PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve

The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve is a controlled device which sends partially burned
gases that come from the engines crankcase back to the combustion chamber to burn for a second
time.

Its name, PCV means (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) and is one of the oldest and most used
emission control devices. Although its name might sound very complicated, it is a very simple device
and its function can be easily understood. Because the PCV system is relatively simple and requires
minimal maintenance, it is often overlooked.

PCV Valve

The PCV valve is not only very useful but also has important benefits:

Eliminates crankcase emissions.

Keeps the system free of moisture due to the constant air circulation that it implies.
Helps keep engine-damaging sludge to a minimum extending the life of your oil.
The PCV valve will also protect the engine in case of a backfire, which causes a sudden highpressure pulse in the intake manifold. This forces the PCV valve closed so that the backfire
flame cant reach the crankcase, where it could ignite flammable fumes and cause damage.

It is critical that the parts of the PCV system be kept clean and open, otherwise air flow will be
insufficient. A plugged or malfunctioning PCV system will eventually damage an engine, contaminants
accumulate in the engine oil, and unrelieved crankcase pressure can blow out gaskets and seals,
creating oil leaks. A poorly maintained engines PCV system will eventually become contaminated
with oil sludge.

HOW DOES A PCV SYSTEM WORK

PCV Valve Operation

The major component in the PCV system is the PCV valve, a simple spring-loaded valve with a sliding
pintle inside. The pintle is tapered like a bullet so it will increase or decrease airflow depending on its
position inside the valve housing. The movement of the pintle up and down changes the orifice
opening to regulate the volume of air passing through the PCV valve.
The PCV valve is typically located in a valve cover or the intake valley, and usually fits into a rubber
grommet. The location of the valve allows it to pull vapors from inside the engine without sucking oil
from the crankcase (baffles inside the valve cover or valley cover deflect and help separate droplets
of oil from the blowby vapors).
A hose connects the top of the PCV valve to a vacuum port on the throttle body, carburetor or intake
manifold. This allows the vapors to be siphoned directly into the engine without gumming up the
throttle body or carburetor.
Because the PCV system pulls air and blowby gases into the intake manifold, it has the same effect
on the air/fuel mixture as a vacuum leak. This is compensated for by the calibration of the carburetor
or fuel injection system. Consequently, the PCV system has no net effect on fuel economy, emissions
or engine performance provided everything is working correctly.
HOW DOES PCV FLOW CHANGE WITH ENGINE SPEED & LOAD
The flow rate of a PCV valve is calibrated for a specific engine application. For the system to function
normally, therefore, the PCV valve must adjust the flow rate as operating conditions change. When
the engine is off, the spring inside the valve pushes the pintle shut to seal the crankcase and prevent
the escape of any residual vapors into the atmosphere. When the engine starts, vacuum in the intake
manifold pulls on the pintle and sucks the PCV valve open. The pintle is pulled up against the spring
and moves to its highest position. But the tapered shape of the pintle does not allow maximum flow in
this position. Instead, it restricts flow so the engine will idle smoothly.
The same thing happens during deceleration when intake vacuum is high. The pintle is pulled all the
way up to reduce flow and minimize the effect of blowby. When the engine is cruising under light load
and at part throttle, there is less intake vacuum and less pull on the pintle. This allows the pintle to
slide down to a mid-range position and allow more airflow. Under high load or hard acceleration
conditions, intake vacuum drops even more, allowing the spring inside the PCV valve to push the
pintle valve even lower to its maximum flow position. If blowby pressure builds up faster than the PCV
system can handle it, the excess pressure flows back through the breather hose to the air cleaner and
is sucked back into the engine and burned.
PCV ISSUES

PCV-valve
If the pintle inside the PCV valve sticks open, or the spring breaks, the PCV valve may flow too much
air and lean out the idle mixture. This may cause a rough idle, hard starting and/or lean misfire (which
increases emissions and wastes fuel). The same thing can happen if the hose that connects the valve
to the throttle body, carburetor or intake manifold pulls loose, cracks, or leaks. A loose or leaky hose
allows un-metered air to enter the engine and upset the fuel mixture, especially at idle where the idle
mixture is most sensitive to vacuum leaks.The most common problem that afflicts PCV systems is a
plugged up PCV valve. An accumulation of fuel and oil varnish deposits and/or sludge inside the valve
can restrict or even block the flow of vapors through the valve. A restricted or plugged PCV valve
cannot pull moisture and blowby vapors out of the crankcase. This can cause engine-damaging
sludge to form, and a backup of pressure that may force oil to leak past gaskets and seals. The loss
of airflow through the valve can also cause the air/fuel mixture to run richer than normal, increasing
fuel consumption and emissions. The same thing can happen if the pintle inside the PCV valve sticks
shut.
On late model vehicles with computer engine controls, the engine management system will detect any
changes in the air/fuel mixture and compensate by increasing or decreasing short term and long term
fuel trim (STFT and LTFT). Small corrections cause no problems, but large corrections (more than 10
to 15 points negative or positive) will typically set a lean or rich DTC and turn on the MIL.
Problems can also occur if someone installs the wrong PCV valve for the application. As we said
earlier, the flow rate of the PCV valve is calibrated for a specific engine application. Two valves that
appear to be identical on the outside (same diameter and hose fittings) may have different pintle
valves and springs inside, giving them very different flow rates. A PCV valve that flows too much air
will lean the air/fuel mixture, while one that flows too little will richen the mixture and increase the risk
of sludge buildup in the crankcase.
Watch out for cheap replacement PCV valves. They may not flow the same as the OEM PCV valve.
Quality brand name replacement PCV valves are calibrated exactly the same as the original valves,
and are designed to provide long-lasting, trouble-free performance.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR PCV VALVE
1. Remove the valve and shake it. If it rattles, it means the pintle inside is not stuck and the valve
should flow air. But theres no way to know if the spring is weak or broken, or if a buildup of varnish
and deposits inside the valve is restricting flow.

Testing PCV Valve

2. Check for vacuum by holding your finger over the end of the valve while the engine is idling. This
test tells you if vacuum is reaching the valve, but not if the valve is flowing properly. If you dont feel
vacuum, it means the valve or hose is plugged and needs to be replaced.
3. Use a flow tester to check the performance of the valve. This method is the best because it tests
both vacuum and air flow.

SIGNS YOUR PCV VALVE MAY BE FAILING

Check engine
We see varied symptoms from a bad PCV valve, depending on the way it fails. For instance, a PCV
valve that sticks open may cause a check engine light. The diagnostic trouble codes or DTC will
normally not mention the PCV valve. Instead, the diagnostic trouble code are common. These codes
suggest a lean-condition in the engine. Other engines could set a mass-air-flow meter code or even
an oxygen sensor code.
A failed PCV valve may also cause noise. Some will produce a whistle or whine and others can
produce a low moaning noise. The easiest way to verify the problem is to temporarily block the
vacuum source to the PCV valve and see if the noise changes or goes away. On some vehicles, a
bad PCV valve can cause oil to blow onto the air filter element. An oily or dirty spot, near the PCV
inlet hose is a symptom