HELP.....removing PCV fittings on a 1995 Grand Cherokee Limited

How do I remove those grommets? I twist & pull them, but they wont come off the valve cover. Any ideas?

TJM

If you read the article, you will come to this photo:

Them holes are round, the old one has to be pried out. It likely will not survive the removal.

You can just clean the rear one with a paper clip from the top. No way the front one will plug up.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

TJM wrote:

Good call on the grommets getting hard -- and if he can't get them to pop out, they're hard and leaking. He won't be able to buy just the grommets he'll have to buy new assemblies, which includes the metering orifice and hoses. On my `89 4.0 the vacuum line attaches to one of the arms of the intake manifold near the head not the throttle body, it looks like it goes to the throttle body on the 2.5L.

The URL Bill gives lists the Mopar part numbers and TJM will need them -- because no one at the customer service level knows what to call the parts. I believe that there is one error in the URL, though. He mentions a "valve" down inside the valve cover. When I had my cover off all I saw was an oil-splash baffle, but I didn't try pulling it apart to be sure.

Balkamp also makes the vacuum harnesses, I got all three from NAPA for US$41, which may be a better price than the local dealer's parts window. They _are_not_indexed_ in the current catalogue but you can find them by flipping through it, looking for the illustrations. They are Balkamp part numbers 715-1365 (rear) 715-1366 (left) 715-1367 (right). Total cost locally for all three parts was US$41.

Wow, makes me wonder how you install the new grommets without breaking them as well? I've seen situations like this before, but why do engineers design parts that "need" to be broken in order to be removed? Gotta be a better way....

Yep, that photo describes exactly what I am trying to do, but why do the grommets require such a difficult removal? My shop manual says the PCV orifice tubes should be inspected every 30K miles.....so I am expected to buy new ones every 30K because they cant be removed without breakage? Gotta be a better way, right? :)

They are rubber, and if you really have to break them to get them out, by definition, they need replacing. The material hardens with heat and age. The new ones can be installed without breaking them. The idea is that the harder rubber compound does a better job of holding the air intake [front hose] and CCV fixed orifice [rear hose] in place.

You could probably find an online rubber grommet repository and buy ones that don't harden with age. Or you could just pry out the current ones and replace them with new ones. Like most engine rubber components, they need periodic replacement or you get lots of easily avoidable blowby...

OK, now I understand. I also see why Jeep recommends checking them every

30K miles.

BTW, are there any serious consequences if the crankcase ventilation has been clogged for months? I havent noticed any significant idle problems, but I have no idea how long the system has been plugged up. If the PCV valve becomes clogged, the blow-by gases and oil will just exit through the intake hose, right?

Thanks again for the help.....

TJM did pass the time by typing:

Months no, many years yes.

The CCV system takes oil fumes out of the engine and burns them. If these fumes are left in the engine they tend to condense on the valve cover and form a varnish/sludge. If the sludge gets thick enough it can clump off and plug oil passages. But that's usually only for very old engines and regular oil changes will have enough detergent in there to keep the small clumps broken up till the oil filter grabs them.

If this engine hasn't had proper care, check the valve cover as well if plastic, they leak. Pull the hoses and clean thoroughly or just replace them. Check the air and evap cannister for care as well.

I've seen PCV valves on other cars that bolt in with a replaceable gasket. Makes it very easy to maintain and replace. Jeep could learn a lesson here......

When my intake hose (the front one) got plugged up by a leaf in the airbox, the damned thing didn't leak just one place - it blew oil from every seam and seal on the engine! Even when I cleared it I wound up replacing both the front and rear main seals - but they were likely the original 1988 seals and hard as a rock, so they were due anyway.

They did. 2004 is the last year for that engine.

Good enough reason for me to get a new Jeep! ;-)