P80 PCV System Repair on a Volvo 5-cylinder (-1998)

[reluctant_mechanic]

Below are the pics and I inserted the original text to make it easier for anyone else...been driving around for several hundred miles, and woks fine. The key is to get the accordian hose inside the original cap, otherwise the oil will leak out. Hope this helps. One more thing, I know I'm not the first guy to do this, now.


This is a hack I made to reduce pressure until I can get around to replacing the PVC system ( I don't know how to post the pictures, but I got them): I got an oil filler cap at the boneyard, disassembled the interior metal from the plastic outer cover of the cap, drilled out the plastic outer cover to accommodate a grommet for a 70's style breather element and drilled four holes in the inner metal part of the filler cap. Then, I assembled the entire thing and put it on the engine, it clears the hood and have driven around for about 50 miles, highway included. Because the metal and plastic parts of the filler cap are not liquid-tight, I used a bit of accordian hose from a wet and dry vac between the grommet and the metal part of the filler cap, to capture and oil returning to the inside of the valve cover; it gives a tight fit but it might be better to use a section of hose but I didn't have any handy.

During the course of this exercise, I think I located an actual cap that was made for this application, but I am unwilling to misdirect any of my friends here, in case I'm wrong.

What I'd like to do is transfer this breather assembly to the rear blank cap on the engine, the cap that corresponds to the filler cap at the front of the engine. I'd like to drill this plug thing out and put the hot-rod style breather cap there. How difficult is it to remove this?

Thanks. Hi Matt, and everyone else.

[songzunhuang]

I will say that when I replaced my PCV system, I was amazed at how clogged my PTC was. Tons of crap in there.
However, I had to replace mine anyway as the insulated PVC pipe was all crumbly and no longer doing anything useful. Instead of putting another potentially crumbly PVC pipe, I replaced it with some high quality silicon hose. It'll be a LONG time before I ever have to worry about that again.

[bmdubya1198]

My PTC is pretty oily already, and I've only got about 3,000 miles on my PCV parts. I've been meaning to pull it out completely (never removed it from the intake elbow before) and give it a good cleaning, better than the cleaning I gave it when I did the PCV. It's just been too cold and I haven't thought about it.

[reluctant_mechanic]

A bit of an update should someone replicate this in the future.
I replaced the plastic accordian section with a piece of stainless pipe (thin wall) but you could use 1.25 or 1.5 copper, one inch long. You will have to flare or crimp the pipe, for the 1.25 or 1.5 size, respectively. I used the pipe I had on hand. The plastic pipe cannot stand up to the hot oil temperatures. Also the commercial PVC breather I used, did no come with a grommet; I had to retrieve one separately. I notice since then that they are available with mated grommets, sold in the same package. I'd advise getting this set-up.

The important part is to be sure that the pipe seals off the splashing oil from the edges of the flange where the oil will eventually seep out. I used a stretched O-ring on the outside of the stainless pipe section to create this seal; if your flare is good, and the pipe length is tight to the plastic, you should have no problem.

[Wreckerct]

I have several differing diagrams, photos and videos online. I am about to replace the PCV system. I have removed the old box and lines.

Does the hose that runs to the top of the cam cover near the oil cap insert onto the nipple closest to the front end/rad?
Thus the long hose that connects to the PTC valve, lower block (banjo bolt), and Intake manifold (banjo bolt) connects the rear nipple closest to the engine block.

Please advise,

[erikv11]

...Does the hose that runs to the top of the cam cover near the oil cap insert onto the nipple closest to the front end/rad?
Thus the long hose that connects to the PTC valve, lower block (banjo bolt), and Intake manifold (banjo bolt) connects the rear nipple closest to the engine block. ...

Look way back some 32 pages to the very first post, on page one of this thread. About halfway down jblackburn describes "step 7." His picture there is correct and very clearly labeled. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28487

[Bob 88]

FWIW, the bolt which fastens the manifold to the block is easy to access if you remove the radiator fan shroud.
The fan shroud is held in with four screws at the top and a couple of tabs at the bottom which slot into the bottom of the radiator.
If I did it again, I would start by removing the fan shoud.
Here's a vid from Robert Spinner showing removal of the radiotor fan shroud:

[jblackburn]

FWIW, the bolt which fastens the manifold to the block is easy to access if you remove the radiator fan shroud.
The fan shroud is held in with four screws at the top and a couple of tabs at the bottom which slot into the bottom of the radiator.
If I did it again, I would start by removing the fan shoud.
Here's a vid from Robert Spinner showing removal of the radiotor fan shroud:

I realized this after about my 3rd time of doing one. I should go back and edit the original post - yes, it does make things MUCH easier.

[bmdubya1198]

Yes... removing the fan frees up a LOT of space. It would have made a difference if I did that when my cousin and I did the PCV on his '99. That proved helpful when we had to put the throttle hose back on after blowing it off on the test run... oops.

[reluctant_mechanic]

substituted stainless return pipe

Screenshot at 2017-05-30 12-33-30.png (595.85 KiB) Viewed 1805 times

(This post is updated on 5/30/2017, the original post was written about 12/16)

Below are the pics I inserted the original text to make it easier for anyone else...been driving around for several hundred miles, and works fine. The key is to get the accordian hose inside the original cap, otherwise the oil will leak out. Hope this helps. One more thing, I know I'm not the first guy to do this, now.


This is a hack I made to reduce pressure until I can get around to replacing the PVC system I got an oil filler cap at the boneyard, disassembled the interior metal from the plastic outer cover of the cap, drilled out the plastic outer cover to accommodate a grommet for a 70's style breather element and drilled four holes in the inner metal part of the filler cap. Then, I assembled the entire thing and put it on the engine, it clears the hood and have driven around for several thousand miles, highway included. Because the metal and plastic parts of the filler cap are not liquid-tight, I originally used a bit of accordian hose from a wet and dry vac between the grommet and the metal part of the filler cap, to capture and oil returning to the inside of the valve cover; it gave a tight fit but later I noticed that it melted, so it is better to use a section of hose or metal pipe. After a few hundred miles, I changes the accordion pipe for a piece of stainless (mentioned in a revision post below). You could use any temperature resistant piping of sufficient width that will return splashing oil, such as copper pipe. I used a piece of scrounged stainless.

During the course of this exercise, I think I located an actual cap that was made for this application, but I am unwilling to misdirect any of my friends here, in case I'm wrong.

What I'd like to do is transfer this breather assembly to the rear blank cap on the engine, the cap that corresponds to the filler cap at the front of the engine. I'd like to drill this plug thing out and put the hot-rod style breather cap there. How difficult is it to remove this?

Thanks. Hi Matt, and everyone else.