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

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.

Reply to
desertphile
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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.

Reply to
JAYCEE

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

Reply to
nospam

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.

Reply to
desertphile

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.

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

I'll also look into that, thank you.

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.

Reply to
desertphile

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