list:

i re-routed blow-by direct to intake manifold, essentially with a T
fitting on the vacuum side of the auxiliary air regulator. engine seems
very contented with this fix, and idles well. preliminary verdict is that
idle problem is fixed, and blow-by is properly handled. also, lower
crankcase pressures should lower air resistance to moving pistons, and
provide a slight edge in terms of overall efficiency.

a future project may be to vent the engine to the atmosphere via one valve
cover, and install a pcv valve bewteen black tower and intake manifold,
essentially converting to a true positive crankcase ventillation system.
this would certainly be a plus for the engine oil, and otherwise help
limit gum and sludge. a blow-by/air mixture is much more combustable than
blow-by alone, however, and so the action of the pcv valve to block
possible front-fires from propogating into crankcase via black tower is
necessary. worry here might be that the restricting action of the pcv
valve combined with an inadequately vented engine could lead to high
crankcase pressures, under certain conditions at least, resulting in all
sorts of problems, and i'll probably just leave well enough alone.

looking at long ago posts, the black tower certainly has baffles - perhaps
also a flapper valve of some kind that is usually destroyed on older
engines; i've never taken one apart myself.

all's well that idles well!

dan