I recently changed the PVC valve on my 1996 XLT with the 4 cylinder 2.3. After struggling to find the thing myself and after reading a number of posts about the trouble everyone seem to have, I decided to try and provide a picture of where it is and what I did to be able to get my hand on the thing.

Using the following image, here are a few hints:



First, 'A' marks the location of the PVC valve. It's hidden below the spark plug wires on the drivers side.

Next, by taking out the bolt marked 'B' you can tilt the black cover back a bit and give yourself some precious room (you'll need it).

Letter 'C' marks where some wires are clipped in. You can pry this clip out and move the wires a little bit out of the way.

Letter 'D' marks an electric plug that you can unplug by squeezing both sides and pulling it off. Should come off easy. Move it out of the way.

Letter 'E' is the spark plug wire. Remove it carefully. Twist and pull or better yet if you have one of those fancy pliers that grabs the boot of the wire, use that. Just don't pull directly on the wire. Only pull on the boot. When the plug wire comes off, move it out of the way.

Letter 'F' marks the clip holding the spark plug wires. You can open up the clip and move the wires around to give yourself a bit more room.

You now have the area opened up about as big as your going to get without removing engine parts. If you can get your hand in there you can remove the PVC valve fairly easily. Mine was changed after 100,000 miles and it does not seem to stick (at least mine didn't).

Install the new PVC valve, and reassemble in the reverse order. Look everything over one more time and start it up.

You should be good to go.

 

What does this pvc valve do, why did you change it ..symptoms?

 

what year is your truck, mine is a 2003, i think they hid it somewhere else. if anyone knows where please post.

 

Sorry...edited the original post to say 1996.

...and here is a link to a lot more about the PCV valve than you probably wanted to know....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCV_valve

 

thanks, that was interesting. now i just have to locate mine.

 

On an '03, it on the top of the valve cover, beside the oil filler. Look for the hose running from the valve cover to the air intake tube, and thats it. The hose has quick disconnect fittings, and the valve mounts to the valve cover.

 

thanks john, everything is how you described except i dont see any valve on the valve cover or in the elbow. where the elbow plugs into the valve cover it looks like it should be a pcv valve but there is nothing inside it. i just got this truck a couple of weeks ago, i wonder if the owner before me removed it. i think i will just pick one up at the parts store tommorow and see what i can do with it. ive never had so much trouble locating a simple pcv valve before.

 

Hmmm, let me check again, I thought the valve was in the valve cover.


Edit: I went out and pulled it all apart, and you are correct sir, no PCV valve. So now maybe someone with more experience can chime in. Let me know if you find it, and maybe post up a pic of what the valve looks like.

 

found it here

 

thanks for finding it and responding so fast, that was a big help, i was going nuts trying to find that thing. ill get a new one tommorow and stick it on.

 

Thank you, thank you, Thank YOU!! Can't believe I couldn't find it.

 

don't forget the pcv valves you get from parts stores will look different sometimes. Some you have to remove the plastic part and others just come with a little plug for one of the connectors. I know it did on mine. The plug is in the middle of the two connectors, kinda like the mixing paddle on those tubes of 5 minute epoxy :)