TOPIC: PCV valve / port / hose??

Hello, I’M TYPING IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I’M FRUSTRADED!! I'm a newby and am VERY anxious for the groove to work. In some groovy docs I’m looking for PCV ports and other valves!?! Probably the same thing. I’m going round in circles on the forums search / probably my bad. My Chilton manual says a 2002 Ford 4.6L V8 PCV Valve is on the left valve cover (while facing the engine being in front of the car that works). The reason I’m saying this is because the other valve cover also has a similar valve but it is NOT a valve just an open holed thing that leads back to the air intake hose. The PCV valve on the left side leads to the other CAPPED X marked in the picture (which is the backside of the Throttle Body). I just spent $1300.00 having both Cats and all 4 sensors replaced! 2 hours after having that fixed and going through all the ECU conditioning my Check Engine light is on (i've got the negative battery cable off (AGAIN) to see if that clears the light.
I've called a Ford dealership , asked 2 parts stores and the guys who put on the whole new front exhaust. All say that is the PCV valve.
Do I have the right things capped off?
If so Am I supposed to cap both of them?
If I don't have the right things capped off where is that little sucker - because I'm going to find it and pop a cap off on it!!!



Any help would be greatly appreciated.

the one drawing from snout is idle air controll dont plug the one on drivers side is the passive the one on pass side is pcv donot plug pcv only vac going to it. Then take it to the oassive side to air snout with a tee. Pcv will throw code if you plug it as pressure will build up in crankcase only plug the vac it should be in rear of intake and is a large vac line source. The ford v6 is right under the throttle body 46 and 54 are in the rear.

Greg, Dan is right far as I know.

The Pcv Valve in the pass side valve cover--its hose that used to go to throttle body should go back onto PCV valve. Other open end of PCV hose gets tee's into the passive Breather hose. Breather hose connects into air duct, that's the big fat duct between air filter and TB.

Just pulling PCV hose off and capping both ends won't work. That won't let crankcase ventilate properly, pressure can build up. Not sure how ECM detects that, late model stuff has boo-koo sensors everyplace.

I can't see the breather hose from driver side valve cover in your pic. Just re-locate that breather hose, put original PCV hose back onto PCV Valve, then tee PCV hose into Breather hose.

Use whatever necessary, might need more/different hose,(fuel line or sometimes heater hose)a tee,clamps and short piece of pipe to connect the hoses. IF that cap on front of TB is where the PCV hose originally went, leave it capped. Be aware auto parts store rubber vac. caps die kinda fast, I've been recommending silicone vac. caps awhile now, look on Ebay for those.

Don't cap anything else off. All you want to do is cap off the original manifold vacuum source that used to go to PCV Valve, and connect PCV hose to the Breather side.

We call that Breather side Passive, and original manifold vac. source port/nipple/short little tube/etc. Active. Connecting PCV into Breather hose the crankcase can still breathe this way, we simply eliminate a GIANT vac. leak this way! see?

Hey it's OK to be Frustrated This vacuum source/type hose routing stuff is simple for me 'cause I've been doing carb's and tuning for YEARS! (I also tune toilets, that's another story, LOL)

Hope this helps, Greg. Keep us posted--and some pic's of your Groove job are always appreciated, If you can.

Tracy G

First, before you replace anything or follow whatever the mouth-breathing mechanics and/or their computers tell you, please please PLEASE call me! The error codes will tell me very quickly what's up.

If you were getting lean codes on your O2 sensors and/or P0430 series of codes, this is important. I'm just going to act on that. If I'm wrong, then at least you'll have additional data.

1) Lean codes are caused by a vacuum leak. I suspect you didn't cap the vacuum source, Greg, and this MUST be capped. If you've left it sucking air, it will wreak havoc with your exhaust gas balance and then will trigger some codes.
2) When you get lost, then there is probably something you've missed. Take a few steps backward and get a fresh perspective. Undo what you did under the hood and then redo it. If you need some help, and have a laptop with a camera, we can connect on Skype and I can help you solve your issues with a phone call.

But don't let this get you whipped, my friend. You're probably going to want to shoot yourself in the head when you find what's causing this...

