When I bought my 92 SE a few months ago, I took it into a Firestone for a buyer's inspection. They told me I needed the PCV valve changed. I've bought one and am still planning on paying someone to install it for me (because of the horrible location of course), but is it even necessary?

Do I really need to change my PCV valve? What does it affect? The car has 131,000 miles and runs like a champ. I baby it; run full synthetic, use premium gas, etc, but is the new PCV valve needed?

Thanks guys for your help, this is my first post btw!

 

it is a maintenance part, that should be replaced every 30k miles. its not that hard to replace, all u need is a good set of plyers..beware though that the hose might break when u remove it..i would change the hose too..get it from a nissan dealer.

 

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i really would not have someone else do it for you, i mean if you cant find the 30 min tops to put it on then yeah have someone else do it but it really is very easy to do(easier still with the hood off).the hardest part is fitting the deep socket down there with those hose in the way.

 

The pcv valve can get gummed up with oil that can possibly bake on, which wouldn't allow it to function. Personally I've replaced mine like 2-3 times, I don't think it really needed though. You can clean out an old one with carb cleaner or soaking it in some cleaner to dissolve the oil.

The PCV is basically a one-way valve that allows hot fumes to leave the crankcase (combustion funes that have gotten past the piston seals and entered the crankcase). Fresh air enters the crankcase through the air stack (pcv breather) and helps carry out the hot gasses. So in a car that the pcv is stuck and not functioning properly will have hot gasses building up in the crankcase and this will breakdown the oil a lot sooner, also the breather helps remove moisture from the oil when the oil gets hot.

Some civics require that the pcv gets changed (I think) every 10 or 15K miles!

 

u guys mind posting a pic of where its located so I can change it on my ride.

 

do u have an se or gxe?

 

here it is for the SE (ve engine)

 

u can only buy that hose from nissan?

 

Sorry I Have a GXE a pic for that engine.
what is it agian? the VG30?

 

You have the VG30 engine.
Great motor !!!

The PVC valve is located on the top right backside of the intake manifold it has a hose that goes from the vavle cover to the intake manifold. Hope this helps!!

 

cake work right on the intake 17mm wrench I think?

 

What do you do with the hose, can you just pull that off? And any suggestions on the best tool to use to get the pcv valve off and a new one on? Will just a 17mm wrench fit down there and everything?

 

Just push the hose out of the way once you have it off, its a pain because it will keep coming back to cover the hole so you'll just have to work around it.
I just use a deep socket with an extension and that works fine, you will however need to start the threads on the new valve before you use the socket.

 

I found that a mirror, a universal joint for the ratchet and a pair of extra long needle nosed pliers ( one straight, the other angled, about 11 ") worked well in changing the PCV. First Spray the area with brake cleaner to get rid of the dirt and oil stuck around it to prevent this from falling into the engine. Then use the needle nosed to pull off the spring clamp on the rubber hose connector to the PCV. When I did this the hose slipped off with the clamp or use the pliers to gently twist the hose off (perhaps cover the tip with tape to prevent chewing up the hose). Then apply the deep socket to the valve with the universal attached ( the PCV comes out of the block at an angle, so straight in won't work). A mirror may help in seeing the PCV, about 10" below the Intake Plenum.

 

Brake cleaner is NOT the best thing to use in the presence of plastics and rubber, use engine cleaner or something like that.

 

Good Point. Read the label of what you use. If it's no good for rubber or plastic don't use it.

 

actaully, what happens when the PCV gets stuck is your blow-by and oil gasses go out the breather pipe and into the intake and scum up the MAF (if applicable) and cause all kinds of problems.
change the PCV if you start seeing oily scum in the intake tract or if the filter gets oily. definately cheaper than a MAF sensor.
Ern