PCV Valve - Rubber Grommet

[dnath28]

Hey all,

2002 Toyota 4Runner here - 162k miles.

First time doing this...

I just installed a new PCV Valve along with the Rubber Grommet. Picked up both at Advanced Auto Parts.

Taking out both was a pain. Grommet was stuck in there, I ripped off top portion of ring and the gromment fell inside. I ended up getting out entire piece with a skinny flathead screw driver.

Anyways, putting in the new grommet and PCV Valve - I first put PCV Valve in Grommet and it was such a pain to force that thing in there.. Then I applied a tad of WD40.. Still it would squeeze in.. Finally I forced it down in there and it appeared that the entire grommet was about to go in the hole - the way it was folding in there..

It never did, but I just checked on the valve now and its ripped?? - I took a picture to show yinz. Let me know what your thoughts are with this. Should I buy new grommet now and go through this pain again?

Or will everything be fine here... Let me know - You should be able to see tear on the upper outer ring portion.

Thanks,

 

[jgue467]

By the looks of that, I'd put a new grommet on - its gonna leak alot the way it is. Just wet it a bit to slide it in on new one. Luck. :cowboy:

 

[BlackRustBucket]

That doesn't look right, don't take any shortcuts and just get another. I JUST did this replacement (old one did the same thing n ripped in half) but I put the grommet in by itself first, then took a swab of oil off the dipstick with my finger and lubed the inner sealing service n pushed the pcv right in. If you don't get a new one and it leaks a vacuum leak will do all kinds of weird stuff to idle and what not

 

[dnath28]

A whole nother' $3!!! Instead of some idling issues?! FORGET IT, ill go another 100k till I invest that!!

Just kidding, I'll go to Advanced today after work and pop it in. Def gonna use the oil from dipstick to get it in easier.

Thanks for the Tip!

 

[BrianSD_42]

perhaps because it isnt an OEM rubber grommet ....

 

[Frontier719]

My PCV valve kept failing. I was replacing it with an aftermarket one from autozone, but every three months or so, it would fail again.

I talked to my mechanic and he said these engines kind of eat them if you don't use OEM. It's like $2 more but it's been in 6 months now and hasn't failed.

 

[nc-grayson]

That doesn't look right, don't take any shortcuts and just get another. I JUST did this replacement (old one did the same thing n ripped in half) but I put the grommet in by itself first, then took a swab of oil off the dipstick with my finger and lubed the inner sealing service n pushed the pcv right in. If you don't get a new one and it leaks a vacuum leak will do all kinds of weird stuff to idle and what not

perhaps because it isnt an OEM rubber grommet ....

This. I had no trouble, (surprising considering how many have the same problem), when I installed the grommet first, and then the PCV valve. Both OEM Parts. I guess I got lucky....I didn't even have to lube the gasket or valve to get them to work together.

 

[CallMeAnEngineer]

Listen very closely, because you're in the same situation I was in when I changed my PCV. The grommet is really dry-rotted, and will come off in small chunks which can fall down into the hole, potentially clogging an oil passage. Mine split clean in two then I tried to pull it out, and the bottom half fell down into the hole, which ended up taking close to an hour to retrieve it.

Just be aware and be careful so it doesn't happen to you as well.

 

[TheDurk]

My grommet was original when I changed it last summer. I had pre-soaked the outside with PB Blaster. Then I just worked gradually around the bottom with a seal pick--one that has a short L at the end. I pulled up just a little bit as I worked around. After I worked around maybe one and a half circuits it flew up in the air and when it came down, it was still in one piece. Phewwww!

I don't know if it was a good technique or luck. I have used cheapo NAPA PCV valves since Day 1 with no problems, but I change it every 30K when I do the plugs. I just never had done the grommet.

As to the original question, yeah, change that.

 

[HammerHead]

Listen very closely, because you're in the same situation I was in when I changed my PCV. The grommet is really dry-rotted, and will come off in small chunks which can fall down into the hole, potentially clogging an oil passage. Mine split clean in two then I tried to pull it out, and the bottom half fell down into the hole, which ended up taking close to an hour to retrieve it.

Just be aware and be careful so it doesn't happen to you as well.

^^^^X2 on this. When I did mine it broke into two. Luckily, I could see the piece that fell into the valve cover and got it out with some very long nose pliers. Just be careful.

 

[StreetCreeper]

Don't stress over breaking up the old grommet. Unless you pulverize the old grommet into near sand-like particles— it will be caught in the trap under the cover so it doesn't get sucked into the engine. If pieces do fall in (good chance they will if it's the original) then just grab some needle nose pliers and fish them out gently. No biggie.

Mine was original to the truck and petrified...it didn't budge without a fight. Had to go grommet fishing...

 

[BlackRustBucket]

A whole nother' $3!!! Instead of some idling issues?! FORGET IT, ill go another 100k till I invest that!!

Just kidding, I'll go to Advanced today after work and pop it in. Def gonna use the oil from dipstick to get it in easier.

Thanks for the Tip!

Haha yeah no biggie. Also as an extra precaution I held my shop vac to the hole on the valve cover after ripping the old one out too maybe suck up some little loose pieces. Alright though this is getting beaten to death lol good luck!

 

[dnath28]

^^^^X2 on this. When I did mine it broke into two. Luckily, I could see the piece that fell into the valve cover and got it out with some very long nose pliers. Just be careful.

Lol... yep both of you were right... taking my original PCV valve out the top ring ripped off and left it with the bottom portion of gromment stuck in. That whole piece ended up falling in and i used a long skinny flathead to retrieve it up to the hole - from there i cut the grommet with a razor blade so it would flex better then I retrieved it from the hole. What a waste of an hour trying to get that out!

Maybe I will go OEM if this one fails... By the way - How does one know if a PCV Valve is failing or not??

 

[TheDurk]

Lol... yep both of you were right... taking my original PCV valve out the top ring ripped off and left it with the bottom portion of gromment stuck in. That whole piece ended up falling in and i used a long skinny flathead to retrieve it up to the hole - from there i cut the grommet with a razor blade so it would flex better then I retrieved it from the hole. What a waste of an hour trying to get that out!

Maybe I will go OEM if this one fails... By the way - How does one know if a PCV Valve is failing or not??

Just pull it out and shake it. Ball should move freely. Then check for any cracks or other defects.