Anyone Replaced the PCV Valve?

[RichB]

I was wondering if anyone has replaced the PCV Valve on their car. I ask because the Shop Manual says to remove the intake manifold and I am not sure I want to do that. Is it possible to get off without removing the manifold?

 

[MS3JamOnIt]

Good question. I would like to know the answer myself. My car has 54K miles and it has never been changed.

Do you know how many miles its suppose to be changed at?

 

[RichB]

I've seen anywhere from every 35K to every 100K. I have also seen that it is done during a tune up. Since I have over 100K, I figured it was time. I am really hoping I don't need to remove the intake manifold.

 

[Super Unique]

There are 2 good reasons you want to remove the intake manifold,

1. it really is required to replace the PCV valve
2. it helps a lot when removing and cleaning the EGR pipe and valve assembly.

Both of these are maintenance items. and should be done a bit more than every 100k

 

[Darth Vader]

Yep, it's needed and you could put in a PtP gasket while you were there, to lessen the heat soak of the manifold.....

 

[Super Unique]

it troubles me somewhat that they make a PCV valve so difficult to replace. I remember on older vehicles it was literally a 1 minute job to replace these. Regular replacement of this valve was cheap insurance against a clogged up engine.

 

[RichB]

I was planning on cleaning out my EGR too at some point but that at least doesn't require me to take out the manifold. All I would need to remove is the Throttle body. Looks like I will plan on doing them both at the same time. Is the Manifold removal as tedious as it looks?

 

[Super Unique]

I haven't done it personally yet, but it can't be that bad, it's right there on the front of the engine, so reaching it shouldn't be an issue. Mostly just keeping track of the nuts / bolts and where they go, removing intercooler, hose clamps etc..

 

[Super Unique]

I plan on doing mine fairly soon, before I take a long thanksgiving trip.

 

[mndsm]

I need to do mine too, car is throwing a CEL.... and having had my IM off more than once, I can tell you, it's a giant PITA.

 

[RichB]

There is no way to reach the valve with out the manifold off? Damn!

mndsm, how long does it take to get the manifold off?

 

[RichB]

I found a few threads that show how to take the manifold off of the Speed 6. Are there any differences with the Speed 3 job? Doesn't look like it.

 

[STRICK-]

I was planning on cleaning out my EGR too at some point but that at least doesn't require me to take out the manifold. All I would need to remove is the Throttle body. Looks like I will plan on doing them both at the same time. Is the Manifold removal as tedious as it looks?

I got the intake mani off in about 1.5 hours. You have to loosen the a/c hardware and push it to the side in order to pull it. It wasnt too terrible, but im dreading ever doing it again. The manifold was caked where the egr is piped in after 25k...lol. The pcv valve is much easier to change with it off. You might as well add a catch can at that time too. Its easier to do and a good addition to have. good luck

its the same as the speed 6 too, i had a speed6 owner help me with it. Definitly a 2 person job IMO

 

[RichB]

well, I plan on tackling this myself. The only part that worries me is loosening the bottom bolt of the power steering pump. Other than that it looks straight forward.

 

[meicalnissyen]

There is no way to reach the valve with out the manifold off? Damn!

mndsm, how long does it take to get the manifold off?

I saw a pic of the pcv on a catch can thread, is it marginally accessable from the bottom, with the tray off?

 

[MS3JamOnIt]

I was wondering if it was accessible from below. Now that you say it is, I will have to check. It does not seem right to have to take the manifold off to change a part that needs to be replaced frequently. On my wife's Camry it's a 5 minute job.

 

[RichB]

I think I can reach the valve from the bottom, the only problem is how its attached. If there is a clamp on the Crankcase side, there is no way to get to that. I'm probably going to take the manifold off anyway because of what I saw in the Speed 6 threads. It looks like the manifold needs a good cleaning.

 

[TheStuartKid]

I guess its time for me to replace my PCV valve after reading around on different threads... My car is still under warranty but i am not stock.. is there anyway i can get a new one from mazda without voiding my warranty?? I was hoping my next thing i would have to pay for is a dyno tune, but its looking like a PCV valve and a oil catch can i guess. Let me know if anybody got lucky on getting theirs replaced.

 

[chimmike]

of course you can. www.onlinemazdaparts.com.
Don't get an oil catch can. Since you have an accessport these are the two things I'd do:
1) Eliminate the EGR (accessport can be used to hide the check engine light)
2) Take off the intake manifold and clean all the gunk off the valves/clean the intake manifold

Direct injection + EGR makes for retarded messy valves.

 

[4DLUVOFSPEED]

There's nothing easy about working on cars nowadays, pain in the ass. Especially when they start coming out with all their specialty tools uuuugggghhhhh.....