how to remove pcv valve grommet

Car is 2001 Camry 4 cyl. 77k miles. I was trying to to replace PCV valve and grommet. The valve came off easily but the grommet has turned out to be a nightmare. I used needle nosed pliers to pull on the upper lip of the grommet, and it just broke off. Even after gripping with the sides of the pliers (so that more material is gripped), the grommet is just disintegrating. I stopped when I only had about 1/4th of the upper lip left. If that goes I risk having the grommet fall inside the valve cover. The problem is that the grommet has a lower lip that is causing it to be stuck

Do the experts here on the group have any special tips to get the grommet out.

Regards,

Reply to
shirish.manjrekar
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It sounds like the grommet has hardened. In this case I would use a small pair of wire side-cutters or a small screw-driver to break the remainder of the grommet while using a rag stuffed in the hole beforehand to stop any pieces escaping into the rocker-cover.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

== I've mentioned this before - best not to even try to remove that grommet until the valve cover is removed. That way you can hold it upside down and let the pieces fall out instead of in. Would recommend you remove the valve cover and replace that gasket also. Use Toyota FIPG (form in place gasket) material at the four spots where the round sealing surface at the cams (4 cyl.) meet the flat. Clean the sealing surfaces thoroughly first. I use Berryman B-12 Chemtool sprayed on a rag. It's not a wasted effort since the valve cover is a common source of oil leakage. Correct torque is 17 ft. lbs. (I think). You'll need a 30 mm socket. Pull on the spark plug boots only, not the wires. Probably a good idea to retorque the valve cover nuts after a period of time since that gasket will compress as the engine heats up and allow them to appear loose after a short time. Broken pieces of the PCV grommet do not fall into the valve cover exactly, but into the valve cover oil baffle at the top of the cover. If they don't come out by inverting the cover, try spraying upside down with the Berryman to dissolve the oil film holding them.

Reply to
Daniel

I had the same problem with a 99 Seinna. In my case the grommet fell = into the valve cover. I was able to feel it with my little finger. I = took a metal coat hanger and bent the end into a hook, just make sure = the hook is small enought to fit into the center of the grommet. I was = able to fit the hook into the center of the gromment while it was in the = valve cover. As I pulled it up, the hook caught the bottom edge of the = grommet and I was able to pull it throught the hole.

I would use the coat hanger and feed it through the grommet and catch = the bottom edge and try to pull it up. I cut the hanger into a 6" length = so it was easier to handle.

Good luck Tony

Reply to
Tony Marsillo

valve cover. I was able to feel it with my little finger. I took a metal coat hanger and bent the end into a hook, just make sure the hook is small enought to fit into the center of the grommet. == You were fortunate you had a single piece to retrieve. I had only fragments - it may have been possible to fish them out with a bent coat hanger using grease on the end as adhesive, but I had already removed the valve cover prior to attempting this, so it was no problem.

Reply to
Daniel

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