Pcv Valve Diy (with Pics)

[lemon]

Maybe this post should have gone under the general maintenance, but I think there are some things specific to the hybrid (location of the air intake etc.)

1. Loosen the clamps holding the large intake tubing to the airbox. I took the pics out of order and the MAF wiring is already removed. This is actually step #3 below.

2. Remove the bolts holding the airbox to the engine (three 10mm bolts) (also remove the right side engine covers - you have to push down the little button on the round clips then remove the clips - to reset the clips pull the 'arms' apart and push them through so the button is sticking up - when reinstalling the covers, put the clips through the holes and push the button down - sorry no pics on this, but it's in the owner's manual I think)

3. Remove the electrical connector on top of the airbox that leads to MAF. The connector is encased in rubber and says 'push' on it. Just push down and wiggle it as you pull back. The cable itself is connected to the airbox. Remove the clips using a very small bladed screwdriver (there are two prongs inside the clips you need to push. Hopefully you can see them in picture #5.

4. Remove the airbox. This is a bit tricky. You have to pull it forward first as there is a metal post at the rear inserted into a rubber grommet. Then remove the rubber hoses (you loosened the hose clamps in step #1). Then tilt the right side up and remove upwards and rightwards. You have to move it to the right because the left side of the airbox (were you removed two bolts in step #2) gets caught on the brake fluid container. Sorry not many pics on the actual procedure. The first two pics are the rubber grommet that the post at the back of the airbox inserts to.

5. Remove the steel support that the airbox had been bolted too (where you removed two bolts on the left side of the airbox). You may be able to skip this step, but I found the support to be in my way. You'll see the PCV valve behind the intake screwed to the rear of the valve cover. Use some needle nose pliers to push back the clamp and then pull the hose to the rear and off the valve. It's tight in there. If you have huge manhands, you may want to enlist someone with smaller hands. One the hose is off, I used an adjustable crescent wrench to loosen the valve. Last few shots are old valve beside new valve. The old valve still worked (I could hear the valve rattling when I shook it, but had obvious carbon and blowby buildup). Nice of Toyota to already have the valve threads wrapped in teflon tape.

6. Install new valve. I screwed it in by hand quite a ways, then used the crescent wrench to tighten it. Push the hose back on, use needle nose pliers to put clamp back on. Reinstall the metal air box support. Reinstall airbox (remember about the metal post and rubber grommet). Reattach wiring for MAF, push MAF connector on till you feel it 'click'. Bolt airbox back with the three bolts removed in step #2. Attach rubber intake tubing and tighten clamps (from step #1). Reinstall engine covers.

TADA!! The PCV valve was $13 CDN (so probably $6-7 US). Took me about an hour, but it was my first time and I was taking pics. Wonder what the dealership charges?

New PCV valve is good for 5 horsepower and 2 MPG (just kidding).

I also changed the rear diff fluid but it was messy and I didn't want to get ATF all over my camera. It was even easier, but you do need some sort of fluid transfer pump to add the new fluid as there's no space for a funnel or room to pour from the ATF bottle.

Next on my list is to change the CVT fluid.

Already serviced the front and rear brakes (again, messy so no pics). The fronts were OK - the rears (and this is typical of all rear disc brakes) had seized caliper slider pins. Took them out, lubed them up and good to go. If you're not a DIYer, I highly recommend getting the brakes serviced, especially the rears. Due to the regenerative braking, the pads on the RX400h tend to last quite a while so the brakes may not have ever been touched. A regular vehicle probably would have had the pads replaced at least once at the number of KMs that I have (115000) and the caliper pins would have been checked and lubed then.

[RX400h]

Thanks for the excellent writeup. As a general rule-of-thumb, the PCV valve should be changed when the spark plugs need to be changed. I changed the Corvette's prematurely, primarily because it was so easy to do.

How easy was the brake work? Did you measure the rotor thickness? Is the minimum thickness stamped on it? Were there any issues with regenerative components when removing the calipers?

...sorry for all the questions, but I'm sometimes a DIY person (if I don't have to spend the whole weekend on a particular project).

[lemon]

Thanks for the excellent writeup. As a general rule-of-thumb, the PCV valve should be changed when the spark plugs need to be changed. I changed the Corvette's prematurely, primarily because it was so easy to do.

How easy was the brake work? Did you measure the rotor thickness? Is the minimum thickness stamped on it? Were there any issues with regenerative components when removing the calipers?

...sorry for all the questions, but I'm sometimes a DIY person (if I don't have to spend the whole weekend on a particular project).

The brake work was easy, and very similar to other vehicles I've worked on. I didn't measure rotor or pad thickness (lots of pad left, though) - all I did was clean things up and lubricate the caliper pins and contact points.

The regenerative components have nothing to do with the regular brakes - it's all done via the electric motors. I wondered the same thing (if the regenerative braking was somehow part of the standard brakes) till I pulled off the wheels and poked around under the vehicle.

[lemon]

Just thought I'd bump my post up, since I did the PCV valve again today. If you haven't replaced yours ever, this is fairly straight forward.

I'm on the fence about doing the spark plugs myself (they are due to be changed soon) - only because the rears are so hard to access. Really, though, I should have done the fronts myself when I had the airbox off...damn. Might just pay the dealer to do it....maybe on Monday when it's in for the crankshaft pulley recall. I'm at 180 000 KM and I think the recommended interval is 192 000 KM.