Hello and sorry to all for starting YET ANOTHER pcv thread... My dipstick is smoking (bad) and I just have a gut feeling a REALLY need to do the pcv, but im broke and can't afford the parts for another month /: can I clean the pcv and not blow up my engine putting another months worth of driving on it? I plan on doing alot of things I just need this baby to hold me over for another month till im comfortably in my new job.

 

I don't know about the system on the 850, but on my S40 I just pulled the breather line on the head and the left side of the engine near the cam sensor, and slowly dribbled a can of berrymans B12 down the lines, let it soak, and then I took the oil filler cap off, pulled the dip stick, and blew compressed air through those lines stated above. I know it doesn't get all the passeges, but it did do a pretty adequate job as my dip stick tube passes the "inflating rubber glove test" with flying colors.

Just be sure to change your oil right away before starting the engine if you do this, as any crusties flushed out of the breather system wind up in your oil when you do this.

 

If the car has been driven all this time another month will likely not make a difference. Just try not to put your foot in it.

 

 

Thanks for the answers im going to try and do some cleaning right now and I will do the test. And thanks for the heads up on the oil change I would have totally screwed that one up.

 

It's more likely the hoses are getting restricted or just deteriorating inside. The PCV black box is a pretty simple thing and usually isn't what plugs. The passages in the block are a more common problem. More common than the box plugging that is. The hoses are the real weak link and usually are the cause of a lot of the box replacements as a complete kit.

 

Holy clogged cowboy, I bet mine look like that!! Il post photos when I get my fcpeuro pcv kit and do the swap this week

 

Thanks so much for three info I bet I wouldn't have noticed some of that

 

I had no clue either and when I got my 850 I ordered a complete kit as I'd seen so many posts about PCV issues and I already saw oil pushing out of my fill cap and dip stick tube.
I thought the inside of the black box was more involved with passages and the logical cause of poor crankcase venting. THEN . . . I can across that picture of one cut open. If the openings in the box aren't plugged it's likely the inside is just fine and all you need are new hoses and the box doesn't need to be changed out at the same time.

If you pull the box and see the passage in the block is plugged than you have a major problem as that lower passage is the one that goes into the oil pan and all the way down under the oil in the pan in the shape of a "J". Only way I've seen to get that open is to pull the pan. If you find a way to auger it out lots of folks would like to know how

One way to check is to put a chunk of (heater) hose up to the lower hole for the PCV in the block and blow and listen for a bubbling sound from the oil or the back pressure of not being able to get any air through.

 

So if I blow through the lower opening in the block like that and dont get back pressure im good to go? Thanks for your time

 

You should be good then

 

Cool im actually in middle of this right now...

 

Still in the "middle"

 

Yeah it took me probably close to ten hours only spending one hour on it every day. Im kind if embarrassed about how long it took me. But she purs like a kitten and passed the pcv test with flying colors.. thanx to all of you!!

 

 

It looks quite smart! Have anyone else tried this approach? Could it damage the engine?

 

If you change the oil after this technique, I doubt its any worse than a Seafoam treatment. I'd guess that the worst case is the compressed air blows a hose off..