2013 Equinox 2.4 PCV Frozen

[LeakySeals]

Today I found what other equinox and terrain owners warn about. A PCV hose frozen with moisture. Supposedly when this hose freezes it can blow out the rear main seal, cause oil consumption, etc. The fix for many is an oil catch can. But wait, this isn’t oil blow by this is water and condensation. Can somebody explain to me what the frozen hose is and what the hose marked in red going into the intake and the sensor next to it in blue does/is. I need some clarity on what is the clean air intake and where the PCV valve and exit of blowby gasses.

The hose that was frozen with condensation

 

[FowVay]

I'd say your blue item is the MAP sensor and the red tube is the evap canister purge tube. You have the PCV tube with oily ends in the picture with the seafoam.

 

[twX]

I'm guessing that ice builds up in the PCV hose over time after a lot of consecutive short trips in cold weather that don't allow the PCV line to get up to temperature. Moisture will build up in the crankcase with this type of driving as well.

I'd hesitate to install a catch can, since catch cans themselves often cause freezing issues.

For a permanent fix, I might try something to help warm the PCV line faster. Routing it along the block, head, or a coolant line, and putting some insulation over it would probably help. Using a block heater when short-tripping in cold weather will help reduce moisture in the crankcase, and probably help the PCV line warm up faster as well.

Another option would be to install some 12 volt heat trace tape around the line, and wire it into the circuit for your heated seats or rear defrost or something.

 

[wtd]

This happened to a friend's 2013 Equinox and she had it fixed. It happened again a couple of years later and damaged the engine and she traded it off for a new Toyota Rav4.

 

[Junk]

The tube that goes into the valve cover is the fresh air supply to the crankcase for the PCV system. The vacuum source for PCV is an orifice built into the intake manifold between cylinders 2 and 3. The reason they collect water and freeze in the wintertime is because the vacuum orifice in the intake manifold is plugged with carbon. Intake R&R is required to address; you may be able to clean the orifice with a pick, carb cleaner, and compressed air, however if you can't get flow into all 4 intake ports when blowing cleaner into the intake it will have to be replaced. Also, book procedure is to pull the a/c down as well, as there's a line to the compressor that has to be removed to pull the intake, and you'll need new HP fuel pump seals and a high pressure line as well.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

The tube that goes into the valve cover is the fresh air supply to the crankcase for the PCV system. The vacuum source for PCV is an orifice built into the intake manifold between cylinders 2 and 3. The reason they collect water and freeze in the wintertime is because the vacuum orifice in the intake manifold is plugged with carbon. Intake R&R is required to address; you may be able to clean the orifice with a pick, carb cleaner, and compressed air, however if you can't get flow into all 4 intake ports when blowing cleaner into the intake it will have to be replaced. Also, book procedure is to pull the a/c down as well, as there's a line to the compressor that has to be removed to pull the intake, and you'll need new HP fuel pump seals and a high pressure line as well.

There’s a YouTube of a guy with a 2.4 with a plugged orifice that drills through the intake with a greased drill bit, rods out the orifice, and plugs the hole with a bolt.

 

[repairman54]

FC219 oil cap has a pressure relief valve in it to help prevent rear seal blowout when PCV system freezes in real cold conditions.

 

[LeakySeals]

There’s a YouTube of a guy with a 2.4 with a plugged orifice that drills through the intake with a greased drill bit, rods out the orifice, and plugs the hole with a bolt.

I’m going to try that, will save a ton of work. Now, if I could figure out where all the water is coming from on the clean air intake side, that would really help. I’ve never seen anything like it. I took off that section of the intake tube today and water literally poured out of it. Maybe there was a better position for the clean air intake. Like over by the filter box?

 

[Gus_Mahn]

 

[LeakySeals]

Thanks. I’m going to drill and instead of JB weld and a nut I’m going to try a small screw directly into the hole..or.. trying not to laugh.. it’s a really small hole so I’m thinking I can use the sticky flex tape I have that hasn’t served any purpose.

 

[eljefino]

I wonder if having the factory engine cover might help keep the PCV marginally warmer.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

FC219 oil cap has a pressure relief valve in it to help prevent rear seal blowout when PCV system freezes in real cold conditions.

ls this cap a good ldea to put on any car that it's a good number for?

 

[LeakySeals]

After thinking about it, I’m going to leave the internal PCV orifice plugged and try an alternate PCV valve mod via the oil filler cap. See how that works. If it doesn’t, just put the fc219 cap back on and maintain the manifold orifice.

Do PCV valves have the same pressure rating? Are there different pressure ratings for direct injection or turbo? I have a PCV valve/grommet kit picked out but I can’t find any information about PSI or some type of rating. Is there a PCV valve pressure rating chart somewhere?

 

[Tower of Power]

We have more info on PCV valve options on the following FB forum.

 

[ragtoplvr]

Burning a gallon of gas produces about a gallon of water. Some of this is in blowby, so there is never a shortage of water vapor to freeze.

 

[LeakySeals]

Unknown to me, my 2006 Escalade also uses fixed orifice for PCV and it’s crammed into the valve cover somehow. I’m going to create an external orifice mod using one of the part numbers that claim it is or was a replaceable part. Figured I would try that first before a conventional PCV valve. Maybe this will solve oil consumption and moisture issues at the same time. Or maybe not there’s only one way to find out.

 

[LeakySeals]

Can someone with knowledge tell me what could happen if I change the diameter of the PCV orifice or if I switch from orifice to a PCV valve? What does it or could it do to fuel trim?

 

[LeakySeals]

I modded a conventional PCV valve and the moisture problems at the clean air side went away. Next is a catch can to see what is getting sucked into the manifold.