PCV valve lower hose

[juniper735w]

I am replacing the PCV valve on a 2000 Explorer XLT. It is a cinch, except I cannot get my hand deep enough to follow the lower stub hose to the nipple. I have attempted to pull things aside but there's just not enough room even to follow it with my fingers, much less remove it and slip the new stub hose on. What is necessary to reach that lower hose location so I can simply install the new PCV valve with its three new hoses?

 

[C420sailor]

If it's a SOHC motor, you'll likely have to remove the upper intake manifold. I don't have an engine in front of me, but I think you should be able to each behind/under the lower intake manifold to get to the PCV chamber. If you're going that deep and you've never changed your manifold gaskets (upper and lower), it'd be worth doing it then.

 

[chefduane]

I actually managed to do it on my '98 SOHC (same exact vehicle as C4) without removing the upper mani, but it was a REAL PITA!! I eventually did do the upper/lower mani gaskets also. C4's advice is sound -> do the upper/lower manifold gaskets and the PCV at the same time. The gaskets are pretty cheap ($40 or so at RA) and can be done with regular tools in one afternoon. And you WILL eventually be needing the gasket job anyway.

 

[juniper735w]

C420 and Chef, I really appreciate the quick replies and the reassurances here that I wasn't missing a simple solution. I too could not see a way around removal of the intake manifold, but couldn't make myself believe a simple PCV swap would necessitate all that work. Admittedly I was hoping you'd have a magic method that would put me onto a five-minute fix. Thank you again for putting the time into your replies, and for putting a light on the problem.

 

[chefduane]

Take a look at this mod that 2KStreetRod came up with. It relocates the valve to a much more accessible location.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257622&highlight=PCV+mod

..posting this at halftime.. Go Broncos!!

 

[juniper735w]

Thanks ChefDuane. That was above the call of duty to be tackling my problem in the middle of SB50! So yeah, I actually saw that mod by 2KStreetRod while I was sifting through various discussions. Good enough idea to insert a short extension between the valve and the tee. Just doesn't tackle the inaccessibility of the down hose stub. I'm trying to avoid the shortcut of leaving the down stub as is rather than replacing it, worrying that perhaps there are some worn or burned spots there that could be contributing to air flow issues indicated by the P0171 code. But I will keep this in mind. Meanwhile, tackling the upper/lower intake manifolds seems the only hope for access to the stub, which is doable but incomprehensible when engineering could have made this easier. Still wonder if a Ford tech has a trick. And I wonder how in the world YOU managed to do it without removing the manifold. I can't even get two fingers in there, much less see or feel the port.

 

[chefduane]

Not sure if my '98 has more access than your 2000, but I was able to get in there to do it. I figured I'd give it a try before I pulled everything off. I just recall that I did get it replaced but then a few months the hard cold starts became unbearable. That was due to shrunk/fatigued manifold gaskets. That prompted me to pull the upper/lower manifolds.

 

[juniper735w]

Indeed, I appreciate the need, especially when to my knowledge there has never been a change of gaskets in 220k miles on this old gal. Off I go then, and with gratitude....

 

[juniper735w]

A follow-up. I spoke with a senior Ford mechanic. He said they routinely remove the old PCV valve from the existing down stub without disturbing that hose to the block, and simply insert the new valve into the top of the stub. He agreed that there could be some failure in the down stub but perhaps not since it is a very thick hose. He said the more likely culprit in this P0171/P0174 check engine code is the gaskets on the top and bottom of the lower intake manifold, which flatten and harden over time, especially with no known replacement on a vehicle with 200k miles. So, I ordered the gaskets and away I go. Thanks again c420sailor and chefduane.

 

[chefduane]

No problemo.