I was replacing my pcv valve this weekend and the grommet that fits into the valve cover where the pcv goes was hard as a rock. The plastic or rubber was so old it turned into a very hard plastic and i could hardly get it out. in the process, i was prying the piece out and a chunk fell into the valve cover, a piece about the size of your thumb nail or slightly smaller. Is this likely to cause me a real problem? I really don't want to pull the valve covers and deal with that.

what do you think?

 

Pulling out the valve cover is no big deal. All you need is the gasket that cost $10. Might stop the oil seepage in the process...oh, and to see how much sludge you have.

 

Hmm...doesn't want to pull the valve cover and get the piece out. Would rather wait until that piece of rock hard grommet plugs up an oil passage, or worse.

 

Better get it out. Won't take much.

 

tealboy1
The only chance you have is duck tape a small enough hose to your shop vac,has to fit through the hole you lost the rubber in,it should have fallen straight down, if it's small enough the vac will stick it to the hose and pull it up out. I did this trick on a Jeep Wrangler thru the throttle body and retrieved a spare key FROM THE INTAKE, that was on top of the air cleaned for a customer. What a place the store a x tra key.

Good luck
ARMSTRONGFORDTRUCKS

 

If i pull the valve cover and install a new gasket, do i need to use RTV gasket sealer or just the gasket itself?

 

If it has fallen straight down where you can get at it, you could get a blob of bearing grease on the end of a screwdriver, stick it down in the hole and gently press the rubber/plastic piece into the grease. It should stick and if you're gentle you should be able to get it out. Don't ask me (ex Ford dealer mechanic) how i know that little trick.............

 

Of course you could always just pull the valve cover and replace the gasket. Dunno about over there but over here (AUS) we can get cork or rubber gaskets, rubber ones are reuseable, cork ones tend to be single-use. I generally put them on dry, unless the valve cover is a bit howdydoo, in which case a bit of aviation gasket goo (if you can get it in the US) is a good thing.

 

Aviation is a brand, by the way...

 

well, i have already run the engine b/c i had to move it, so that plastic piece that may have been easy to grab may have moved or relocated, not sure. I only ran it for 3-4 minutes, but i suppose the oil flow could have relocated it. The vehicle is in the woods, so i won't see it or know until next weekend.

 

When installing a new valve cover gasket make sure the valve cover has been thoroughly cleaned and the flanges are straight. Use gasket adhesive to attach the gasket to the valve cover only and allow it to set up before you install it. Make sure the mounting surface on the head is also clean and do not over torque the mounting bolts.