2.4L GM Ecotec: Possible to change/clean PCV valve?

[Benzadmiral]

My 2011 Regal with the 2.4L Ecotec engine has been burning oil for a while. NOt much, and very little at teh start of an OCI. My first thought was to change the PCV -- I usually do that anyway at the start of my tenure with a new vehicle. But the advice I had at the time was that the PCV valve was internal to the engine and was not something the consumer could change easily.

Recently, though, I've spotted some videos on Youtube for this engine which suggest that the PCV can be cleaned, or can be changed, albeit with some effort. Has anybody done this? Can the valve at least be cleaned with some B-12 Chemtool, or Seafoam -- or can it be changed?

 

[WobblyElvis]

There is no PCV valve. There is a small hole in the intake manifold where it bolts to the head. This allows a small amount of the gases within the engine to be drawn into the intake manifold. A simple test to see if the small orifice at the intake manifold is blocked is to remove the vent hose from the valve cover and hold your thumb over the valve cover end. You should feel a vacuum at idle. Holding back this vacuum for more than a few seconds is not good to do. I may damage the engine seals.

Excessive blow by is vented into the intake plenum between the air filter and the throttle body. A hose runs from the valve cover to the intake plenum[mentioned above]. A very dirty air filter will apply vacuum to the vent hose from plenum to valve cover. This could increase oil consumption but the filter would have to be very very dirty and the throttle body would get covered in oil. You might want to look at the throttle body.

Some of these engines just burn oil.

at the 1:00 mark of this video, you can see the orifice in the intake manifold where it meets the head.

video here...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blC1uygWOQ4

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by WobblyElvis
There is no PCV valve. There is a small hole in the intake manifold where it bolts to the head. This allows a small amount of the gases within the engine to be drawn into the intake manifold. A simple test to see if the small orifice at the intake manifold is blocked is to remove the vent hose from the valve cover and hold your thumb over the valve cover end. You should feel a vacuum at idle. Holding back this vacuum for more than a few seconds is not good to do. I may damage the engine seals.

Excessive blow by is vented into the intake plenum between the air filter and the throttle body. A hose runs from the valve cover to the intake plenum[mentioned above]. A very dirty air filter will apply vacuum to the vent hose from plenum to valve cover. This could increase oil consumption but the filter would have to be very very dirty and the throttle body would get covered in oil. You might want to look at the throttle body.

Some of these engines just burn oil.

at the 1:00 mark of this video, you can see the orifice in the intake manifold where it meets the head.


That's what I understood. But the car did not burn oil for the first 2 years I drove it. Plus I've changed the air filter and had the throttle body cleaned in the last year.

On the Buickforums site, someone posted this link to a "Special Coverage Adjustment": https://gm.oemdtc.com/1899/14882-sp...e-manifold-2010-2014-buick-chevrolet-gmc It sounds like GM is aware of a problem with that ventilation line clogging up. I've written both to Buick.com and to the local dealer who has done the majority of my oil changes on this car. My 2011 is certainly young enough to qualify and is under the 120K mile limit.

 

[Rolla07]

Friend of mine has the exact car and engine combo. Engine required a full rebuild. Less than a year later his trans went. Too bad, because they ride nice and are comfortable. It seems you have been lucky so far.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Buick's reply is that, based on my VIN, my car is not covered by the recall. How can they determine that without, you know, actually looking at the car?

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by Rolla07
Friend of mine has the exact car and engine combo. Engine required a full rebuild. Less than a year later his trans went. Too bad, because they ride nice and are comfortable. It seems you have been lucky so far.

At what mileages did these things occur?