Ron

Hey Guys, thanks for the help on this! BUT the saga continues. Here is how the engine stands right now (see pic) and is still throwing codes which are;
p1131 - MAF (autozone says that concerns the MAF)
p0135 - O2 (autozone says 02 code)

This truck has both the AI sensor and the MAF sensor right after the air filter. I do know that in the past I was messing with how much air flow the sensors received and very slightly (accidently) bent one, not sure which was which but never recieved a code before now. And of course remember I have brand new 02 sensore and new cats.

Thanks again for any help!

Do you have a scanner? If you don`t have someone get the fueltrim readings and o2`s to see how they are switching also read the mass air post them and I`ll try to walk you through it.
The mass air could reflect the o2`s and if its damaged it would false read.

You said o2`s and cats are new are they located in same place as stock or are they universal?

What mileage did you get before and after groove?

Both of these codes are related to vacuum leaks. A serious one in this case, judging by the codes.

Rule number one in Diagnostics with The Gadgetman Grooved vehicles. NEVER EVER TRUST THE COMPUTER let alone the bumble-headed boys that call themselves "Automotive Technicians". They don't know what we do, and resort to plug-and-play diagnostics. "Whatever the Computer says MUST be the problem."

In this case, costing Greg here and unnecessary $1300 in expenses for stuff that didn't fix the problem. But try to get a refund!

Good luck with that, amigo!

Anyway, Greg is going to find the problem... He knows what to look for now.

Ron

Hey Guys, Ron advised me that I had a vacuum leak with the codes that were listed earlier so I put in a new gasket on the TB Groove. The old did look suspect as it had moisture across it from the carb cleaner sprayed earlier... So after install and during the power driving of the ECU conditioning the Engine light came back on.

I'm going to have to hit the treadmill for awhile - feeling the pressure build up. Maybe I should just shove a PCV somewhere in my person .

I guess the next step is to get a vacuum tester and start checking hoses???

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Greg

Hi again Greg, how is it running? Is it rough or smooth at idle?

I'm not directly familiar w/ this engine. But in the photo at left front area just under that hose coming from air intake duct I see a shiny open pipe nipple--it's facing forward horizontal. Looks like this pipe goes into the intake manifold??

Now if this were a direct manifold vac. leak it would be a giant one, I would expect a real bad idle quality, maybe the ECM could dump fuel to cover it, I don't know. I'm not familiar w/ this engine, but....usually don't see any open hose-nipple looking fittings on engines.

That's about all else I can see in this pic.

Good luck w/ this woolly-bugger, keep askin' and showin'

Tracy G

Hello Tracy and Everyone, there are two of those shiny bars on each side right above the spark plugs and injectors. They are solid, maybe stabilizers or mounting rods???

Ron, here's some more info that I forgot to mention, I'm sure it will come in handy to hold me up as an example of what NOT to do!

When I had the cats and the O2's checked the engine was in normal operation - nothing was capped. BUT my reasoning for replacing them was they have 150,000 miles on them and some of the literature in the docs states the O2's should be replaced every 50k or so...

Quick log of what has transpired so far;

1. After complete new exhaust the PCV was rerouted and the active port capped on the TB.
2. Truck through a code, right after the power drive of conditioning.
3. Quick code check done at Autozone as mentioned before - 2 codes came up as mentioned.
one code for MAF sensor the other for O2 sensor.
4. Ron says its a vacuum leak - almost positive thats it. Verdict still out...
4. Cleaned the attached pic sensors (MAF/AI) with electrode cleaner, changed TB Groove gasket - prayed.
5. Truck through a code, again during the power drive of conditioning - got on treadmill and
ran my ass off! - Mounted PCV in my Rear to help relieve pressure.
6. Attached is a pic of the MAF/AI sensors (i think) right after the air filter, as mentioned I
bent the horizontal one accidently during a brain fart.

?? Does anybody think that this would have any ill affects on me horsey or should I just keep
checking for VAC leaks.
?? Would the check engine light coming on during power drive mean anything?

Thank you all for helping out.
Genius G

Oh, she seems to be running normal. No rough idling, the flow master 70 is to loud for me. I'm going to have to quiet that down. If anything it does seem louder when on the highway.
Not sure if it will quiet down once running correctly so I will wait on that for a time...

Thanks, GG

What did you do, Greg?