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

[98expeditionXLT]

Before tearing your pvc system apart because you have oil under the spark plug cover, replace the oil filler cap.

DON'T do that if the PCV system isn't venting like it should. If you have smoke from the oil dipstick, DO NOT replace the oil seal cap. You'll start venting out/blowing out your engine seals instead.

MY bad. I should have provided more information. JBlackburn you made an excellent point. Thank you.
In my case, I had no oil coming out of the dipstick tube, no pressure build up at the dipstick tube, but I went ahead and replaced the pvc system because it had never been done at about 210k miles and the car has been in the family since new. After the pvc system change, when I noticed that oil was still building up under the spark plug cover thats when I replaced the oil filler cap.

[Joseph]

Hello, I have a question, now I am not that mechanically incline or too car savvy so I was hoping someone could help me identify what the hoses are called that come from the idle control valve and possibly provide part numbers. I just redid my pcv yesterday with a kit from IPD and the hoses from the idle control valve broke. Right now I have a small piece of radiator hose from the idle control valve to the vacuum tree and the lower hose cracked but did not brake in two so I have temporary hose tape stuff around it. Thank you. And thanks to everyone who contributed to this post.

[vjaneczko]

I'm in the middle of this job and getting really cheesed at this whole thing! It doesn't help that I'm trying to do two other jobs at the same time and running into a butt-load of problems from all of them... Thank Jebus I haven't started the timing belt job yet!

First, that second bolt on the under-side, behind the dipstick bolt, is a pain to get at - removing the fan had no benefit - and removing the fan needed me to remove the intercooler hoses just to get that one screw. After what seemed 30 minutes of trying different combinations, it appears that I've got the right combination of u-joints and wobble extensions to reach the bolt, but I think I may be rounding the corners on it. I hit it with PB and hopefully it'll be better in the morning. It appears (from the very limited view I can get) to be attached to an L bracket. Would it be easier to unbolt the bracket from the engine or does this bracket hold the weight of the mani and ultimately be a bad idea?

Second, the return fuel rail on my '97 is a hard line like Justin's instead of the rubber hose I've seen in some pics. Do I have to remove the fuel rail from the mani to remove the line?! I don't see any other way about it unless I'm missing something. I'd hate to start pulling on it and kink it. I unbolted the rail but there isn't enough space to allow the metal line to pass between.

[jblackburn]

I did it with extensions and u-joints. You can do it! It's just a royal pain. I'm not entirely sure where the bracket actually bolts into, but I'm sure that one isn't accessible either.

Once you undo the lines from the back of the engine and remove the silver cover from the top of the fuel rail, you should be able to get that line out of the way. I bent mine...but you shouldn't have to going by what other people say.

[vjaneczko]

well, after struggling for DAYS with this suckhole, I'm almost done. Almost.

The 2nd bolt on the bottom of the mani did get stripped, so I attacked that bracket. Turns out it was much easier - just have to remove the fan first. The bracket has two bolts on the engine; a 12mm holding it to the engine and a 10mm holding the wire harness for the alternator. Pulled those two out and I was able to yank the mani!!

For the fuel return line, I actually pulled the passenger wheel and disconected the line from the rubber hose, just above the and behind the bolts for the control arm. From that I was able to gently slide it along the coolant line for the turbo, then along the front of the timing belt cover. When I lifted the intake, the hose was clear of obstructions and I didn't have to bend it in any manner where it might kink. Heck, as I lifted the mani, I didn't even have to hold the hose that much, just had to make sure it was doing what I wanted it to do.

Sorry I can't post pictures; my daughter happend to grab my camera and didn't tell me

Now I just have to finish reconnecting everything. I'm pretty sure I stripped one of the upper bolts for the mani but I think that's the only 'issue' from this project. I'm also taking the time to replace the old rubber hoses with the blue silicone so it's taking longer than it should, even without the problems...

When I was looking into the engine and the mani, it was very ugly - but after 225K miles, I don't think this job has ever been done so I'm not surprised. Blackened gunk all over, so I'm thinking I need a can of Seafoam and a quiet, deserted corner.

[precopster]

I've now done the PCV on both 5 cylinder & six cylinder RWD white block motors and I can tell you the RWD SIX IS MUCH HARDER.

I'm about to post the six write-up and after removing ALL Belts including serpentine, timing, all pulleys tensioners, then the rear timing cover, then the thermostat housing, JUST so I can remove the inlet manifold, that's GOTTA SKIN KNUCKLES and patience!! Did I forget to mention the starter was removed also so I could cut the hose on the block??

Speaking of hard access a friend of mine was looking into purchasing a A 160/180 series Merc for his daughter when he learned that the engine must be removed just to change the starter!!

[scoley1]

Thanks for this excellent tutorial...My 850 turbo manual wagon with 240,000 k's showed all the signs of clogged PCV ( oil under the plug cover, horrid smell in the cabin on startup, smokin most of the time and puffin billy out the dipstick) so we got the kit from grotons and this week went for it...Easier if you attempt it with a mate, at the very least you have someone to hand you the tools, also handy when accessing that mongrel bolt that holds the manifold bracket.....otherwise it was a enjoyable day on the car, with only a few injuries....We replaced all the brittle old vacuum hoses etc which is time consuming but worth it for peace of mind...Fired up OK when finished but limped home billowing smoke to find we had left the main hose off the throttle body housing....Interestingly the car has gone from a smoke billowing brute with tons of turbo boost to a much more mild mannered vehicle and yes no smoke, a huge difference, no cabin smell and virtually no dipstick smoke...just have to work out why that turbo seems less potent.......Once again thank again for your invaluable info, much appreciated...Steve

[mrboogaty]

MY GOODNESS is that big hose to the PTC nipple hard to get on...and then i have to tighten the clamp??!! geez!! I need three arms the size of broom sticks! Hello all!! Just installed the PCV kit from ipd on my newly aquired v70 T5 with 208k also did the rear cam seals while i was at it. everything went well all but for my not tighting down of the cam sensor bolt that left me stranded in a parking lot (turned off but would not start back). Seems overall to run much smoother but not as powerful...not sure why?? could be in my head. I have a question about a mystery vacuum hose i found, its almost exactly like the ridgid tube to the top of the throttle body vacuum tree thingy...looks yellow with the black rubber couplers, where on earth does this thing go?? i have looked everywhere...except where it goes

[jblackburn]

That should go to the SAS valve at the front by the radiator. You can sort of see it at the top of this picture.



And yeah, that hose at the back is a REAL PITA to deal with.

[98moulvo]

Hey, Thanks for the awesome write up!
I did the PCV system today, and the car started up great. However, it will now not shift out of first gear, and takes much longer to drops rev's. I'm just realizing that i may have forgotten to reconnect the vaccuum line to the intake manifold. might this have an effect on the slow rev drops? I'm stumped about being stuck in 1st gear... going to check the tranny fluid first thing in the AM, any other ideas? I think it had a rough ride off the ramps (my left fog lamp broke) maybe something got jostled out of position?