QUOTE (the_random_hero @ Nov 12 2008, 08:26 PM)

QUOTE (Hiro Protagonist @ Nov 10 2008, 11:13 PM)

QUOTE (spillige @ Nov 10 2008, 10:55 PM)

i know how the system works, just asking can i remove the valve and run my hoses derectly to a breather can with out a vaceum, but im thinking this wouldnt be very effective
Considering the vacuum is the thing providing the suckage, bypassing the manifold and just plumbing it to a catch can will do jack all. Something has to suck the vapour out of the cam cover, it isn't just going to go by itself.
Actually, the whole point of the breathers on the cam cover is to prevent the build-up of positive pressure in the head. If there's no restrictions between the breather and the catch can, any positively-pressured gas will flow out of it's own accord.
spillage - leave the system alone, or do a catch can plumbed back into your intake manifold properly.
Actually, on most cars the breather is there to draw air into the cam cover for the PCV system. Intake air goes into the cam cover, circulates through the engine, mixes with crank-case blow-by gases, and then when there is a large manifold vacuum the PCV valve opens and this mixture gets sucked into the manifold and then the engine, and burnt. That's how the PCV system works, PCV standing for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. If there was no breather, then no air could get drawn into the covers and the PCV circulation system wouldn't work, and the vapours would stay in the crankcase and mix with the oil (a bad thing).
Some people don't like the idea of the blow-by/oil vapour blow-by getting re-circulated into the engine, so they fit an oil catch can on the PCV hose, which strains out the oil whilst still flowing air (basically a filter). This oil can get returned to the sump, or just periodically emptied. The gas output of the catch-can gets routed back into the intake manifold through the PCV valve.