Down draft tube

  • I have a numbers matching 65 Kar built in Oct 64.. My Kar has a down draft tube (instead of a PCV?) leading from the passenger side valve cover down to the road (comes out right next to the tranny). Was this common for early built Kars??


    many thanks


    Edited by - SixT5HiPo on 03/17/2009 22:49:49

  • Eric, The road draft tube for a Hipo from the valve cover is unique to a 65 Hipo only. It is a tough piece to find if you needed one. The standard cars had a different shape for that tube. I am sure that Gene would love to see a good couple of pictures of your tube as he needed one for his Kar.


    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

  • Fred, Sorry I was talking general use of road tube VS PCV. Indeed the Hipo is diffrent because of the exhaust manifold size on the Hipo. Falcons and Coments use a diffrent one then the rest of the cars also.


    Edited by - 5F09C on 03/17/2009 08:46:58

  • The HiPo engine I use in my 67 was assembled on August 28, 1964.

    Balanser is also dated H4. I bought this engine complete except carb

    30 years ago and it had PCV (not closed). If i don't recall wrong

    it's an F in the chassinumber and came off a very early fastback.

    Probably an export car as it was in Sweden.

    /Bo

  • great info as always.. I didn't realize only 65 hipos had the road draft tube, I don't remember seeing that in Tony Gregory's book, I will recheck. I'm happy to send pictures to anyone that would like to see the setup. Leave me your email at egoldstein38@yahoo.com I'm not sure how to post photos on this site.. thanks

  • Eric, I was not trying to say that only 65's had road draft tubes. I was only referring to the valve cover type of road draft tube as the earlier cars that had a road draft tube were the of type attached to the rear of the intake manifold. The Hipo one was the same as standard ones for that type.


    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

  • <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

    Eric, The road draft tube for a Hipo from the valve cover is unique to a 65 Hipo only. It is a tough piece to find if you needed one. The standard cars had a different shape for that tube. I am sure that Gene would love to see a good couple of pictures of your tube as he needed one for his Kar.


    -Fred-

    <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>


    I looked around for quite a while, and even Fred couldn't help me obtain one. I found an NOS HiPo tube years ago that was perfect, except it wasn't correct for my kar. Unfortunately, it was the version that connected to the back of the intake manifold, and not the valve cover version I need. Since I couldn't use it, I had to return it for a refund. I finally landed a used one that the previous owner had <i>chrome plated</i>! It actually looks great with the stock chrome valve covers, but it probably won't pass muster with the MCA judges... <img src=images/icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

  • On page 5-31, I show a Ford illustration of the 1965 HiPo road draft tube. See page J-55 for road draft tube application.


    Ford had largely abandoned the road draft tube at the end of 1963 production for all applications. So, every early 1964 289 had a PCV valve. It was about May 1964 that Ford brought back the road draft tube except for California and New York. Ford was having a lot of clogging problems with its orifice-type PCV valve, so reverting to the road draft tube decreased this problem (which was probably a warranty issue). At the time, Ford had not developed tubes to attach to the valve cover, so reverted to the 1962-63 system. By 1965 production, new tubes were ready. However, I am sure there was a state or two upset about Ford's use of polluting road draft tubes, so they were phased out during March 1965 and early April. PCV valves with a juggle-pin design were now readily available. These valves were self-cleaning and greatly reduced clogging problems.


    So, if I was a guessing man, I think the road draft tubes were a quick temporary stop gap solution until better PCV valves were more readily available. If you have ever run a road draft tube engine, you know just how bad they were. I do. With just a little piston ring blow-by pressurizing the crankcase, fumes came out the tube and oil filler cap when you were not moving forward and the smell was not pleasant, not to mention the mess. With a PCV valve, there was always an inflow through the breather and the fumes were being burned in the engine. If there was a lot of blow-by, the draft tube would nearly choke you until you were driving down the road at high speed. Then you just left an obnoxious trail. With a PCV valve, it would not be able to keep up and fumes would come out the breather. But, for just a little blow-by, the jiggle-pin PCV valve was the best system.

  • I have a nos tube that I wont need if someone is interested. I would take $130.00 for it. It is the valve cover style. When I bought it the ford sticker was on it, but I removed the sticker and then never installed the tube.

  • I sent you a PM about this


    <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

    I have a nos tube that I wont need if someone is interested. I would take $130.00 for it. It is the valve cover style. When I bought it the ford sticker was on it, but I removed the sticker and then never installed the tube.

    <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

  • Sorry Bob. I meant I sent a PM wanting to buy the tube not a PM to you. If I get it I will get you pictures of it. I also still need to send you the book so you can copy the photos of my car. I'll get it to you soon.<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

    Never got it.

    <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

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