Good cleaner for PCV valve
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Assuming that you remove it to clean it I use either throttle body cleaner or carb cleaner.
Just buy a new one; they cost a buck and a half!
Ditto
depends on the kind of car you have. my honda costs 25 bucks. outch. but it was broken so i bought it any ways. my other car is medal so i cleaned it with brake cleaner =).
i just make sure that i spray some in there and shake shake shake
Berkibile (not sure how it's spelled) use to make a carb cleaner with some mighty powerful solvents in it, it comes in a spray can. If their formula hasn't changed, this stuff is good at disolving and cleaning the junk out of a PCV valve.
[ May 14, 2003, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: Rick in PA ]
[ May 14, 2003, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: Rick in PA ]
Have you checked a place like AutZone for the valve? I went to get one at AutoZone and it was like $2 there, vs. $15 at the Honda dealer.
Of course, the one from AutoZone, although their computer said it was right, it didn't have an elbow in it, so it didn't fit, and I had to return it, only to go to the dealer, and have them give me the same one, and I had to tell him that it wouldn't work, and he called another dealer who told him which part to use. *sigh*
Ah, sounds like one of my oil changes. I let it drain all night, much clearer head that way to finish the job.
yea i went there and kregan too. the valve is HUGE. it seems as though it is 3 times bigger than OEM. maybe there is a reason to this, but mine lasted past 10 years oem so i went for an oem one again for all time sake.
i just believe that valve was the wrong size.
When I change my oil, I pour a little gasoline in an old coffee can to soak the oil filler cap, the drain plug, and the PCV valve. While the last bottle of oil is draining into the engine, I shake the immersed PCV valve back and forth a few seconds, remove it and replace it on the valve cover. I've never had any trouble with any car I've done that on, and never had to replace the OEM valve. The gas? I fashion a crude filter out of a paper towel folded twice with one side opened forming a closed corner and placed it in a funnel. (a little trick I learned in high school chemistry lab) I just pour the gas back into the lawnmower gas can through the funnel with its makeshift filter. What little dirt goes into the lawnmower gas tank, eventually gets filtered by the lawnmower's inline filter and what little oil goes into the mower engine I figure works as an upper cylinder lubricant. No extra expenses on commercial cleaners and nothing gets wasted except me after I finish and pop a brewski or two.
I've seen Fram valves which you can blow through both ways; caveat emptor! It was made bearable by the AutoDrones trying to explain to me that 'they were supposed to be like that'. Oh, ok
Robert
I have a Saturn and I buy the Saturn PCV from the dealership. It is not too expensive-about 5 or 6 bucks. But expensive enough so that you want to clean it and make it last at least a year. I like to replace it at about a year, but clean at every oil change.
Woman in service department told me at one Saturn dealership that the PCV does not need to be replaced (until 50,000 miles, I guess). My point of view is that a new one at 6 bucks once a year is worth it.
I like to use OEM as much as possible (except oil filters and air filters for the Saturn-they are made by FRAM). I never tried a FRAM PCV but if they are as low in quality as a couple of people here say, than FRAM must really be finished as far as quality is concerned. Can they make anything?
Woman in service department told me at one Saturn dealership that the PCV does not need to be replaced (until 50,000 miles, I guess). My point of view is that a new one at 6 bucks once a year is worth it.
I like to use OEM as much as possible (except oil filters and air filters for the Saturn-they are made by FRAM). I never tried a FRAM PCV but if they are as low in quality as a couple of people here say, than FRAM must really be finished as far as quality is concerned. Can they make anything?
ya, the saturn PVC is about 2x the cost of the fram. but you save it in oil within 2 OCI's(at least at my consumption level). The fram pcv is like a little metal disc with the spring pushing it against the opening. The Saturn unit has a lead slug pushed down by the spring(also note the saturn valve has less tention on the spring). I've also noticed the dealership does not always have fram filters. They say right on the package who makes them. I think champ labs was the maker of the last one I got from the dealership. But I ended up getting a bunch of Bosch filters at autozone on sale a while ago so I don't go there for that kind of thing.
--Matt
--Matt
One of the best cleaners for PVC valves and TBI I have found is the Amsoil Power Foam. With the engine hot, I remove the PCV from the valve cover and with the engine running I shoot some through the valve. Shut the engine off and then spray again. Then after the oil change I sprayed more and then just put it back. I never bought a new PCV on 3 GM trucks.
mkosem, it has been a while since I went to the Saturn dealerships. But if some of the Saturn oil filters are now made by somebody other than FRAM, then that is an improvement. All of the filters I used to buy that were Saturn oil filters were marked as being made by Allied Signal.
I think that I am pretty happy with the K&N, but maybe I will take a look at the oil filters available at the Saturn dealership if they are now made by somebody other than FRAM. The nice thing about an OEM oil filter is that the oil filter should be designed for the vehicle, with the proper adbv pressure, etc.
I think that I am pretty happy with the K&N, but maybe I will take a look at the oil filters available at the Saturn dealership if they are now made by somebody other than FRAM. The nice thing about an OEM oil filter is that the oil filter should be designed for the vehicle, with the proper adbv pressure, etc.
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