Jim,
I just changed mine (2003 - 4.0) while I had my valve covers off for other matters. Like you, I wanted to do it for a while and found it to be a pain in the arse to reach - so decided to wait until the valve cover work. But now that I have seen the set up I would suggest this if I were to do it again (with the covers on).
There is a thick vacuum hose from the rear, driver-side corner of the intake manifold that goes to the PCV. I would remove the intake end of this hose first (a shot of wd40 helped when pulling/twisting it off of the intake) and then remove it from the PCV. (my set up had no heating element or other electrical components to the PCV, as some others do). The PCV is not a "pull out" type, but rather it twists into place. About a 1/2 counterclockwise turn will lose it. When you put it back, it will click into place as you turn it clockwise. I put a thin coat of clean oil on its oring before reinstalling.
