Check your PCV valve, so easy and feeling stupid

[Zymurgy]

I have never checked my PVC valve on Goldie. I don't know why but never have. I have done several things to her this year, each making significant improvements. Rebuilt heads, dual exhaust, electronic ignition, finally getting the carburetor set up perfectly from the cold idle to the choke.

It just hit me I have never checked the PCV valve and it was clearly the original from 1966. I blew through it and it was clearly shot. I found NOS, installed it and now the throttle response is instantaneous.

Feeling stupid such a simple diagnosis and installation was overlooked for all these years.

 

[413]

Was it causing a vacuum leak?

 

[CBODY67]

What I would do is to plug the hose-end with a finger, fill it with Berryman's B12 carb cleaner (NOT the "soak" one), plug the other end with my thumb, and then shake the valve to soften/clean out the oil-related items inside of it. Then empty and spray some more carb clarner into it, repeat the shake, and then rinse it out. The "shake" was easier to make happen afterward. No replacement, just cleanings. Those old metal pcvs seemingly lasted forever for me.

I think we bought a new one and it made not difference in how the car ran, so I just started cleaning them instead. FWIW

Glad things worked well for you, with the replacement.

Just my experiences,
CBODY67

 

[Zymurgy]

Was it causing a vacuum leak?i

I replaced the hose, years ago. The valve itself was bad. It was open when I blew through it in both directions. Hardly any resistance in the direction which it should have been sealed shut.

 

[Zymurgy]

What I would do is to plug the hose-end with a finger, fill it with Berryman's B12 carb cleaner (NOT the "soak" one), plug the other end with my thumb, and then shake the valve to soften/clean out the oil-related items inside of it. Then empty and spray some more carb clarner into it, repeat the shake, and then rinse it out. The "shake" was easier to make happen afterward. No replacement, just cleanings. Those old metal pcvs seemingly lasted forever for me.

I think we bought a new one and it made not difference in how the car ran, so I just started cleaning them instead. FWIW

Glad things worked well for you, with the replacement.

Just my experiences,
CBODY67

I knew I should have just tried cleaning it first. Great tip

 

[413]

Yes cleaning can and does work on these.

 

[CBODY67]

I replaced the hose, years ago. The valve itself was bad. It was open when I blew through it in both directions. Hardly any resistance in the direction which it should have been sealed shut.

The valve should "be open" in both directions, BUT the "open" part is a drilled orifice for "minimum flow" under higher vacuum conditions. IF it should get to be restricted and the valve stuck in that position (i.e.,, no rattle or felt movement when shaken), then it might well be that a replacement is needed. "Designed, rated flow" would be at part-throttle cruise, I suspect?

Perhaps soaking the old valve in a tin can mostly filled with "cleaner" might get it where it could be a spare valve?

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[James Romano]

Why would the PCV valve hold back throttle response? Best I can think is the engine is bogged down with too much crankcase vapor?

 

[Dante64]

I have never checked my PVC valve on Goldie. I don't know why but never have. I have done several things to her this year, each making significant improvements. Rebuilt heads, dual exhaust, electronic ignition, finally getting the carburetor set up perfectly from the cold idle to the choke.

It just hit me I have never checked the PCV valve and it was clearly the original from 1966. I blew through it and it was clearly shot. I found NOS, installed it and now the throttle response is instantaneous.

Feeling stupid such a simple diagnosis and installation was overlooked for all these years.

I bought a 64 Newport two years ago. The poor thing was so “loaded-up” from a bad carb and poor (or lack of) a good tune up. Black puddles on the garage floor from the tailpipes. The PCV Valve was clogged. I pulled the valve covers to change the gaskets and brother you could fill a coffee cup with the build up. Definitely check it out. I pulled the intake manifold and was blown away with the amount of crap built up on the push rods and oil galleys. She is clean and happy now. No carbon from the pipes and getting 12-13 MPG all day long. Cheers!

 

[Unix]

Thank you for the info. I just have a habbit of changing it every oil change/ 1 a year.

 

[Gerald Morris]

I just changed Gertrude's 2 days ago, noted what was on the engine still seemed decent, so I kept it. Got lucky and grabbed several NOS ones some yrs ago. Will likely clean what I removed.

Replaced breaker points today, that made more difference. Previous set finally burnt to powder. Gertie now back to snapping on with just a bump of the starter. Have carb jets and rods to do next.... ah the Torture Never Stops, but the car does, nicely after good snappy takeoffs.