Poorer Gas Milage / PCV vavle
#1
05-14-2004, 08:53 PM
Poorer Gas Milage / PCV vavle
I am new to the world of working on engines and these are the questions that I currently have.
1) What is a PCV valve?
2) Where is it located?
3) How often should it be replaced?
4) Would a PCV valve go bad or start to operate at less then 100% if I travel on dirt roads often?
5) Would a poorly functioning PCV valve cause poor gas mileage and rough idling?
The reason I am asking this question is a engine repair guy I know was bragging (He is a Chevy guy.) that my Trident 5.4L is going to DIE because of a $13 part called a PCV valve.
My truck: (currently getting 12mpg highway)
1) 2003 F-150 Crew Cab 4x4
2) 18,000 miles
3) 5.4L V8
My brother’s truck: (currently getting 11mpg highway)
1) 2002 F-150 Super Cab 4x4
2) 19,500 miles
3) 5.4L V8
If you have any suggestions as to why our trucks are driving like there is a hole in the gas tank, please let me know.
1) What is a PCV valve?
2) Where is it located?
3) How often should it be replaced?
4) Would a PCV valve go bad or start to operate at less then 100% if I travel on dirt roads often?
5) Would a poorly functioning PCV valve cause poor gas mileage and rough idling?
The reason I am asking this question is a engine repair guy I know was bragging (He is a Chevy guy.) that my Trident 5.4L is going to DIE because of a $13 part called a PCV valve.
My truck: (currently getting 12mpg highway)
1) 2003 F-150 Crew Cab 4x4
2) 18,000 miles
3) 5.4L V8
My brother’s truck: (currently getting 11mpg highway)
1) 2002 F-150 Super Cab 4x4
2) 19,500 miles
3) 5.4L V8
If you have any suggestions as to why our trucks are driving like there is a hole in the gas tank, please let me know.
Last edited by k_day64; 05-14-2004 at 08:56 PM.
#2
05-14-2004, 09:35 PM
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Re: Poorer Gas Milage / PCV vavle
Originally posted by k_day64
I am new to the world of working on engines and these are the questions that I currently have.
1) What is a PCV valve?
2) Where is it located?
3) How often should it be replaced?
4) Would a PCV valve go bad or start to operate at less then 100% if I travel on dirt roads often?
5) Would a poorly functioning PCV valve cause poor gas mileage and rough idling?
I am new to the world of working on engines and these are the questions that I currently have.
1) What is a PCV valve?
2) Where is it located?
3) How often should it be replaced?
4) Would a PCV valve go bad or start to operate at less then 100% if I travel on dirt roads often?
5) Would a poorly functioning PCV valve cause poor gas mileage and rough idling?
PCV is the abbreviation for Positive Crankcase Ventilation.
Fresh air is mixed with combustion blow by gases and routed through the PCV to the throttle body to go through the combustion process again. It function is to reduce hydrocarbon emissions and I think it also removes explosive gases from the crankcase.
2) Where is it located?
On my 1999 F150 5.4L triton (trident?) engine...
3) How often should it be replaced?
60,000 or 48 months.
4) Would a PCV valve go bad or start to operate at less then 100% if I travel on dirt roads often?
Its possible.
5) Would a poorly functioning PCV valve cause poor gas mileage and rough idling?
I don't know about the gas mileage but a vacuum leak in the PCV hose could cause rough idling.
--------------------------------
Do you live at extremely high altitudes?
Winter fuel can reduce mpg.
Do you carry a lot of weight in your trucks or pull a load?
Are your tires properly inflated?
What octane gas do you use?
Last edited by temp1; 05-14-2004 at 09:41 PM.
#3
05-15-2004, 12:37 AM
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When was the last time the air filter was replaced? I have found some occasions that the first tank after it is changed I will get back to at least factory 16MPG with a Fram filter. Also I occasionally put in a bottle of Gumout fuel injector cleaner (once a year maybe). Worth a try.
Don't Worry about those Chevy braggers. There Chevy won't last as long they are bragging because they know it (but they won;t admit it). I have a friend who just told me their 2000 buick century blew the head gaskets at 42k (what kind of quality is that to brag about). A coworker was complaining about his 2001 Venture blew a head gasket and says he will buy another Chevy. All I can say is they are too ignorant to know and believe that there are better quality products than GM. I will never own another GM for as long as I live. Any company who does nothing but bash competition in advertisements does not get any sale from me. I had a 84 Olds Cutlass before this truck. WHat a worthless peice of GM and it sure burned me along with my dad's 91 Chevy Dually that would backfire everytime it was shut off (every since it was new). When he traded it for a 95 F350 Diesel and has not been any prouder of a purchase at now 185k mileage strong.
Sorry, I will get back off my soapbox.
Don't Worry about those Chevy braggers. There Chevy won't last as long they are bragging because they know it (but they won;t admit it). I have a friend who just told me their 2000 buick century blew the head gaskets at 42k (what kind of quality is that to brag about). A coworker was complaining about his 2001 Venture blew a head gasket and says he will buy another Chevy. All I can say is they are too ignorant to know and believe that there are better quality products than GM. I will never own another GM for as long as I live. Any company who does nothing but bash competition in advertisements does not get any sale from me. I had a 84 Olds Cutlass before this truck. WHat a worthless peice of GM and it sure burned me along with my dad's 91 Chevy Dually that would backfire everytime it was shut off (every since it was new). When he traded it for a 95 F350 Diesel and has not been any prouder of a purchase at now 185k mileage strong.
Sorry, I will get back off my soapbox.
#4
05-15-2004, 06:09 AM
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Gas mileage
Ok first I found what I had in a truck..3:55 Limited slip rear end,4.6 V8 with 88000k on the plugs...new ford air and gas filter but old PCV...Tired pulling to the right while ford claimed they were right on spec...This is what I did as I wanted better gas mileage,etc...
I got ford to fix the problem with the front end and check all tire pressure...I got a new set of ford plugs installed...they replaced the PVC as well...I went to Canadian Tire Store and got a new K & N air filter (made Big difference)and saved the one in the truck...It was not as new as they claimed...I added 2 cans STP gas cleaner and STP injection cleaner to 2 tanks of gas and ran that through the motor...I found 87 to be the right gas mix for the truck and its cheaper too...
Now I get 16.19 MPG in town and it goes up from there to near 19-20 on the highway now...The truck is 3 years old and not pulling anything or carrying weight in the back...Ford dealer changed oil , filter and did service to the tramission , replaced all the brakes when I bought the rig...It drives like a dream and I have not used my 2002 ford windstar sport in 6 weeks now...I don't know if that will help your gas mileage but I don't believe 11 MPG is giving you a fair deal..you have something wrong and I hope you get the rigs working better...
I got ford to fix the problem with the front end and check all tire pressure...I got a new set of ford plugs installed...they replaced the PVC as well...I went to Canadian Tire Store and got a new K & N air filter (made Big difference)and saved the one in the truck...It was not as new as they claimed...I added 2 cans STP gas cleaner and STP injection cleaner to 2 tanks of gas and ran that through the motor...I found 87 to be the right gas mix for the truck and its cheaper too...
Now I get 16.19 MPG in town and it goes up from there to near 19-20 on the highway now...The truck is 3 years old and not pulling anything or carrying weight in the back...Ford dealer changed oil , filter and did service to the tramission , replaced all the brakes when I bought the rig...It drives like a dream and I have not used my 2002 ford windstar sport in 6 weeks now...I don't know if that will help your gas mileage but I don't believe 11 MPG is giving you a fair deal..you have something wrong and I hope you get the rigs working better...