[perrylkent]

Decided to change the PCV valve on my '05 Pilot. Loosened the one bolt holding it in and it would not come out. I tried to wiggle it and turn to get it out with no luck. I slipped a small flat screwdriver blade behind the housing and the end cracked off leaving the rest inside the engine.

After some messing with it, I found that a 7/16-14 (not even sure why I had this size) tap fit perfectly into the exposed hole. I was able to thread the tap into the plastic housing and then use a pair of pliers to pry against the engine to pull it out. Crisis solved.

A 7/16 bolt would fit in there as well but wouldn't thread in as easy as a tap does.

I just wanted to post this in case this happens to anyone else.

Thanks for heads up!

 

[ConrodM]

Well.... dang!! I should have done it while adjusting valves- it’s the original one with 216k+/- miles

 

[speedlever]

It's easy to do. No engine disassembly required.

 

[plplplpl]

Well.... dang!! I should have done it while adjusting valves- it’s the original one either 216k+/- miles

It's easy to do. No engine disassembly required.

He's right. No need to tear things open like when doing a valve job. The only thing you have to remove is what Scotty Kilmer calls the plastic crap beauty cover. The PCV valve is one bolt on the outside of your engine, sort of below your oil dipstick, near the radiator. Just remember to be careful, as mentioned above.

 

[ConrodM]

Thanks Guys!!👍👍

 

[aggrex]

Thanks Guys!!👍👍

The videos were pretty helpful. Prying gently at the stem rather than the bolt flange is key for a better outcome.

 

[Jack Vogt]

I didn't even have to remove the plastic cover. I used a small flat head screwdriver and a hammer to "gently" beat it out, then I twisted it out.

 

[Snailster]

Same story here, had to resort to the tap. On the second gen the PCV valve is located on the drivers side of the engine, but the PCV itself is identical
or similar enough for the 7/16 tap to work. The local ACE only had metric. Happy to report that a 12 mm tap also works (the 7/16 tap is 11.11 mm).
The 12 mm tap was biting at its very tip. In order to get more purchase I gently narrowed the tip (roughly the distal quarter of the tap) with a grinder.
A 10 mm tap will probably work too, since the valve cavity has a slightly conical shape. Excellent suggestion OP, thanks!

 

[plplplpl]

12 mm tap also works

A 10 mm tap will probably work too, since the valve cavity has a slightly conical shape.

Good of you to add to the knowledge base.

If you had known, would you have gone with a 10 mm, so as to avoid having to grind down the 12 mm?

Does an 11 mm even exist? Would you say that's the metric sweet spot?

 

[pilot45]

I wound up using a 1/2" x 4" lag screw, and it took about 20 tries for it to finally catch. I held the lag screw with a pipe wrench and whacked the wrench with a rubber mallet and it finally came out. I have a tap & die set, I probably should have tried that first.

Did you guys with the broken PVC valves recover the piston and spring? I think I shot mine somewhere into the engine bay when I revved the engine to try and pop the broken PCV valve out.

 

[Nail Grease]

The videos were pretty helpful. Prying gently at the stem rather than the bolt flange is key for a better outcome.

I would think a twist first to break the baked on oil bond would be best before pulling, tapping or prying out.

 

[plplplpl]

I would think a twist first to break the baked on oil bond would be best before pulling, tapping or prying out.

 

[JoeSketti]

Thanks for heads up!

It was very brittle.
The tap worked until it broke more.
Also a small bent nose priers.

 

[plplplpl]

You extracted all that with just bent-nose pliers? Did you have to use or do anything else?

 

[ConrodM]

Wondering if sticking a shopvac nozzle in would help get anything else out? If you aren’t pulling cover to make sure all is good I would at least try the vac

 

[JoeSketti]

I use the thread tapper as suggested and it snapped. I tried the tapper again and the damage was in such a way that the tap wouldn't grab anything. I use a small mirror and a flashlight and a tiny piece of wire to move the broken piece around till I could move it so the needle nose can grab it.
I don't think a Shop-Vac would have helped because the pieces I removed were very gummy with oil.

 

[Usmc1968]

I am getting ready to do this. I am curious, of the folks who had the PCV valve break / get stuck. Did you try this on a cold or warm engine? Wondering if that makes a difference.

 

[pilot45]

I am getting ready to do this. I am curious, of the folks who had the PCV valve break / get stuck. Did you try this on a cold or warm engine? Wondering if that makes a difference.

Unless you know you need a PCV valve, based on my own experience I'd suggest not doing it. I did it because in previous cars it was a simple maintenance item so "what the heck" I thought. Unfortunately, Honda makes their PCV valves out of Prince Rupert's drops so be prepared for the possibility of a broken PCV valve and a disabled vehicle.

If I had to do it again, I'd pay a dealer to do it - although I guess if their service guys broke it, they might just leave the broken bits in there and not tell me, or use it as an opportunity to upsell me a valve cover removal or something. Maybe I'd just sell the Pilot.

So, do you know that you need a PCV valve?

 

[Usmc1968]

There is some oil residue in that area, but the car runs / idles fine. Have not really checked if it is burning oil though.

 

[JoeSketti]

I did mine on a cold engine (temperature controlled garage).
Mine was 14yo so I feel that due to age it was brittle. The OEM replacement didn't feel like the broken one did.