Murphy5156

Maybe I'm missing something here, but my dealer says I'm burning oil in my 2002 Max because of a plugged PCV valve....but says he needs to replace the valve covers in order to replace the valve. Huh?? This is what he wrote on the estimate: "Intake Timing Sensor Codes Due To Low Oil Caused By PCV System In Valve Covers Stopped Up. Needs To Be Replaced - $1175". Isn't a new PCV about $10 and can be replaced in about 10 minutes? What's going on here? Why would I need new valve covers? Thanks!

zero2sixtyZ

iTrader: (30)

Get the 04 valve covers. Much cheaper and comes with the PCV valve. The seals in the valve covers go bad and leak oil internally.

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

Crap a duck! I'll do it for $100 labor...For a 1/3 of that price you can do intake spacers also. Im not sure this will fix your oil burning though, these cars have been known to keep burning oil after these type of repairs.

Definitely get an 04 valve cover like the other guy said.

Murphy5156

Thanks guys!!

Decoy036SPD

iTrader: (1)

they are ripping you off big time. New valve covers can be had for practically nothing. Then I highly recommend getting new spark plugs, intake manifold spacer kit, thermostat and change your coolant all at once. Your car will run so much better after that.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I don't know about all of this.....

RUN from this dealer.
Total b.s. -- you ARE correct.
PCV less than $10 and 10 mins.
Replacement Valve Covers DO come WITH a new PCV, but neither have to be replaced WITH each other.
If you are having Oil Consumption issues, that's a different matter.
The Valve Covers are KNOWN to leak (seap) into the #6 spark plug bay, and around some of the corners on the rear bank.

Need more info on your consumption rates, and OCI, etc.

I'm curious about the "intake timing sensor codes" statement the stealer made??
GET these codes, or make them SHOW you these on the scanner -- never heard THAT one before, but I suppose it's possible depending on how much oil you are burning.

gr

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Took me about 10 minutes to change my PCV. Unlike most cars, where the PCV simply pulls out, ours is threaded and has to be unscrewed. I didn't have a large enough wrench but channel locks did the trick. Access is tight but not too bad.

Unless the valve covers are actually leaking, you only need to change the PCV.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

BTW, exactly what codes did they pull?

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

Oops..I just assumed his valve cover was leaking.

Murphy5156

I'm not sure what codes the DEALER pulled, but I went to Auto Zone prior to taking the car to the dealer and they pulled P0011 and P0021.....which I thought meant the Cam Shaft sensors in Bay 1 and Bay 2....but of course the dealer was like, "All sorts of things can produce those codes"....he said I was really low on oil, which he said was the cause of the codes.....they did an oil change and told me about the stopped up PCV causing me to burn oil....I paid for the oil change and another $95 for the diagnostic fee.....then got the hell out of there....the SES light did, in fact, go off the next day and hasn't returned since.....so maybe it was something related to the oil level (which I will now keep a much closer eye on going forward). Definitely WON'T be paying them $1175 to replace the valve covers though.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

The typical leaking from our valve covers, doesn't leak "externally" -- it seeps into the spark plug channels, or a few select locations near the edges of the cover near the gasket.
Are you aware that there was a Crankshaft Sensor TSB a few years ago? Not sure about the Camshaft sensors, but it IS a possibility that low oil COULD cause these to throw a code -- but I'm not buying it.

i think under NORMAL conditions, if a dealer truly suspected that you were burning oil -- they wouldn't jump to conclusions to charge you $1125 to perform this fix....
A stuck PCV isn't going to cause you to burn massive amounts of oil - but it WILL effect consumption rates.

You REALLY need to take a step back, and start MONITORING your consumption rates, and OCI's.
Other than that - you're just at the mercy of the stealer.

Regroup, and get some more info from your car before you jump to any conclusions.

**btw - where are you on Mileage and Warranty?!? valve covers ARE covered under POWERTRAIN warranty5/60k.**

gr

Murphy5156

As far as mileage goes, I just turned 140,000, so warranty work is not an option. Thanks for all the help....I am just going to change the PCV myself, then monitor the oil consumption for a while and see what happens.

Murphy5156

Forgive my ignorance....but was does "OCI" stand for?

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

Oil Change Intervals.... how often you change your oil

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

I saw about a 10-15% reduction in oil consumption, nothing major but at least it was something. Mine appeared to be stuck open.

If you are using a quart in less than 1000 miles, it is going to be either a pretty major leak, bad rings or bad valve guides. A bad PCV isn't going to affect your oil useage by a lot.