PCV tear down

Changed this for the 1st time since 2010 and about 230k km. Was really curious what was inside, so cut it apart. Got a little carried away with the cutting wheel and damaged spring and the piston a bit.

Generally, pretty simple design and fairly clean inside. For the cost of this part, still worth changing it at required interval.

 

Thank you. I’m the curious type too, sounds like something I’d do.

 

It looks like something that is easily cleanable by soaking it or brake cleaner.

 

Probably, but they are about CAD$10 new from Toyota, so not worth the hassle in my opinion. Cleaning it would get anything out (looked pretty clean inside honestly) but not sure how many cycles those springs are good. I cut the lower spring taking it apart, but I'd did look/feel brittle.

 

Assuming you're not one of those recreational maintainers R&Ring it every other weekend, I agree that if you're going through the effort to take it off you may as well just replace with new.

 

Thanks for posting this. Just changed the PCV valve on my 1GR-FE at 68K miles, first time. (I got the truck, used, at 60K miles.)

5 or 6 years ago they were around $5 or $6. Now I can't find them for anything less than $12 each, online, w/ shipping. I had been thinking about opening one up to see whats inside.

Looks like an eminently cleanable part. After a proper cleaning it'd be interesting to do a controlled side-by-side pressure / flow test to see how far a 68K-mile used PCV valve's pressure thresholds differ from a brand new one. If I get around to such a test (using sensitive HVAC testing manometers calibrated for inches of water-column, not PSI..) I'll post pics & results here. If a used, well-cleaned PCV valve responds to varying pressures the same as a new one, maybe just cleaning them out is good enough.

 

$10 Toyota 12204-31030

https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-12204...KTG5564#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

 

It is, but buildup creates corrosion. This corrosion pits the check valve shuttle and its seat. This creates a vacuum leak. For $10-15 it’s best to just replace the valve.

 

I agree with the previous poster: a little brake cleaner and all of that will buff right out: Re-assemble/re-install... Bada-bing bada-boom: Done!

 

$3.60 here: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1319349&cc=1445515&pt=5052

Buy it with a few other items to even out the shipping.

 

This reminds me of that old story that NASA spent zillions of dollars, used floors full of engineers, built many prototypes and did lots of testing and analysis to design a ballpoint pen that would work in zero gravity…



the Russians just took a pencil.

 

And the graphite lead was conductive and being zero gravity was a risk to the entire mission...

...The russians were cheap


Actually it's all wrong.
The pen was developed by a private company, both space agencies switched to it once it was available.
https://www.reuters.com/article/fac...-pens-while-russia-used-pencils-idUSL1N2MQ1RR

 

Interesting article thanks for sharing. It blows my mind that NASA was spending $128 a piece for a pencil but only paid $2.95 a piece for the new zero gravity pens that took over a million dollars and 10 years to develop.

 

For engine/powertrain/suspension components I almost always buy OEM Toyota/Denso parts.

 

Aftermarket is okay, also

 

I was very particular with that link. The Standard Motor parts I bought for the Subaru and the 4Runner were reboxed OEM supplier parts. I'd trust one of those than running brake cleaner through an old one and hoping for the best.

The Standard Motor PCV valve I got for my 5th gen 4Runner was made in Japan and even had the Toyota P/N etched on the wrench flat:

 

And probably came off the same assembly line....

Before I retired I worked for an international company making fuel injectors and we made both OEM and Aftermarket injectors on the same assembly lines using the exact same components, specifications and tested to the same requirements as the OEM Parts. The only difference was the part numbers laser etched on the part.