The small elbow on the rear of the valve cover should connect to the small nipple on the air cleaner. The PCV valve pulls crank case gasses from the valve cover into the intake through the connection at the base of the carb. It crates a vacuum that pulls filtered air through the opposite valve cover by way of the elbow and it's connection to the air cleaner. Your current set up allows the PCV to pull unfiltered air directly into the crank case. Not good. The larger connection on the air filter is for a charcoal canister which I don't ever recall seeing on a vintage Mustang.

 

Ok, i found the hole for the hose in pic 3, but the hose is falling apart so I got to hunt a new one down. I'm gonna try and hunt the hose for pic one down too and then yay!. Also, I didnt see any canisters, so it was either removed or never was there in the first place.

 

Well, I think we finally figured out that Pic #1 is your PCV valve that connects to the bottom of your carb, and pic #3 is the heat connection for your automatic choke, and it should be a copper tube wrapped in asbestos. The big one on the right of #2 pic could have gone to a breather outlet on top of the oil filler, or to a canister. But, I guess it is a moot point since you are getting a new breather.

 

oh boy. the breather above the oil goes to the back of the carb. the fitting in pic one i thought was a PCV for the other side.

 

The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve siphons excess gases that build up in the crankcase and routes them back into the intake manifold, assuring that the gases only flow in that direction. Those gases that build up in the crankcase tend to contain unburned fuel fumes, so the PCV valve plays a big, but simple part in cleaning up emissions. PCV valves have an internal spring, and they simply either become clogged or wear out over time. They're inexpensive and quite easy to replace on most cars. So, you need to route that #1 picture PCV valve back to the crankcase, which is right at the bottom of the carb.

 

If your motor is set up like most late 60's-70's Ford V8's, you will have the PCV valve in one valve cover, and the filtered air connection for the PCV system in the other valve cover. The fitting in picture #1 is NOT the PCV valve, it is the elbow that is normally connected to the air filter so that the PCV valve pulls clean, filtered air into your crankcase vs. dirty air. The air dilutes with the crankcase gasses and is pulled back into the intake by way of the PCV valve. You mentioned in your earlier post that there is a hose connected to the base of your carb. It should be connected to the PCV valve that is usually located in the oil fill cap on the driver's side valve cover. Check out the picture that DSMtuner posted under "What this thing?". You'll see the small elbow on the passenger side valve cover (same as your picture #1) with a short piece of hose and another plastic elbow at the end. The elbow at the end connects to the small spring-clip held nipple on the air filter in your picture #2. You will also see the PCV valve sitting in the oil fill cap. That's what should be connected to the base of your carb. BTW, some early Ford's, like my 390, have the system reversed. The PCV presses directly into the pass. side valve cover and the fresh air connection is on the oil fill cap on the driver's valve cover.

 

Wrong.....Pic #1 is the PCV valve. It is located in the rear of the passenger side valve cover. Take another look, then tell me this is not the PCV.

 

I TOOK ANOTHER LOOK, NO, NOT WRONG. THAT IS NOT THE PCV VALVE. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID IT IS. IT IS THE FILTERED AIR CONNECTION FOR THE CLOSED PCV SYSTEM USE WHEN THAT 351W WAS BUILT. THE PCV VALVE SHOULD BE IN THE OIL FILL CAP ON THE OTHER VALVE COVER JUST AS IT IS IN THE PICTURE POSTED BY DSMtuner. THE ELBOW IN PICTURE #1 SHOULD CONNECT TO THE SMALL NIPPLE ON THE AIR CLEANER.

 

No need to holler. BillyBob, pull out the #1 picture hose connection, and tell us if there is a PCV valve there or not.

 

If he tries to pull that elbow out, it will most likely crack. Take a look at the picture I referenced. You'll see the elbow in question, with the short hose and air cleaner connector on the same engine. You'll also see the PCV valve in the oil fill cap but without the vacuum hose. The same set-up that Ford used on virtually all of it's V8's from the late 60's until around the arrival of fuel injection.