Essential Info On PCV System

Wondering about what a PCV system is? Well, Parts Avatar has mentioned all that you need to about the PCV systems. Internal combustion engines are equipped with crankcase ventilation system (CVS), that is a one way, pressure-sensitive passage. This enables the natural buildup of gases to pass through the crankcase directly. The term ‘Blow-by’ is termed as a result of the combustion material that is there in the combustion chamber and blows past the piston rings and into the rotating assembly's housing. On the other hand, turbocharged engines are complicated by exhaust leakages from the turbocharger shaft and, in a number of cases, the valve stem seals.

The gases released during the ‘blow-by’, if not oxygenated, condense and combine with the oil vapor that is present in the crankcase. This further leads to the formation of sludge or leads to the oil becoming diluted with unburnt fuel. There are fair chances of engine oil leaks past the crankshaft seals and other engine seals and gaskets due to excessive crankcase pressure. So, it is essential for the crankcase ventilation system to be used as this allows the blow-by gases to be vented through a PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve out of the crankcase.

The process of ventilation mostly leads to the intake manifold enabling the gases to be recirculated before leaving through the tailpipe. This mechanism completely reduces emissions and is also referred to as a closed-loop CVS, while an open-loop CVS emits directly to the atmosphere through a filter.

Generally, the location of the PCV depends on the type of engine present in the car. If the car has an older engine without turbo, you can locate the PCV valve on the top or at the side of the valve cover. The valve is mounted directly on the valve cover on these cars.

So, basically, the PCV valve is mounted somewhere between the intake and the valve cover, so if in case, you face any difficulty finding it out on the valve cover then we advise you to check any hoses that are connected from the valve cover to the intake. It is somewhere between these hoses, that you will find the PCV valve.

A number of times, in latest turbo cars, the PCV valve is situated inside the hose. For example, in Audi/Volkswagen/Skoda/Seat 1.8t, it might be located under the intake inside the hose.

Some of the important features of the PCV system are:

• It helps in getting rid of crankcase emissions
• Due to constant air circulation, it keeps the system free of moisture
• The systems aids greatly in keeping the engine-damaging sludge to a minimum extend
• The PCV valve also protects the engine greatly during backfires. Well, a backfire, can lead to sudden high-pressure pulses in the intake manifold. The PCV valves close immediately so that the backfire flame doesn’t reach the crankcase.

Make sure that the PCV system is cleaned otherwise it might lead to deficient airflow. Also, a failed PCV system can damage the engine as the accumulated pollutants in the engine oil and unrelieved crankcase pressure can damage the gaskets and seals leading to oil leakages. Even if you don’t maintain your engine, it might damage the PCV system due to polluted oil sludge.

Do know how the PCV system functions? Well, the primary part in the PCV system is the PCV valve, that is a basic spring-loaded valve with a sliding pintle inside. Inside the valve housing, the pintle is tapered like a bullet that will help in increasing and decreasing the airflow depending on its position. The up and down movements of the pintle up change the orifice opening in order to control the volume of the air passing through the PCV valve. Typically, the PCV valve is situated a valve cover or the intake valley and fits into a rubber grommet. This location of the PCV valve enables it to pull vapors from inside the engine without sucking oil from the crankcase. The top of the PCV valve is connected to a vacuum port on the throttle body through the hose. This aids the vapors to be drained directly into the engine without gumming up the throttle body or carburetor. When the PCV system pulls air and blowby gases into the intake manifold, it has a similar effect on the air/fuel mixture as that of a vacuum leak. This is completely made up for by the calibration of the carburetor or fuel injection system. So, it can be said that the PCV system has no net effect on the fuel economy, emissions or engine performance.

IMPORTANT: It will be useless to remove the PCV system for enhancing the engine performance. According to the EPA rules, tampering is banned without any emission control device. Disconnecting PCV system can further lead to moisture accumulation in the crankcase, thereby resulting into formation of engine-damaging sludge.

