PCV replacement, 3VZE, and urge to kill rising....

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desertphile@hotmail.com - 26 Aug 2006 01:31 GMT

My best guess is that my Toyota 1992 Pickup Extended Cab is idling
roughly when hot, and on the verge of stalling, is because the positive
crankcase ventalation valve is stuck open; or the vacuum solenoid is
bad; or the EGR valve is shot. I've sent away for a new solenoid since
my tests show, as far as I can tell, that it is bad.

I bought a new PCV valve and grommet, but I am loathe to rip the top
off the 3VZE engine to replace the old one. If anyone here has done
this job, perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me how much work is
involved--- I'm not an automobile mechanic but I'm pretty clever.

My pickup has traveled over 280,000 million miles mostly through Death
Valley, the Mojave Desert, and the Great Basin Desert, so it is "tired"
but it still runs well (I wish the USA could make an automobile as well
as this Toyota pictup, but what the frack). The engine warning light
went "ON" four years ago and stayed "ON," and damned if I can think of
why other than emissions controls being messed up. I assume the NOX
sensor is registering excess emission because the PCV valve is stuck
open. How the hell is one supposed to know?

A new EGR valve costs $170; I'd rather replace the PCV valve and see if
that fixes the apparent vacuum leak before I shell out what is to me
big mojo bucks for the EGR valve. Yet looking at the engine and where
the PCV valve is located, I can only assume the engineers who designed
the engine were striving to turn their customers into frustrated
homicidal maniacs due to the impossible location the placed the valve.
Why the hell bury the damn thing?!?!

Just how much work is involved in replacing the PCV valve? Long
needle-nosed plyers did not work.

Thank you from me and my pickup.

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JAYCEE - 28 Aug 2006 00:50 GMT

I have a 92 Hilux w/ the 3VZE.

I believe that the "procedure" calls for the plenum to be removed to
replace this PCV. There must be a way to do it without removing the
plenum. I had mine done at the dealership and I don't think they
removed the plenum. I'm thinking maybe one of those spark plug wire
pullers or maybe even long needle nose pliers. There just has to be a
way but I don't know what it is.

EGRs can be cleaned. I've never done it but I've read online about
thoses who have. So that may save you a few bucks.

Have you ever seafoamed it? Lots of people report good results from
that too.

If the PCV failed 4 years ago the motor could be sludged up by now.
That does happen with bad PCVs.

Signature

JAYCEE

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desertphile@hotmail.com - 29 Aug 2006 02:02 GMT

> I have a 92 Hilux w/ the 3VZE.
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> pullers or maybe even long needle nose pliers. There just has to be a
> way but I don't know what it is.

The space sure is tiny: I would have to remove many hoses and a few
other unidentifiable bits and pieces just to get plyers in there. A
coat hanger bent into a hook might also help. I am hoping the vacuum
solenoid I have purchased (but not received) will help solve the
problem.

> EGRs can be cleaned. I've never done it but I've read online about
> thoses who have. So that may save you a few bucks.

Thank you: I will look into doing so. I have a sheet of gasket
material.

> Have you ever seafoamed it? Lots of people report good results from
> that too.

I'll also look into that, thank you.

> If the PCV failed 4 years ago the motor could be sludged up by now.
> That does happen with bad PCVs.

So maybe the PCV valve is still working. I hope so.

Three days ago I discovered a large crack in the air intake hose: this
air duct has a small hose going from it into the valve cover, which
caused a huge vacuum leak.... which might be the cause of the problem
(hey, after four years I finally noticed!). I have sealed off the crask
with duct tape and bailing wire, and as soon as I can drive to a paved
road I'm going to see if that "repair" has fixed the problem. I can
already tell that the idle RPM is back where it used to be four years
ago. I still need to replace the vacuum solenoid.

I have never, in 14 years, replaced the fuel filter: damned if I can
even find it. I've never added grease to the axles, and I've never
replaced the rear breaks. I suppose it's probably time I do so.

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nospam - 28 Aug 2006 04:25 GMT

You must mean your pickup has traveled 280 thousand miles.
If your pickup traveled 280,000 million miles since 1992, you'd have to
drive 54,794,520 and a half miles per day, every day for 14 years!
If any truck could do it, it'd be a Toyota!
Dave

> My best guess is that my Toyota 1992 Pickup Extended Cab is idling
> roughly when hot, and on the verge of stalling, is because the positive
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> Thank you from me and my pickup.

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desertphile@hotmail.com - 29 Aug 2006 00:30 GMT

> You must mean your pickup has traveled 280 thousand miles.
> If your pickup traveled 280,000 million miles since 1992, you'd have to
> drive 54,794,520 and a half miles per day, every day for 14 years!
> If any truck could do it, it'd be a Toyota!
> Dave

I was being funny by exagerating the milage by six orders of magnitude.
The desired effect was to show how hard my pickup has worked for the
past 14 years, the poor thing. It has lived its life in 115+ degree
summers and 25 degree winters, within the brutal Death Valley
subduction zone and ajoining areas---- and it still runs very well. Its
current chest cold problem may be permanent if I cannot figure out what
is causing it.

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