Holley/Webber Catch Tank Breather System

[mike@thenook]

Having spent quite a lot of time refurbishing my Strom's as well as fitting the HRS uprated needles I decided to have another attack at the Holley set up.
I always had a catch tank when I had the Holley before but never a PCV valve fitted so, this was the final part of the breathing system I had to deal with.
All now sorted, I have used a Fram PCV valve for which I cut a hole almost the exact diameter of the valve (19.5 mm) into the original catch tank and sealed it in place with silicone. All I did then was to take the outlet from the PCV valve to the PCV inlet on the Holley using fuel pipe.
It works beautifully with none of the original slight oily smell at idle from the previous vent from the CT into the air filter.
Total cost of parts about £25.00 for the CT and PCV valve combined and another £3.00 for the cutter which I bough on ebay from a very good tool supplier called Bositools based in Ilford.
Pictures of the set-up are in my albums.
While this is used for the Holley I see no reason at all why it would not work for the Weber too but others may say different.
I'm keeping the Holley now too - it is just so much simpler to set-up and looks a lot neater too IMHO.

Cheers!

[KOY 23]

Mike.
Thank you for letting us know the PCV part number as there are many out there with different characteristics. The fitting kit I bought for my Holley came with a valve that overly pressurised the crankcase.

[staginhiding]

Looks very neat Mike..

I expect I will be picking your brain when I get my engine machined and rebuilt..
I will run it the stroms at first,but then I have a Holley kit to go on..
Finances dictating it go on hold for now sadly..

Sam

[mike@thenook]

Mike.
Thank you for letting us know the PCV part number as there are many out there with different characteristics. The fitting kit I bought for my Holley came with a valve that overly pressurised the crankcase.

Cheers John,

These are freely available on Ebay too and are rec' for V8's I gather.

the catch tank came from a supplier on Ebay too - there are a number of different shapes/sizes available and some very silly prices too!

[mike@thenook]

Looks very neat Mike..

I expect I will be picking your brain when I get my engine machined and rebuilt..
I will run it the stroms at first,but then I have a Holley kit to go on..
Finances dictating it go on hold for now sadly..

Sam

No problem Sam - pleased to help

[comeinhandy]

For anyone interested, the crankcase ventilation setup gets a mention in my youtube video on my personal ideas for improving the stag, on youtube here:

http://youtu.be/rr0goqxs8hs

[Staggard]

Having spent quite a lot of time refurbishing my Strom's as well as fitting the HRS uprated needles I decided to have another attack at the Holley set up.
I always had a catch tank when I had the Holley before but never a PCV valve fitted so, this was the final part of the breathing system I had to deal with.
All now sorted, I have used a Fram PCV valve for which I cut a hole almost the exact diameter of the valve (19.5 mm) into the original catch tank and sealed it in place with silicone. All I did then was to take the outlet from the PCV valve to the PCV inlet on the Holley using fuel pipe.
It works beautifully with none of the original slight oily smell at idle from the previous vent from the CT into the air filter.
Total cost of parts about £25.00 for the CT and PCV valve combined and another £3.00 for the cutter which I bough on ebay from a very good tool supplier called Bositools based in Ilford.
Pictures of the set-up are in my albums.
While this is used for the Holley I see no reason at all why it would not work for the Weber too but others may say different.
I'm keeping the Holley now too - it is just so much simpler to set-up and looks a lot neater too IMHO.

Cheers!

Looks like a great and neat conversion, and really well priced. With so much detailed information and photo's this should be included in the Technical Section. Well done Graham

[mike@thenook]

Cheers Graham,

I'll see if I can put it in there

Feel quite honoured!

[pistonbroke]

Hi Mike
Can I ask how were the Strom`s with the HRS uprated needles fitted? did they give more performance, just thinking of getting a set.
Cheers
Andy

[mike@thenook]

Hi Andy,

easy job - you just take the top of the carbs off, remove the piston from the barrel and then do two things - change the big spring for the new one supplied and release the needle by unscrewing the small screw at the side of the piston barrel and (you will need a carb adjusting tool to do this bit) unscrew the collar that retains the needle from the threaded adjuster using the "C A T". You can then put the new needle in and re-adjust as required once running again. When I put mine I started with the needles flush with the bottom of the piston then Screw the C A T clockwise 1.5 turns to effectively richen the mixture back to a goo starting point for finer tuning.
Hope this helps but if not I may be able to scan in that page from the workshop manual if you don't have it.
They certainly are an improvement, pick up is much better as is mid-range pull.
Well worth it especially if you dont want to spend £700 + on a proper Holley set up.

Cheers

[Ian Durrant]

Hi Mike,

Did you have tubular manifolds fitted? I thought you had just a Holley with no tubulars?

I could well be wrong, but I thought you posted that it was just a carb change in another thread

Kind regards
Ian

[pistonbroke]

Thanks Mike
I will order a set from HRS. Fitted Tubular manifolds a couple of years ago [both front facing don't know the make as I got them second hand and were told they were from the late seventies] , last year had the centres of the silencers removed and was going to wrap the manifolds as the exhaust note was different, but after reading lots of bad reports about manifolds being ruined after a couple of years did not do it. So bigger jets will be the way to go.
Thanks
Andy

[mjheathcote]

Front facing manifolds were available in the 90's, I have two sets, one spare, and although mild steel are lasting well, but I did get them chromed.
Superior design to the Phoenix manifolds that are available today.

[pistonbroke]

My manifolds are s/steel but the PO had them blasted to get rid of some tarnishing and ruined the finish, I have painted them with VHT paint. You don't see much of the manifold once fitted and the ancillaries are bolted on.
Andy 135.jpg

[mike@thenook]

Hi Mike,

Did you have tubular manifolds fitted? I thought you had just a Holley with no tubulars?

I could well be wrong, but I thought you posted that it was just a carb change in another thread

Kind regards
Ian

Hi Ian,

No, I do have tubulars too, from Monarch some years back