I am planning to replace my PCV valve... soon. My car is 1993 Maxima SE (VE30DE)
I guess know the location some what -- behind the engine and infront of fire wall..

But the question is how do I reach that spot..? Did you guys removed the hood completely and then replaced the PCV valve..? or used any special tool


Other related question what are the symptoms of PCV valve failure..?
I am getting 4-5 mpg less.. and I checked the oxygen sensor.. it is blinking 5 times in 10 secs in closed loop (running engine above 2000 rpm).. I am thinking whether PCV is the cause..


I did some search.. I got some info I needed...But there some more I am looking for

Thanks

 

A PCV valve is pretty cheap, so it never hurts to replace it. You need a cool engine, small hands, lots of muscle, small needle nose pliers, the correct deep socket, a small universal socket joint, and a socket wrench.

I had to muscle the hose off of the PCV valve with my right hand while I'm squeezing the pliers to get that little clamp loosened. Once I got the PCV valve off, you need HUGE muscles to break it lose for the first time. Once you loosen it, the rest is easy.

You do not have to take off your hood. Look behind the engine for a little half inch diameter hose, 4 inches in length... it will be running diagonal. That is the blow-by hose... if you follow it downward, it will go into the PCV valve. The valve screws into the block and it will be tilted at a 45 degree angle towards the rear of the car.

If you're standing in front of your engine at the front of your car, facing the engine ... Look at the rear left part of the engine bay behind the engine. So, you will do all your work standing on the passenger side of the car. Hope you can find it.

 

You don't have to remove the hood to do it. I have big hand and I was able to do it with the right tools. You just need to be patient and take your time. This is from another thread which you should search also but I wrote this post in another thread.

PCV: I have a 1992 DOHC engine and it's said to change the PCV valve on my engine is very hard, took me 10 minutes. There is a hose that goes into the pcv valve that has a 90 degree angle to it so it makes it hard to move clamp so what I did was hold the clamp open and pull the hose and I came off easily. Get a 3/4 long socket and a pretty long extension and put it on top the pcv and loosen until it comes out. Now putting in the new pcv in a DOHC engine is a little tricky you need to use a spark plug tool the one that is bigger than the one we use actually for our spark plugs, I forgot the size. Put it in there so it won't drop out and put it in start tightening it just little once it went in a little, take out the spark plug tool and use the regular 3/4 socket and tighten until it gets snug and that's it. To put back the hose hold the clamp open and put the hose in and release the clamp and that's it.

Good Luck

 

Is this a common place for an oil leak? I have a mysterious oil leak from behind the left side (passenger side) of the engine and it is not the valve cover. How much can a bad PCV valve affect your performance, if at all?

 

I have the same problem as D-sta I am 6'7" and have large hands so it was a slight bizznatch for me to do but once you get the hose off it isn't that bad!

Jared

 

I hear you brotha, but I'm 6'1 and I still have large hands

 

I'm not sure how much a bad PCV valve can effect performance, but most likely, it has never been changed. As for the oil leak, take a VERY CLOSE look at your crank pulley. There is a "front main oil seal" that is behind the crank pulley. These are prone to go bad on all VE Maximas. Also, I am assuming you have a VE30DE. Do a search on that oil seal and you will find a lot of stuff.

 

Thanks.