Back to all

Clawson Drivers: Is It Time To Replace Your PCV Valve?

March 19, 2014

Your browser does not support video

Improved fuel economy has two benefits for Troy car owners: less fuel is necessary and fewer emissions are released. Clawson cars and trucks run cleaner than ever. Troy drivers may not realize that the first federally mandated pollution control device came out almost fifty years ago.


Michigan auto owners that were around in the early 60's may remember that the PCV Valve came out on 1964 model cars. PCV stand for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. Clawson Drivers: Is It Time To Replace Your PCV Valve?The crankcase is the lower part of the engine where the crankshaft is housed and where the engine oil lives. The crankshaft is connected to the pistons that power the engine.

When fuel is burned in the SUV engine, it pushes the pistons down and the crankshaft rotates and sends power to the transmission. Some of the explosive gases from combustion squeeze past the pistons and down into the crankcase.

Now this gas is about 70% unburned fuel. If it were allowed to remain in the crankcase, it would contaminate the oil and quickly turn it to dangerous sludge. Sludge is like Vaseline and clogs passages in the engine leading to damage.

Also, the pressure build up would blow out seals and gaskets. So in the old days, there was just a hose that vented the crankcase out into the air. Obviously, not good for our air quality in Troy.

Enter the PCV valve. It’s a small, one-way valve that lets out the 
harmful gases from the crankcase, and routes them back into the air intake system where they are re-burned in the engine. Fresh air comes into the crankcase through a breather tube. This makes for good circulation in the crankcase. And that gets the dangerous air out. As you can imagine, however, the valve gets gummed up over time.

Clawson drivers that skip oil changes now and then will notice that the PCV valve gets gummed up even faster. If the PCV valve is sticking in your SUV, the gases won’t circulate as well, leading to increased pressure in the crankcase. That, in turn, can lead to oil leaks. Fortunately, the PCV valve is very inexpensive to replace at Auto Lab Troy in Troy. Some can even be checked by your Friendly Auto Lab Troy advisor.

Your SUV car makers usually recommend they be changed somewhere between twenty and fifty thousand miles. Unfortunately, PCV valve replacement is left out of some SUV owner’s manuals, but at Auto Lab Troy, we will make sure your PVC is replaced if needed.

All of us Clawson car owners can do our part for the environment. Watch that lead foot, stay on top of our important automotive maintenance and don’t forget to replace our PCV valve.

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Auto Lab Troy

A Bumpy Ride (Strut Assembly Replacement)

February 25, 2024

If youve noticed your vehicles ride has lately been bumpy or youre hearing strange noises when you drive over bumps, you may need new struts. The strut assembly is part of your vehicles suspension system thats used to absorb the irregularities on the surfaces you drive on. You have probably hea... More

Losing Your Cool (Why is My Air Conditioning System Not Working?)

February 18, 2024

When you turn on the air conditioning in your vehicle, you expect cool air to come out of the vents. You depend on it, especially in hot weather, but it can also be important in humid weather when you need it to help defrost your windows and windshield. The air conditioning system has a lot of p... More

Catalytic Converter Replacement

February 11, 2024

Many of us have become aware of how important it is to keep our planets air clean, and your vehicle has a key component that helps do just that: the catalytic converter. Its in the exhaust system, and its job is to superheat unburned, harmful byproducts in the exhaust, so they dont get spewed ou... More