DIY: Replacing Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve

[whicky1978]

See pics below

1. Remove the plasctic spark plug cover using 10 mm socket. I removed the silver one too, but it's not necessary.
2. I found it helpful to unbolt the wire behind the casing using the same 10 mm socket.
3. The PCV valve is located behind the sparkplug casing near the center of the car.
4. Use a wrench to remove the clamp, and pull back the tubing. You know you have the right tube when you see that it matches the one you bought.
5. I used a 14 mm wrench to remove it. You can use a socket if it's long enough. Since you will be removing it backwards, turn right to remove, left to tighten.
6. Intall the new PCV valve by hand and tighten with a wrench. I had to use a 15 mm wrench to tighten the old one up.

Start your car, that's the real test. If your old PCV valve did not rattle, then it was definately time to replace it. I think AutoZone is over hyping it, but I did find that my new one rattled much better than the old one. The PCV valve send gas fumes to the engine (spark plugs?) so that you have more power/fuel economy. Haynes says replace every 30K, not nearly as often has AutoZone says. The difference in fuel economy may not be noticible, but I will keep you posted. The PCV valve only cost a few dollars.

My size was 1551 for 2001 Elantra.

[ricerrx7]

The PCV valve isn't for power/economy. It's to keep the crank case pressure vented. Since it would be bad for the atmosphere to just vent it into the open, they vent into the engine so the fumes can be burned up and used.

[kylemorg]

^ What he said, and it's partly there to remove oil and other fumes from your crankcase / valve train to help prevent buildup of gunk and any water vapor.

[whicky1978]

So the PCV is overhyped? But it will help my car pass emissions testing. Luckily, we don't have emmissions testing in Clarksville, TN.

[ricerrx7]

If there's something wrong with it that is causing you to fail emissions, then replacing it will help you pass emissions. If it was stuck closed, you could blow out seals/gaskets. If it was stuck open you'd have a rough idle.

[whicky1978]

If there's something wrong with it that is causing you to fail emissions, then replacing it will help you pass emissions. If it was stuck closed, you could blow out seals/gaskets. If it was stuck open you'd have a rough idle.


hmmm, I am having idle issues, I thought it might be the TPS though. Is it hard to replace or just expensive? I think it's sits on top there, close to the PCV, so it looks like it would be easy to replace.

[kylemorg]

The TPS is easy to replace. Two screws and one plug-in connector. A rough idle could be caused by any of several things in addition to a plugged / bad PCV valve.

[darrylpaul]

When you said turning right to remove, you mean because you are facing the car from the front and unscrewing the PCV valve away from your body - not because the valve threads are reverse threaded, correct?

I had a problem removing my old PCV valve today. The PCV valve would not unscrew from the grommet that holds it in the rocker cover and the grommet came out along with the PCV valve. I chewed up the grommet a bit trying to hold it with pliers while unscrewing the PCV valve. I think it's stuck in there for good (or until I have access to a vise). I'll feel like an *** if the PCV valve is reverse threaded and I was going lefty loosey. It should be normally threaded like my replacement PCV valve.

Hopefully the local dealer can hook me up with a new grommet. I just popped the old stuff back in for now, but I'm afraid that the old grommet is not fitting in the rocker cover properly now.

[whicky1978]

Yeah, you turn it to the right to remove it because you are grabbing it from behind. Not because the threads are backwards.

[kwijibo]

Thanks for the DIY whicky1978, will be planning to replace mine soon. Bought the part from Strauss Auto for $3. Purolator PV1022.

FYI, here's the link to the "official text" on the PCV valve removal/inspection for a 2002 Elantra: hyundaitechinfo.com (http://www.hyundaitechinfo.com/viewer/content.asp?vehicletype=Passenger&mfrcode=HY&area=HMA&langcode=ENG&modelid=XD13&modelyr=2002&mmctype=en&mmcid=24&group=SHOP&viewtype=Y&cat1=2002+%3E+G+2%2E0+DOHC&contentssize=655&firstnodedesc=Emissions+Control+System&sitinfolist=13%5E1320%5E13200100%5Enone%5E801%5E1% 5EENG%5EHY%5EXD13%5E2002%5Eall%5E0%5Enone%5Enone%5 E59209%5Eshop%5E%24).

[farouk]

whicky1978, thanks for the write up. I tired doing that today but couldn't get the hose off the valve (sits on tight as an a$$hole). hmaservice.com says to remove the tubing first but it's so damn tight and there's little work-space, so... did u remove the hose before screwing off the valve or did u take off the valve and everything with it and then separated the hose? and if following the hmaservice.com procedures, what are the tips/tricks for taking that hose off? (very n00b question - i know - but i'm learning:))

[whicky1978]

I removed the tubing first with a wrench.

[Keyan]

to prevent the thread coming out with the pcv, tighten the pcv a bit first to break it loose of the lock-tite, THEN loosen it.

[h8isgr8]

I tried to remove mine and the brass insert with PCV valve still screwed in came right out of the valve cover. It didn't even take much force; I thought it was the PCV valve unscrewing at first. :mad:

I tried everything I could think of to separate the two pieces but they wouldn't budge. I even tried using a small propane torch to heat it up. I ended up just soaking the PCV valve in carb cleaner and jamming the whole thing back in the valve cover.

I don't even want to think of what the dealer will charge to fix it. Pretty stupid design.

http://i37.tinypic.com/2a4s22u.jpg

[jalmir]

this happens a lot when they are not changed on a regular basis.

time for a new valve cover! lol

[h8isgr8]

The thing is I bought the car with 57k on it and the dealer did the complete 60k service before I got the car. They must not have even checked to see if it needed replaced. I didn't see it on the list of services performed so I figured I would do it myself.

FAIL. :hand:

Screw the cover and the PCV valve, it can stay that way for all I care. I'm not going to pay out my *** to fix something so stupid. This GLS is going to my fiance once I pick up my 03' GT Sunday anyway.

[jalmir]

lolll it's often left out "just in case" something like that happens!

[Keyan]

if you read my post above the pic you can see if you tighten before you loosen, it wont ALL come out...and you dont need a new valve cover...if you remove the valve cover you can hammer that fitting back into place.

[h8isgr8]

if you read my post above the pic you can see if you tighten before you loosen, it wont ALL come out...and you dont need a new valve cover...if you remove the valve cover you can hammer that fitting back into place.

Too little, too late. I've changed dozens of PCV valves (worked for a lube shop), and never came across this problem. A PCV valve change is one of the easiest things to do on a car, it never crossed my mind that this could even happen.

I just twisted it in with a lot of force, kind of like screwing it, and it went back in.

I wonder if the brass insert is something the dealer will sell separate. Probably not, but if they do I could just JB weld it in place (I love that stuff).