whats involved in, and what are the benifits of a PCV valve change?

split from another thread. gearheads, its all yours.

The PCV or Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve keeps your engine running right.

With the pistons moving fast and oil being distributed, there are many pressure differences in the bottom end of the motor. This requires a vent. Engines are vented back into the intake system to reburn the mixture. A malfunctioning PCV can sometimes be seen by removing the valvecover and having the engine run poorly.

The PCV also keeps the crankcase clean by exhausting the fumes created during combustion. These dirty fumes will cake up the inside of your engine if the valve is clogged.

A second way to test it..
remove the PCV and shake it..does it rattle..? if it does, this is a good sign, it means it is not gummed up, and will vent with little trouble.

thanks for setting a proper thread up for this Jim.
where exactly is the PCV located, top driver side of the SC?
is there anything i should be carefull of when removing/installing it?

There will be a black metal plate, 1"x1", on top of your SC, with PCV stamped into it. Held down by two 10mm bolts. If there is no o-ring on it when you pull it out, look for it in the hole you just pulled the valve out of. If you can't find it, get another. You need the o-ring to get a proper seal.

The PCV ( positive crankcase ventilation) valve is an emissions control device. Some combustion chamber gases pass by the piston rings into the crankcase. This creates positive pressure in the crankcase. In pre-emission cars this was simply vented into the atmosphere through a breather cap on one of the valve covers. The valve is a simple deviice that'll work for years without giving you any trouble. If enough sludge builds up in the valve the crankcase pressure will rise & vent itself through gaskets creating oil leaks.