Finally....success!
Bumpity, bump for successfully figuring this dang PCV mystery out, after 2+ years.
All I am going to add is that this thread is a GREAT resource. Worth reading from end to end. I went at the rear hose from the driver's side, hand reaching in from close to the brake booster thingy on the firewall. I reached down towards the middle of the upper intake until I felt a hose. GENTLY pulling the hose up reveals the PCV. It takes zero effort to remove the PCV valve from the grommet.
At first I wasn't sure what I was looking at because of that foam protector on the hose (as per the "new vs old" PCV hose assembly photo in this thread, I've got the "new" version). Once I moved the foam piece aside, I pulled the PCV valve out. Mine looked brand new and the "shake" test" revealed it should be fine. I wiped it down and set it aside.
I then positioned the hose where the valve was removed to rest near the top of the intake. I then rigged up a small length of plastic hose, with a nipple on one end going into the PCV hose, and used a small funnel on the other end (the red ones made by Coleman you use to fill camp stoves, it's go a filter on one end which can't hurt, right?).
I started the engine to see if there was any suction and was ready to go. Any time I've done a Seafoam treatment on either the Eddie or my old SOHC Sport, I always use a full can. Never had any problems doing so and didn't this time either. I poured the Seafoam into the funnel faster than I used to when I did the brake booster method on the 5.0 (or IAC method on the SOHC). No sign of stalling...just the occasional chugging. The smoke started to build so I turned off the engine as soon as the can was empty. I then put the valve back in the hose and re-inserted it into the grommet on the engine. It really doesn't take much effort to re-insert and the hose itself almost falls right back into the correct position because of the bend in it.
I waited a 1/2 hour or so before starting it and took the time to use the instructions on the Seafoam "Deep Creep" can to clean my throttle body while waiting. I fired up the Ex soon after and it didn't start on first crank. Came quickly to life on 2nd try and I promptly got out of my alley. I pretty much idled out of the local streets so not as to fog everyone out, but I still managed to get some nasty looks. I'm about 1 km from the freeway (if that) so I crawled to the on-ramp and started my "spirited drive".
The smoke cleared soon afterwards and of course the Ex ran smooth as silk. I took it down to a section of road I test for the infamous "5.0 ping" and it was almost non-existent (I've had some problems lately). Definitely a more thorough job than the brake booster method!
Took me long enough to sort this out, but it is dead easy to do once you know where to "look".
This is a superb thread, well worth its "sticky status".
