Oil Catch Can, Eliminate that knock!

That's my thought too.

That sounds like a "smoking gun".

 

got my catch can today/
so now the question is which way is better/easier to access the pcv valve: removing the plastic on the bottom of the car or removing airfilter/throttlebody.... ?

 

@NutzAboutBolts video (PCV valve replacement, pinned in Maintenance sub-forum) accesses from below, my hunch is that is a lot easier, especially if you're used to doing that for oil changes. He removes a clip holding a hybrid cable, pushes it out of the way for more room

 

ok, I'll try the air box first; 3 10mm bolts sound better than 10 10mm bolts plus 16 clips/
but why do you suggest to cut the little hose in half?
actually, I wanted the set-up like you have it here:

 

The intake manifold doesn't need to come off, if you go at it from above?

 

that's why I was asking/
I don't want to stand there on a saturday afternoon with a gasket I might not be able to re-use/

 

It's pretty easy to remove the airbox and give it a thorough cleaning while you're at it. It may give you access to the PCV, but I doubt it. Life would certainly be better if it did.

I think you'll need to go at it from below (which, sorry to say, is no fun at all) or remove the intake manifold, which is less fun.

Dan recommended using a coupler: You pull the hose from the PCV and attach a new hose from PCV to catch can. Then you run a second new hose from catch can to intake manifold (pretty sure it's intake manifold)... but as you can see in the photo you linked, you keep a portion of the old hose and attach then new hose to it using a coupler and clamps, because that old hose flares and changes size where it attaches to the intake. See what I mean?

 

Sorry to chime in late here. I have been having some knocking problems and acceleration problems and it just felt like there was something wrong with the air intake. Saturday morning I took apart the throttle body, intake, air box, etc. to figure out where the problem existed. After removing the throttle body I noticed right away there was a nice puddle of oil in the bottom of the intake. I traced the leak back to the PCV valve, which I had recently replaced so I figured it was good. After some online search I found this thread and decided to make the oil catch can.

To answer some questions; yes, remove the intake to make the oil catch can! Picture below shows you have no room to work from underneath the vehicle, plus you have to take off the annoying plastic cover. Picture from underside of car:

Removing the intake is four bolts, plus some hoses, electrical connections, and the EGR pipe. I think I took the most time at Home Deport finding the parts! I used 3/8" braided clear hose, a 3/8" brass male to male connector (to connect new hose with cut in half old PCV hose), (2) 3/8" to 1/2" 90 degree connectors for connection to Ball jar, (2) 1/2" threaded PVC nuts (to secure 90 degree connector to jar lid), some steel wool I had laying around, and a Quart size wide mouth Ball jar. In all, the supplies cost about $30, but of that $30 I spent $11 on a 12 pack of Ball jars.

So far the car has run much better, in my daily commute with heavy traffic on I4 in Orlando, I have not noticed the knock that always use to be there, and the car accelerated much better. Overall, I would highly recommend this mod for anyone having similar issues! Next up, cleaning the entire EGR system, anyone have suggestions for that??

 

That picture's from below?

Meh, I would try from the underside still. I take off that "annoying" engine underpanel every 6 months, with oil changes, no big deal. I appreciate it's tight quarters either way, but it seems a lot less disruptive from below, compared to removing crucial engine components from above. Again, @NutzAboutBolts video removing the PCV valve is from below.

 

Yes, that's a picture from below.

I'd still recommend removing the intake just to clean out all the build up. I used an entire can of throttle body/intake cleaner on those parts and there is still some build up left.

Good luck!

 

Yeah good points.

 

At 185k started to hear start up knock...oil or water into combustion chamber?? Started with easy one.. oil. Found a ton under throttle body. A little reservoir built into plenum got full...cleaned up pretty good.. needs to be done regularly. Through throttle body syringe-anything...

 

You can reach across from inverter to pcv from top side with an extension and socket...be sure to unplug drive battery!!! Safety first! Takes all of a few minutes. No need to go from below!

 

All he did was unclip a little bracket which holds the HV cable against a piece of metal so it doesn't flap around. He wasn't disconnecting the HV cable, just moving a few inches of it out of the way so he could reach the PCV valve.

 

On my 2010 that HV cable is not in the way, for pcv valve access from below. A coolant hose tied back a bit though. Maybe 2012 onward had a tweak?

 

I did mine from above
No bottom work no clips no covers
Just unplug HV BATTERY PLUG !

 

Okay
This is a must do!
MPG jumped to 54 hiway!
No clank shutter misfire nada! At cold start...acceleration never felt better!
I'm cleaning catch under throttle valve every oil change!
Unbelievable! And so easy!