It can be rightly said that the well-being of the engine partly depends on the condition of the PCV valve. Here we have listed a few frequent problems that you might encounter after your PCV system fails:

• Increased internal engine pressure
• Damaged oil seals or gaskets
• Engine oil leakages
• There are high chances of moisture and sludge build ups inside the engine
• Engine surging
• Black smoke emissions

The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve plays the role of evacuating gas from the crankcase of the engine. A failed PCV valve can adversely affect the performance of the vehicle, so you got to watch out for these symptoms carefully:

1. Extra Oil Consumption And Leakage - A failure in the PCV valve may lead to leakages causing excessive oil consumption. Also, you are likely to notice oil leaking through the seals and dripping onto the floor. As the pressure in the crankcase increases, the PCV valve fails, so the oil is released out through the seals and gaskets.
2. Dirty filter - Hydrocarbons and oil can contaminate the filter, once the PCV valve gets damaged. This happens because of an increase in pressure building up in the crankcase that pushes water vapor through the breather element (filter). This can lead to increased fuel consumption. You can check this part by inspecting the filter for deposits. Another way is to measure the gas mileage as low mileage is also an indicator of a failure in the PCV valve.
3. Deteriorating performance - You might notice that the performance of your vehicle might deteriorate day by day. A buildup of pressure in the exhaust not only leads to this but also engine stalling. Extra oxygen getting into the combustion chamber can lead to the dilution of the air and fuel mixture further causing the vehicle to run poorly.

There are a number of skilled auto mechanics who have a goal of opening their own car repair shop at some point in their career. But let’s face it; if you want to put up an efficient as well as profit making shop, then you might need much more than mechanical skills. There are a number of tools which you might need to perform the car repairs quickly as well as reliably. Auto repair equipment that you will need to repair your PCV system may include:

• Some needle nose pliers
• Some pliers
• Replacement of the PCV valve
• A screwdriver set
• A wrench set

When it comes to vehicle owner’s choice, the brands really matter a lot. You might pay a premium for a specific car part brand, over time, as it has created a perception of quality, stability as well as trust. There are some leading car parts brands which are more than just products or services as they give rise to memories and emotions related with the quality. So, have a look at some of the top brands for PCV system:

If you are like most of us, then you won’t know much about the related components of car PCV system fear not! Here is a quick and easy guide to explain the related parts of the PCV system:

• PCV valve
• PCV valve grommet
• PCV valve screen
• PCV valve hose
• PCV elbow

Failure in the PCV System comes in a lot of forms. But take note that it is not an inexpensive repair. Sometimes in the end you might find out that there is a need of complete PCV System replacement. There is no fast and hard number as to how much would a PCV System replacement would cost as it depends upon a lot of factors like the brand, make, model as well as the mechanic who is going to repair/replace it. The cost of replacing a PCV valve varies a lot depending on the engine and. However, the price of the PCV valve itself is quite cheap, so the prices can be expected to be around 10-100$ for a new valve.

If your PCV valve is jammed with sludge from the pollutants in the exhaust fumes or stuck in the wide-open position, we recommend that you change it immediately as the PCV valve is an imperative part. The PCV valve is plugged into a rubber grommet in the valve cover. Locate it on or near the intake manifold. Then you may find a hose connected to the PCV valve, often kept in place by the clamp. You may also at times find an L-shaped housing on the end of the hose that covers the end of the valve. Here are the steps you need to follow to remove the vehicle’ PCV valve:

• Firstly, remove the valve.
• The ones held with a rubber grommet and can just be pulled out while a number of them are threaded into place. Try grasping the base of the valve, if you are unscrewing it with your hands. Use the open ends of a combination wrench or a small crescent wrench, if you don’t use your hands.
• Then check the hose and the hose clamps or grommet by removing the hose and blowing through it. If you find the hose to be dry, delicate, soft, spongy, full of sludge or hard accumulation, you should change it. When if the clamps are rusty or the grommet looks damaged, change them.
• Then screw in the new valve using hands to avoid stripping the threads in the valve cover. Ensure that the valve has been fitted well (note that it should stick only a little when you try to unscrew it). Make sure that you don’t over tighten these.
• Connect the hose to the PCV valve again and start the engine. Check around the PCV valve for any leakages.