... [ditto]."
I am planning the setup around the stock valve used for a 1968 smallblock
- if there is another model intended to work horizontally, please let me know!
Answers and comments appreciated.