Engine: T5: - PCV Blues

S70Smith · May 13th, 2013, 19:11

Okay ive posted a few times about my badly smoking low mileage T5, I decide to bite the bullet and take the engine out, however on removing all the rad pipework, 000's of wiring plugs and connectors and inlet manifold I finally uncovered the PCV, my god, blocked solid with solid black tar/carbon, all entrances to the naister, and solid black crud on passage ways into engine, I have scraped and cleared everything out. Would I be safe to assume this is the cause before I put it (or try and put it) all back together again?

Also the small pipe above the the PCV was hanging loose, where does that connect to?

Any advice comments very welcome

Im determined to get this car back on the road and enjoy it!

mikealder · May 13th, 2013, 19:28

If you have cleared out all the crud get a length of 5/8" diameter hose and connect it to the lower of the two ports the PCV tank connects to on the front face of the engine, try to blow through the pipe, if you can and hear bubbling then the oil return path is clear, if it is still blocked you need to clear it out.
One option is to pour carb cleaner down the port to try and dissolve the sludge, will need a few hours to work though, again try the 5/8" hose trick to make sure it is clear. In really bad cases the sump will have to be dropped as the exit for the oil drain is in the bottom of the sump and isn't really accessible from outside the engine but I would try the carb cleaner trick before pulling the sump. If you do manage to clear it out using carb cleaner make sure you change the engine oil BEFORE starting it up as carb cleaner will make a real mess of an engine rather quickly.

The small hose goes to an airport on the drivers side of the inlet manifold in the centre of the end of the manifold, the other end should be connected to the blow by gas pipe that runs from the PCV tank to the air inlet hose near the throttle body - Mike

S70Smith · May 13th, 2013, 19:33

Thanks, would this blocked PCV be the cause of the excessive smoking do you think?

mikealder · May 13th, 2013, 19:35

It won't be helping the smoke but you might find once the PCV is cleared out the smoke gets worse (mine did) in the end I swapped the engine out for a newer one as the piston rings/ cylinder bores were shot on 2,3 & 4 (compression test will show this up though) - Mike

May 13th, 2013, 19:11	#1
S70Smith Member Last Online: Apr 9th, 2024 21:23 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Brands Hatch View Photos By: S70Smith	PCV Blues Okay ive posted a few times about my badly smoking low mileage T5, I decide to bite the bullet and take the engine out, however on removing all the rad pipework, 000's of wiring plugs and connectors and inlet manifold I finally uncovered the PCV, my god, blocked solid with solid black tar/carbon, all entrances to the naister, and solid black crud on passage ways into engine, I have scraped and cleared everything out. Would I be safe to assume this is the cause before I put it (or try and put it) all back together again? Also the small pipe above the the PCV was hanging loose, where does that connect to? Any advice comments very welcome Im determined to get this car back on the road and enjoy it!

May 13th, 2013, 19:33	#3
S70Smith Member Last Online: Apr 9th, 2024 21:23 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Brands Hatch View Photos By: S70Smith	T5 pcv Thanks, would this blocked PCV be the cause of the excessive smoking do you think?

May 13th, 2013, 19:28	#2
mikealder VOC Member Last Online: Nov 6th, 2016 10:18 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Blackpool UK	If you have cleared out all the crud get a length of 5/8" diameter hose and connect it to the lower of the two ports the PCV tank connects to on the front face of the engine, try to blow through the pipe, if you can and hear bubbling then the oil return path is clear, if it is still blocked you need to clear it out. One option is to pour carb cleaner down the port to try and dissolve the sludge, will need a few hours to work though, again try the 5/8" hose trick to make sure it is clear. In really bad cases the sump will have to be dropped as the exit for the oil drain is in the bottom of the sump and isn't really accessible from outside the engine but I would try the carb cleaner trick before pulling the sump. If you do manage to clear it out using carb cleaner make sure you change the engine oil BEFORE starting it up as carb cleaner will make a real mess of an engine rather quickly. The small hose goes to an airport on the drivers side of the inlet manifold in the centre of the end of the manifold, the other end should be connected to the blow by gas pipe that runs from the PCV tank to the air inlet hose near the throttle body - Mike

May 13th, 2013, 19:35	#4
mikealder VOC Member Last Online: Nov 6th, 2016 10:18 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Blackpool UK	It won't be helping the smoke but you might find once the PCV is cleared out the smoke gets worse (mine did) in the end I swapped the engine out for a newer one as the piston rings/ cylinder bores were shot on 2,3 & 4 (compression test will show this up though) - Mike

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