Hello, looking for someone that might have been through this before.

I have about 160K on my wifes escape and a burning oil smell has started to be noticed when stopped etc. It doesnt drop bad to the ground but after looking the engine it's got oil front to back down over almost all sides.

I found the leak coming from the top center (v6) where the pcv valve was located. I know it's past due to change and did change the pcv valve hoping to elminate the problem.

The thing i'm worreid about is the part the pcv valve is seated in. I did some reading and it sits in the cranckcase vent oil seperator, which I'm also reading to be changed you need to strip the front head off? Hoping to find someone that might have changed this thing before or experienced the same problem. Again I hope it's the pcv valve and time will tell, but wanted to know a little about what else is involved with that seperator.
Like if there is a known shortcut or something, It's very hard to see with the intake piled on the top of the engine.

Any advice is welcome.

 

Generally speaking a separator is a 'maze' of chopped up metal that makes the vapors coming from the crankcase take a bunch of turns before it can get out. When it takes the turns, the vapor goes around the corner easily, but anything that has any mass to it, such as a liquid, will bump into the metal and land there. After a while, there is enough liquid on the metal for it to form a drop, and it collects with other drops and drains out of the separator back into the crankcase.
If your separator is clogged up, it will not flow the vapor. If the liquid return is blocked, you could possibly be passing the liquid through the separator. If the metal shavings are all coated, and the gaps filled with 'tar', then the separator will possibly pass the liquid on out with the vapor.
It takes a lot of neglect to get a separator to get all clogged up. Or a lot of very short trips without ever changing the oil. Such as the ad seen on TV with Mike Rowe where Ford is selling oil changes and the mechanic shows him oil that has turned into sludge.
tom

 

I have exactly the same problem and finally figured out that it is the elbow on the vent hose that goes to the front valve cover. The part number of the elbow is 6N077 but it must be purchased as part of an assembly, which is 6758-A.

As a temporary measure, I put a smaller piece of more rigid hose inside the elbow and used a tie-wrap to secure it within the elbow. Hopefully that will hold until I get the $40 dollar replacement parts.

 

If you can find one in a boneyard that is in good shape, you could save a few bucks. You'd have to inspect the part before buying. Most of the 'plumbing' like that is very elastic in accepting owner modification without malfunction or complaint. If you can make it seal and work with your fix, you don't need to replace it with the OEM part. The vapors will flow to where they are expected, and you won't be rustproofing your engine as you drive if the inside diameter is a little different from factory.
tom