What are the signs that I need to replace my PCV valve?

My car is running fine, but I have noticed that my engine oil seems a little dirtier than usual, given the miles since my last oil change.

I have never replaced a PCV valve before.

Thanks.

 

Here ya go.

 

My engine started chirping like a bird a few months back letting me know I needed to address the PCV valve.
If you're unsure of its functionality, take it off and spray brake-clean through it. It's all metal so far as I can tell, so it can handle the abrasive cleaner.

I would advise purchasing several crush washers in advance. I believe they are the same diameter as the oil drain plug, as well as the transmission drain plug.*
so if you have spares of those, you're set! If not consider purchasing one/several ahead of time. If you drop said washer, which is easy to do, there's a good chance you'll never see it again.

Will also add that I do not recommend aftermarket PCV valves. Purchased one from rockauto, some generic sounding brand. The valve body sheared off of the threaded shaft right around 10 ftlbs. torque, and the spec for the PCV is surprisingly high. I think it was low 30s. I wound up reinstalling the OEM one until I could run to the dealership for a replacement. The OE replacement handled the some 32ft.lbs torque just fine despite my nervous manner in providing it.

* I've been drinking, so torque values may vary, but that aftermarket valve was a POS
Edit: If your engine is presenting symptoms relieved by pcv replacement keep an eye out for their coming back. If it happens in short order that would be indicative of some other fault. Also, my post was made without watching the above vid so please don't take it as supplemental for said post

 

@julianachos @Pyts Thanks, guys.


When I looked under the hood the other day, I couldn't even see the PVC valve. I guess I'm going to have to buy a new flashlight.


I guess if the job of the PVC valve is to direct vapors from the crankcase into the combustion chamber, then a bad PVC valve would not be the cause of dirty oil. Or would it? I haven't started drinking yet, so I might not be too clear.

 

@julianachos Checked it, awesome video.




Unbolt and slide to *your* right to unhook. Will have to hold this plastic wire routing bracket out of the way for access/visibility

It's a tight squeeze!

Speculation: Dirty oil comes with age, both of engine and of oil. Heat (overheating or general higher operating temps, long idling with a/c on) and air/fuel mixture are also important factors.

 

There are many factors on how oil gets dirty when it does, but the only way to get a true answer is sending a sample to Blackstone for an oil analysis.

How long ago (in miles) did you change your oil and noticed it's dirty?

 

@Pyts Excellent post, my friend. You are very kind to take those pictures for me. And it does, indeed, look like a tight squeeze.


@julianachos My suspicion about the oil looking dirty is pretty subjective. I may be anxious about nothing. But it's been 1440 mi. since my last oil change, and it seems a little dirtier than I expected. You know, Julian, I like my oil to look pretty and fresh.

 

Best friends forever!

Blackstone could def tell you what's going on with your car better than I could.
I was hoping to be comforting here, but am too superstitious 😂
I will say that my air cooled motorcycle turns oil dark in 300 miles. I have it running much too rich at my most used throttle positions (identified through use of an innovative motorsports AFR/Lambda gauge and broadband o2 sensor).
You could also get some ideas from data logging via the torque app (if thats not outdated, I still havent tried it). But could the PCV be a factor? Totally.
Here's an article

 

I ordered a couple of Blackstone test kits. Haven't done one in a while, and I have never done one of this Fit. Should be in'eresting.

@Pyts Air-cooled motorcycle? Did you take a wrong turn and wind up in the 20th Century?

 

General consensus is that: 1) a bad one is linked to your oil consumption increasing and 2) anything but an OEM replacement is asking for trouble. I pulled mine off at about 80,000 and it still rattled. It's in a difficult location on the Fit, but it's possible to get to without removing major components. The washer stuck to the block on mine, so I reused it. The hose going to it was also replaced, but there was nothing inside and it didn't need to be done.

 

@nightHolds Good info, night. Thanks.

Seems like the location will make it difficult to get a socket on the PCV valve . . . .

In Julian's video, the guy used plumber's tape on the threads. Anybody else doing that?

 

The hard part is.. the annoying hose clamp and how "toight" the valve will be. It would be a disservice to simply call it tight. Consider hitting it with penetrating fluid or wd40 ahead of time, treating it like an exhaust stud.
😂 my crush washer had to be pried/tapped off of the engine. I was real mad to find yet another simple thing that became tricky in execution.

No teflon tape necessary as it has a crush washer. You wouldnt want to pick teflon tape outta the hole anyways. The thing is accessible just fine without taking any components off, just not a ton of room. A proper length extension paired with a deep well socket will get 'er. Better yet if you can afford those fancy extensions at home depot or lowes that have a tapered shank at the end. Something like this.
They function as wobbles if you dont push the socket all the way on.

 

Just got the new blackstone labs newsletter. They said they darkened fresh oil within 5 minutes of idling. so.. i guess oil color is something i can stop thinking about.
transmissions don't see the same discoloration, so it's got to be associated with either temperature, oil vs trans fluid, or combustion.

I'll attach the thingie.

also, here's a baby toad my friend caught on our back patio. Life's kinda suckin' right now, but this makes up for a lot. We let it go in the garden.

 

It's kind of weird that on my 05 V6 Accord coupe, the oil gets very dark with around 500 km of driving.

On my 04 S2000, I can drive 5000 km and the oil is still golden yellow.

The Fit is in between.

Back a few years when I didn't do all my oil changes myself, my mechanic once told me that he decided to change the oil of my Accord because it was so dirty...but the fact is that I changed it like 1000 km ago myself. Told him to never do this again!

Oh, and never replaced a PCV valve in my life and I usually keep my cars for 15-20 years and around 250k km.

 

@Pyts @Frenzal Good feedback, gents. Thank you.

 

Went to look at my PVC valve today to see if it needed to be cleaned or replaced. Realized I did not have a socket extension that would fit over it. What size extension are you using to remove it?

 

Note, I bought a deep socket set. The PCV valve takes a 17mm deep socket.

 

What brand and where did you buy it?

 

I bought a Pittsburgh Pro 1/2" metric deep socket set at Harbor Freight. My "full" socket set only went up to 15mm in deep sockets. The new set has 10 sockets from 10mm to 19mm, so I pick up 16, 17, 18, & 19mm to my collection. They didn't sell the 17 mm socket separately. But the set wasn't that expensive ($18 I think) and there was a 30% off coupon which brought it down to around $12 before tax.