Changing the PCV System - Halfway Through - ADVICE NEEDED!

[thepolishwizard]

Hi guys

After reading the many useful posts on here regarding the PCV system change im halfway through completing it. I have the system off and its clogged completely. Absolutely full of sludge - practically soild oil.

My question is, as well as the pcv box itself, the oil channels into the crankcase (i assume both of them go into the crankcase?) are full of this sludge.

If tried to scrape it all out as deep as i can go. The thing is when i put my "scraper" deep into the hole (so to speak) i hit something solid... which makes me think is the channel an elbow shape. If it is how the hell do i clean further to ensure the whole passage is clear?

Anyone else experience this? I dont want to re-assemble everything only to get problems later down the line again. And secondly i really dont want to take the sump off as i need to get the car back on the road ASAP.

I have super-solve and carb cleaner but no airline. If anybody has advice or knows how this passage is routed please let me know.

This must have happened before!

Cheers

Roman

[chomerly]

Originally Posted by thepolishwizard

Hi guys

After reading the many useful posts on here regarding the PCV system change im halfway through completing it. I have the system off and its clogged completely. Absolutely full of sludge - practically soild oil.

My question is, as well as the pcv box itself, the oil channels into the crankcase (i assume both of them go into the crankcase?) are full of this sludge.

If tried to scrape it all out as deep as i can go. The thing is when i put my "scraper" deep into the hole (so to speak) i hit something solid... which makes me think is the channel an elbow shape. If it is how the hell do i clean further to ensure the whole passage is clear?

Anyone else experience this? I dont want to re-assemble everything only to get problems later down the line again. And secondly i really dont want to take the sump off as i need to get the car back on the road ASAP.

I have super-solve and carb cleaner but no airline. If anybody has advice or knows how this passage is routed please let me know.

This must have happened before!

Cheers

Roman

Hi Roman,

I don't think you can get much further without having to start some more serious dismantling.

I would clean as much as you can, where you can, and loosen up what you can from there.
The oil pressure may force out the rest and either suspend it in the filter or in the PCV. But i am only guessing that's what will happen.

As i say, i'm not sure what else you can do without getting more drastic.

[Robmac999]

Hi Roman
This might help.
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...ht=pcv+replace

[thepolishwizard]

Hi guys

Thanks for your responses. I found another post on here from a guy who had a similar problem.

He tried using cable ties to poke it through which didnt work. He decided to take the sump off and noted that the oil gallery is pretty deep so i think there is no use in scraping from outside the hole - my heart sank when i read this!

Anyway im in the process now of taking the sump off. This could be interesting as i think im going to have to disturb subframes crossmembers and all sorts! Dreading what im going to find - all i want is the sump off!

What a fun friday night

[Volvoline]

Nice
How did you diagnose a failed PCV before changing ?

[thepolishwizard]

Well i havent had the car for long. Its an S40 1.8Auto with only 56k on the clock. Bought it for £650 just under a years MOT. It was sluggish to drive but i was desperate for a car and took it away.

Problems with the car when i bought it:

Lots of whitish smoke on startup and almost zero power when accelerating. This cleared up however when engine reached operating temperature - still felt slow for though but i used to have a C70 T5 so everything feels slow compared to that

Anyway there was an engine management light on originally which was Cam and Crank sensors faulty and also a pending code for a misfire on cyl 3 :0

I cleared the codes and the management light stayed off. I then changed the spark plugs which were pretty black.

The white smoke/low power problem remained. I wasnt losing coolant so it wasnt head gasket. I thought the engine may be running lean on startup hence low power so i replaced the engine temp sensor and the thermostat whilst i was doing the job anyway. Also did an oil change and air filter change at this point. (Forgot to mention that i stupidly let the engine oil level run low and i got horrendous diesel sounds). The oil change helped and the engine tones returned to normal - mostly. Every now and again the diesel note would blip but then go away.

I was satisfied and took the car for a drive 50 miles somewhere and back again. I was disappointed to see that there was fresh oil on the front of my sump. But not from the sump plug nor filter where i had disturbed. (Going from full on the dipstick to around half on the dipstick). After reading the PCV posts i thought it may be that that was blocked. I think this car has been neglected in terms of its servicing.

Learning that the PCV requires fresh air from the intake i thought id start there. My suspicions were raised when i took off the air intake and throttle body and found evidence of oil on the rear of the butterfly on the throttle. Then i stuck my head between the battery and the inlet manifold entry and there was some nice fresh oil in the intake. Getting warmer!!!

Following day used the guides on here to take the manifold off and eventually got the the PCV system. (For other users reference, PCV box with all tubes [non turbo applications], manifold gasket, IACV gasket, throttle body gasket = £81 delivered)

As some of the tubes used the crimp clips as opposed to jubilee clips i had to cut through a hose initially to get the box off. It was like cutting through butter. (Have pics if anyone's interested). The hose was full of crud. When i got the box off both the top and bottom holes were fully blocked. So i think my car has been breahing a nice optimum mix of air fuel and oil vapour! No wonder it feels sluggish!

At least thats what i think is happening. I have since had the sump off and its not pretty in there either. The return oil gallery from the PCV was solid all the way to the sump. If its blocked on the side of the crankcase its a sump off jobby im afraid. Currently in process of giving that a good clean with supersolve. Need to look into whether crappy oil has been taken up to the camshaft area.

Hopefully when its all put back together the white smoke low power will be solved. This job needed doing anyway tough.

(Small tip on sump removal - you dont need to fully remove the longitudinal subframe component. Just undo the front engine mount. Loosen the two rear subframe bolts and fully remove the two subframe bolts. It should then swing nicely enough to remove the awkward bolts that it is blocking. Not sure if needed but i also gave some more support with a jack under gearbox)