03 Honda CR-V loses oil like crazy!

[Carlostrece]

The Microgard PCV valve would be fine if it is constructed of metal like the original. I don't trust screwing (softer) plastic threads into a very hot part of the engine.

The Microgard PCV is metal. If it matters, the exterior of it visually appears to be good quality. In fact, it looks higher quality than the metal OEM AC Delco PCV I bought for my Buick a few months ago.

 

[Carlostrece]

Let us know if it works if you keep it. It's enough of a pain to just pay a few $$ more for OEM.

Agreed. How would I know if it's working properly?

 

[Gasbuggy]

Let's see those spark plugs

 

[Sequoiasoon]

By the way you describe the neglected CR-V, I would just clean up the old PCV valve with carb cleaner and reinstall it with the old hose to see if it collapses under vacuum before buying a new hose.

If I'm going through the effort to take it off, for not a lot of money I'm replacing both valve and hose so I know it is correct. If teh old works after cleaning how long before it does collapse or crack on ends?

I'm trying to fix an issue. I might clean the old one for 's and grins to see if it cleans up and rattles good but 99% not reinstalling it unless something odd happens.

 

[Carlostrece]

If I'm going through the effort to take it off, for not a lot of money I'm replacing both valve and hose so I know it is correct. If teh old works after cleaning how long before it does collapse or crack on ends?

I'm trying to fix an issue. I might clean the old one for 's and grins to see if it cleans up and rattles good but 99% not reinstalling it unless something odd happens.

Nukeman's advice was meant to save me money on parts because earlier I said it's not my car, but I'm paying for whatever gets done because I'm trying to help my neighbor. She doesn't know anything about car maintenance and doesn't have much discretionary money.

I'm handicapped and she's my part time caregiver. She takes good care of me. So I want to take good care of her. I recently gave her a pay raise, but also as a bonus I want to help her with her Honda CR-V maintenance.

I'm buying the parts & supplies and paying for my cousin's labor to do the deeds. I want to help her car, which helps her, but I also want to keep costs down. So I want cheap easy solutions that might reduce oil consumption.

With that in mind, Nukeman's advice was a clever way to keep parts costs down to zero; which would be a good idea if I was broke, labor was free, and I could monitor those parts in future.

However, in this case labor is not free. I have to consider labor costs and reliability. I can't justify paying for my cousin's labor to clean an old PCV and hose when I can buy a new Microgard PCV for $14, and a new OEM PCV hose for $20. Also, we don't want to closely monitor the parts after cleaning them. We want one and done.

So I ordered a new PCV & hose. The new parts cost the same or less money than it would cost to pay my cousin to clean the old ones.

My country cousin owns a very old Honda Civic and Chevy van. For his own vehicles, he probably would clean and reuse the old parts because he's super thrifty about spending money on parts for his cars, but he doesn't have to pay himself for labor.

For my situation (paying for labor) buying a new PCV & hose is the lowest cost route, IMO. Also new parts is the most reliable solution because we don't want to have to closely monitor these parts after we're done working on them. We want to replace them, then move on to additional solutions.

I appreciate Nukeman very much because he's knowledgable, helpful, and a great guy, as are you Sequoiasoon.

 

[3800Series]

@Carlostrece already posted up at CRV owners club also but here is some pics from 6 days ago from another member. How much of the collapsed hose is caused by the crummy PCV, or, how much crummy PCV is caused by a collapsed hose?

I might say that many of us suggest replace PCV to help but how many recommend to check for a hose issue like that with engine off or even more so running? Some say look for brittle or cracked ones with vacuum leak.

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Actually had a similar failure on my 2009 Accord but I has to remove the intake manifold to discover it. I had a massive air leak for about 3 weeks after an oil change and I couldn't find the source for the life of decided I was removing the intake to replace the gaskets and hose as last possibility. The PCV hose is $70 and can only access by removing several components including the intake manifold.

 

[Carlostrece]

Actually had a similar failure on my 2009 Accord but I has to remove the intake manifold to discover it. I had a massive air leak for about 3 weeks after an oil change and I couldn't find the source for the life of decided I was removing the intake to replace the gaskets and hose as last possibility. The PCV hose is $70 and can only access by removing several components including the intake manifold.

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Ouch for you! I've heard that the PCV & hose are easy to replace on a CR-V. My cousin will get to it next week on Weds.

 

[Nukeman7]

Ouch for you! I've heard that the PCV & hose are easy to replace on a CR-V. My cousin will get to it next week on Weds.

It is a ~15 minute job for someone who has never done it before, just be careful not to lose the washer when removing the old PCV valve. Since there are 2 different vacuum hose configurations on that generation CR-Vs, I suggest that your cousin view the video below before starting the job. This video shows the vacuum hose configuration that is pertinent to your neighbor's 2003 CR-V.

 

[Carlostrece]

It is a ~15 minute job for someone who has never done it before, just be careful not to lose the washer when removing the old PCV valve. Since there are 2 different vacuum hose configurations on that generation CR-Vs, I suggest that your cousin view the video below before starting the job. This video shows the vacuum hose configuration that is pertinent to your neighbor's 2003 CR-V.

Thanks for the video! That's saves me the time of looking for a video and the stress of hoping I found the correct video for model year of CR-V.

 

[Mechanician]

I'm not considering paying for this, but I'm curious.

Do people sometimes rebuild Honda 2.4L using high quality, traditional rings that have more tension or spring pressure? It seems like that would fix the achilles heel of this engine.

The 2.4K engine does not commonly have a problem with sticking rings.
There were 2 years that had some problems, but still it wasn't real common. Usually the extended OCI vehicles.
The PCV hose and valve are common problems when they start to burn oil.
The spool valve on the back of the head does commonly leak oil, aftermarket valves are very sketchy. If a new seal doesn't fix it, the valve itself is leaking and needs replacement.
Here's the bulletin for the years (not 2003) that had a problem with sticking rings.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10158734-0001.pdf

 

[3800Series]

Ouch for you! I've heard that the PCV & hose are easy to replace on a CR-V. My cousin will get to it next week on Weds.

Yeah, only issue was it was located on the back side of the intake manifold so you physically has to remove it to exam it. It seems tedious for something which was clearly something you to examine to determine if it failed.

Honestly quiet envious of the earlier design, Honda is pretty good with maintenance but every now and than they miss something pretty simple. It wasn't hard just didn't need to be only accessible from the rear.

 

[Carlostrece]

Yeah, only issue was it was located on the back side of the intake manifold so you physically has to remove it to exam it. It seems tedious for something which was clearly something you to examine to determine if it failed.

Honestly quiet envious of the earlier design, Honda is pretty good with maintenance but every now and than they miss something pretty simple. It wasn't hard just didn't need to be only accessible from the rear.

I wonder if it might be possible for you to make a custom longer breather hose (ideally using rubber fuel line hose) to make a longer, rerouted breather hose that would be easy to access and inspect in future. Though another collapse would be unlikely because a fuel line breather hose will never collapse, IME.

When I was into Jeep Cherokee XJs and Wrangler LJ Rubicion I replaced the breather hoses on differentials and transmission with long hoses made of fuel line. I used longer hose so it could be routed higher to stay dry during water crossings. I used fuel line because it has a lot more structural integrity than ordinary breather hose. Fuel line won't collapse. I put a clear plastic fuel filter in end of each breather hose to keep out dust. I had no worries of the fuel line breather hose collapsing.

That was a basic and common Jeep mod. You could apply the same general concept to make a permanent, reliable solution for your situation.