PCV broke and fell in engine

[jaiden]

The good news is that my car runs much better with a new PCV valve.
The bad news is that most of the bottom plastic part is now somewhere in my engine. I tried to fish it out, but I'm pretty sure I knocked it down a hole. I'm guessing it's in the oil pan now?
Any thoughts as to how to handle this? As it is brittle plastic, I'm hoping it will just get smashed by the crank and not really hurt anything.
Also, the intake where the PCV first slid down to was full of gunky oily crud. Is there a way to clean this without taking everything apart? It's nasty. Then again, if I had gone 302000 miles, I'd be pretty cruddy too.
Thoughts?

[A20A1]

no they wont get into the engine, there is a box between the bock and the PCV valve. The plastic is probably in the box.

[Whistler225]

I went to replace mine today, though when I pulled the old one out it rattled just like it should. Thank god, because while trying to install the new one, I dropped it down onto the block under the intake and couldn't get to it to get it back out.

The reason I dropped it was because the gromet the pcv goes into was (in my case) basically non-existent, and what was there was all below the upper surface of the intake. It almost seems like it's just a rubber hose under there. Pretty annoying, because the damned thing kept moving while I was trying to seat the pcv. Anyone know anything about this, or how to fix it? seems like parts stores don't carry the specific gromet, though I'm sure a standard size would probably work....just how to secure that hose beneath?

[88Accord-DX]

What your calling a grommet is actually part of the hose that goes from the bottom of the intake to the breather box. That part can only be found at the dealer. It will be a pain to change it out cause of limited room to work with.

11856-PH2-000 TUBE A, PCV 1 $13.00 = -------------(PCV tube from intake to breather box)

[Whistler225]

yeah...sorry this is my first honda, and I've never seen a pcv that didn't come out of the valve cover. So this setup is a little new to me. So does the replacement tube come all the way up through the intake and lock in place? (kind of like it has a gromet on the end?) And yeah, it looks like a few things would have to be removed before I could get to both ends of this tube....can't even reach it with my fingers to hold it still as it is. I'm starting to wonder if my pcv is even installed properly. The hose coming off the top is only about 2" long and goes right back into the intake as far as I can tell. The hose underneath goes further under the intake toward the passenger side of the car....is this where the breather box is located?

[A20A1]

I actually filed down the hole bigger so the tube wouldn't lock in place... that would make things easier and keep the heat of the intake manifold from directly touching that area causing the PCV gasket to dry up faster.

[88Accord-DX]

So does the replacement tube come all the way up through the intake and lock in place?

The PVC tube locks in the intake & runs down to breather box, held on with a factory hose clamp. It holds the bottom of the PVC valve in place. They tend to dry up & break after so many years of heat off the intake.

is this where the breather box is located?

Yeah, the breather box is a black box mounted on the block at the bottom end of the PVC hose end, It also has a hose going to the oil pan too.

[Whistler225]

so with the hole filed bigger, how do you keep the damned hose from moving around so you can seat the pcv? I had to put a fair amount of pressure on the pcv to get it to pop into the hose.....at least I know it's in there and has a decent seal....has anyone ever plugged that hole and moved the pcv to the top of the valve cover?seems it would be easier to get to there...

[Hondaisok]

My pcv valve was stuck-probably never been changed. I twisted it with channel locks, and my coolant started to drain out. Had to take it to these great ex-Honda mechs, bitch to get at and cost me a couple hundred. They replaced hose and coolant valve.

[Whistler225]

that sounds like a thermo-valve, right? we're talking about the pcv, which is a valve that returns enriched fumes back into the combustion circuit to be re-burned....as far as I know, the pcv doesn't touch the coolant circuit.

[A20A1]

you shouldn't have to force it... if the parts are fresh it should slide in easily and seal just as good.

[Hondaisok]

Yeah, it was the pcv valve. I'm no expert, but I know a pcv valve when I see one. I couldn't get access to see what was leaking. Couldn't find it in the parts manual, but I know it was leaking antifreeze. Maybe when I twisted it, the hose crunched something else? Anyway, I would recommend replacing it fairly often. From repair shop: Coolant leaking since customer tried to replace pcv valve.
Replaced broken coolant valve, replaced hose going to pcv, refilled cooling system. OK at this time.

[Cant Stop]

lol no your pcv has nothing to do with the coolant system however the coolant system that runs through the intake is under your intake so carelessness can break a rotted hose i have either removed all of my carb warming hoses or replaced them down side to this car doesnt warm up as nicely as for the pcv valv if yours is brittle replace the u shaped upper hose the valve the hose going to the breather as well as the o-ring that goes in the block and the hose that has now turned to plastic that goes to the oil pan from the breather box, dont file your hole bigger the hose locks in and the valve will push in with no problems all of this stuff is not to bad to get to from under the car. if you want to see what i have done just type in the url in my sig and look at my pics it will ask if url is good say ya and there you are, i had a bad "freeze" plug on my intake and decided to do the mod's however i would keep the choke and prolly the warm up circuit.
after so many years a lot of this stuff rusts and rots so replacing it once in your lifetime wont hurt as the car may or may not make it to its 32nd birthday with you as the owner.