Help! My PCV hose doesn't suck!

[JSbeagle]

I've been a lurker here for a while, but never had a need to post.
Here goes:

I decided to seafoam my 4runner the right way (I had used the brake booster line in the past), and when I tried, I realized there was no suction on the hose that goes from the pcv valve to the engine (intake manifold?).

The rubber hose from the pcv to the metal nipple is fine, and I stuck a plastic zip tie into the metal part as far as I can (until the rubber hose on the back side), and it went in fine. I've tried using a kind of a syringe (normally for measuring premix oil) to apply pressure at the metal nipple, as well as suction, and nothing happens.

Its really hard to get back behind the engine (especially when its hot) to check the other rubber hose, but I'll do that tonight after it cools.

Is this a problem anybody else has experienced? I've searched all over the net and on here and found nothing. The truck drives fine, and no cel, but I don't want this to lead to more problems. I'm good mechanically, but don't know anything about engines.

This is on a 99 v6 ltd 4x4

Thanks in advance

 

[Singtoe]

The PVC valve is on the passenger side valve cover. If there is no suction then your valve is clogged up. Buy a new one and reinstall.

The hose in the back of the engine is quite large, so it being clogged up is highly unlikely.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I think what the OP is asking is why there is no suction or vacuum pull from the PCV line on the upper manifold.

Just from shadtree experience, there should not be any or very little at idle since the butterfly on the throttle body is closed. You need to incease the RPM's to draw the Seafoam from the can. It is similar to the reasoning behind the FSM saying to increase the RPMs to around 1500 to aid in drawing freon from the can when adding 134a to the AC system.

I would stick to using the line off the upper intake manifold. But I do not use Seafoam, so to each his own.

I do love to fish though....:fishing:

 

[JSbeagle]

The pcv is only a year or so old, but yeah, I was talking about the other end of the hose.

Hopefully LC is right and all I'll need to do is get a friend to give it a little gas. I guess I could just pull the throttle cable under the hood, but I might need a third hand. Even if I don't seafoam it, I want to make sure its pulling a suction on that line now.

Thanks for all of your help. I get a little panicky when I think theres something wrong with my truck. It only has 124000, so I plan to be driving it for a long time to come.

 

[notrayray]

It won't be pulled into the engine through the pcv hose.

Use the line off the vacuum booster if yours has one.
Edit: guess it must not.

I think it's only worth putting in your gas tank personally.

If you drive your vehicle more than a couple times a week for ten or more miles and everything in the area of ignition is good, you shouldn't worry about carbon buildup in the cylinders.
You could get the same desired effect with a cup of water.

 

[techno]

I seafoamed my engine on the weekend and used the pcv hose. I had lots of suction at idle. There was enough suction to actually suck the liquid up like a straw instead of slowly pouring down into the tube. I just held the end of the tube about 1mm above the cup of seafoam and that was enough to bring the engine close to stalling but not stopping.
I let it sit for 20 mins before commencing 'operation smoke out the neighborhood.' It made a noticable improvement to the feel and sound of my 135k engine.