Valve cover breather/PCV question

[Benm109]

On Christmas, I got and installed some chrome centerbolt valve covers (Mr. Gasket PN 9415) on my car. I didn't run into any problems with the install, but something has been bothering me since. The chrome valve cover on the passenger side moved the hole for the CCV breather from the back to the front of the valve cover. The driver's side stayed like the stock set-up, with the PCV valve at the front and the oil fill at the back of the valve cover. My question is this: Does it matter if the breather and PCV valve are both located towards the front of the engine, instead of staggered like the stock system? I know that the whole PCV system is still working, I'm just not sure if it's working properly.

To make more sense of what I'm trying to say, here's how the stock set-up was:


And here's how I have it setup now:

[Rob B (shoebox)]

The original engine had no breathers, right? The PCV system is normally a "closed" system. The intent is to pull in air (usually via the air intake tract) through one valve cover and vacuum will pull it out the other to be sucked into the engine with the air/fuel mix. This give a positive purging effect to the harmful gases created in the crankcase.
I don't see how it matters what position the breathers are on the covers, but with a breather on the same valve cover as the PCV and hose to vacuum, the system is not going to function as stock. The vacuum will have little effect for removing gases. With both breathers, the gases will just escape (or not escape) on their own.

[Benm109]

You are correct. The original setup with the engine had a breather hose running from the air cleaner housing, with a small foam filter attached, to the passenger side valve cover and a PCV valve on the driver's side valve cover. When I swapped to an open element air cleaner, the only thing I changed was adding a K+N breather where the breather hose/foam filter was.

So, yes, the engine is still getting filtered air in through the passenger side valve cover and the PCV valve is still located in the driver's side valve cover.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. I finally have answers to the little things that were bothering me with my car now .

[95TransAm]

I finally have answers to the little things that were bothering me with my car now .

It's a great feeling isn't it I took the day off of work last friday just to fix all of the stupid little things that were bugging me for god knows how long now....plus an exhaust

[Benm109]

It's a great feeling isn't it I took the day off of work last friday just to fix all of the stupid little things that were bugging me for god knows how long now....plus an exhaust

It is.

[TraceZ]

The original engine had no breathers, right? The PCV system is normally a "closed" system. The intent is to pull in air (usually via the air intake tract) through one valve cover and vacuum will pull it out the other to be sucked into the engine with the air/fuel mix. This give a positive purging effect to the harmful gases created in the crankcase.
I don't see how it matters what position the breathers are on the covers, but with a breather on the same valve cover as the PCV and hose to vacuum, the system is not going to function as stock. The vacuum will have little effect for removing gases. With both breathers, the gases will just escape (or not escape) on their own.

So, if you remove the passenger side breather tube to the TB and replace it with a open breather, arent you letting unmetered air into the intake via the PCV valve? I know ken has this mod on his car. Is it OK?

[Rob B (shoebox)]

So, if you remove the passenger side breather tube to the TB and replace it with a open breather, arent you letting unmetered air into the intake via the PCV valve? I know ken has this mod on his car. Is it OK?

I don't think this guy's engine has a MAF (not seeing one in the pic). My response was based on that assumption.

We don't all do what Ken does.

[Benm109]

I don't think this guy's engine has a MAF (not seeing one in the pic). My response was based on that assumption.

We don't all do what Ken does.

Yep, speed density.