Other than checking/replacing the actual PCV valve, is there anything else that needs checking?

ie, leaks in the hoses, blockages?
Is there just the one PCV valve?

And if once the PCV valve is plugged with the car running you can feel the spring actuate, does this mean the valve is operating normally?

And if once the PCV valve is plugged with the car running you can feel the spring actuate, does this mean the valve is operation normally?
Thats the test i was told about and it seems logical to me. If there is normal suction and you hear the valve operate then chances are very high that its working ok and the hose is clear.

Of course that doesn't allow for intermittent and bizarre faults... Occasionally weird things happen... But not very often

Does anyone know whether there is more to the PCV system than just that one valve which needs looking at?

Also, if the car has a poor idle and I remove the PCV valve altogether but the idle gets no worse, would this indicate something wrong in this system causing the poor idle?

Also, if the car has a poor idle and I remove the PCV valve altogether but the idle gets no worse, would this indicate something wrong in this system causing the poor idle?

I would say something else is causing the poor idle.

Spetz

Other than checking/replacing the actual PCV valve, is there anything else that needs checking?

ie, leaks in the hoses, blockages?
Is there just the one PCV valve?

And if once the PCV valve is plugged with the car running you can feel the spring actuate, does this mean the valve is operating normally?



The PCV is so cheap you may as well just replace it. It suppose to be replaced every 40,000km according to the workshop manual.

An easy way to test the PCV valve is to remove it and shake it in your hand. The little balls inside should rattle freely. If they don't it is gummed up and will not function 100%

When I did mine about 6 or 8 weeks ago I also replaced the hose connected to the valve and the hose on the other side of the rocker cover that joins to the rear rocker cover. They were both full of disgusting sludge and had become hard and brittle.

I just checked the invoice from Mitsubishi. The MD321355 PCV Hose cost $6.61 and the MD323924 Hose-Blow-B cost $15.68.

I don't believe there is any more to the system, apart from the grommet where the hose plugs in...

Apparently if the system is not functioning, (apart from a rough idle) it can also cause oil leaks in other parts of the motor.

Whilst on the subject of rough idling. I changed a lot of stuff to try and rectify my motor's rough idle. The one thing that made the most difference was swapping out the Coolant Temperature Sensor. Mitsubishi wanted to charge something like $127, but I found a genuine one elsewhere for $19 delivered. I believe he may still has some left of you are interested I can supply you a link.

Thanks for the info Madasacutsnake.
The issue is I've done a few searches and read a lot about a rough idle on these forums and many people seem to have spent an abundance of cash replacing "probable culprits" with no better idle.

My idle has become quite bad. I was/am willing to accept it will never idle so smooth that I won't know if the motor is on but at this stage it's trembling and it needs looking at, but I don't want to start replacing a list of things, rather I want to find out what it is that is likely to be at fault.

So for the PCV system since my valve seems to be fully operational I rather just "clean up and check" than replace.

EDIT:
As for the coolant temperature sensor, how come you changed yours?
I suspect that a faulty one would show false readings if plugged into the OBD?
How bad was your idle?

Thanks for the info Madasacutsnake.
The issue is I've done a few searches and read a lot about a rough idle on these forums and many people seem to have spent an abundance of cash replacing "probable culprits" with no better idle.

My idle has become quite bad. I was/am willing to accept it will never idle so smooth that I won't know if the motor is on but at this stage it's trembling and it needs looking at, but I don't want to start replacing a list of things, rather I want to find out what it is that is likely to be at fault.

So for the PCV system since my valve seems to be fully operational I rather just "clean up and check" than replace.

EDIT:
As for the coolant temperature sensor, how come you changed yours?
I suspect that a faulty one would show false readings if plugged into the OBD?
How bad was your idle?

You are right, the list of possible culprits for a bad idle is as long as your arm and you could swap out a lot of parts for little improvement.

The thing that annoys me most about Mitsubishi (which I was not aware of until after I bought the car) is that until 2006 Mitsubishi vehicles in Australia (unlike other Countries) did not recognise/use OBDII software. Buying readers, diagnostic software for MUTIII is prohibitively expensive. It's much easier to solve idle issues and other riddles when you can plug into a computer.

I am extremely fortunate to live close to our fellow forum member WytWun who has all the plugs + software to plug into the ECU. He has already altered my transmission shift map to my liking, and also raised my in gear idle rpm via the ECU. Raising the rpm helped the idle quality but it really just masked the problem rather than anything else.
He checked the values from the sensors (TPS, O2 etc) and all were fine. Not sure about the coolant temperature sensor though.

I am extremely fortunate to live close to our fellow forum member WytWun who has all the plugs + software to plug into the ECU. He has already altered my transmission shift map to my liking, and also raised my in gear idle rpm via the ECU. Raising the rpm helped the idle quality but it really just masked the problem rather than anything else.
He checked the values from the sensors (TPS, O2 etc) and all were fine. Not sure about the coolant temperature sensor though.

You are lucky to have access to the software. I could buy it, but am balking at spending that much money, as OBDII is so cheap in comparison for essentially the same thing...

Coolant Temperature Sensors are usually at, or near the top of the list for causing idle issues, especially when the vehicle is first started/cold.

Simple (if rather rudimentary) test of the PCV system (not the valve, checks for that are above). With the PCV valve plucked out from the grommet on the front rocker cover, pluck the PCV inlet hose off the main intake pipe before the throttle body. You should be able to blow air (with your mouth) into this pipe, and placing your finger over the PCV valve grommet should block the air flow (air flow won't be very free but it should flow to some extent). If you can't blow air, something's blocked, and if covering the PCV valve grommet doesn't block air flow, there's a leak.

The car idles fine when cold and only starts idling poorly after about a 15 minute drive or so. It's not just a poor idle though, it's more like a non rhythmic tremble.

Ensoniq thank I will test it out

Raising the rpm helped the idle quality but it really just masked the problem rather than anything else.
The car didn't misbehave badly while I was around it, though it did show a small amount of shake as the idle speed dropped to minimum. The engine sounded as though it was running evenly to me.


He checked the values from the sensors (TPS, O2 etc) and all were fine. Not sure about the coolant temperature sensor though.
I still had the logs on my netbook - the temps look normal for a standard thermostat, at least compared to what my car was running before I put a colder thermostat in.

I could buy it, but am balking at spending that much money, as OBDII is so cheap in comparison for essentially the same thing...
I don't have a MUT-III :( just Evoscan (http://www.evoscan.com/) and an OpenPort cable (which does have limitations compared to a MUT-III, but does the job for a many things).

WytWun, yes the engine seems to run well other than the poor idle.
It seems my sensors are all fine, so I am thinking about cleaning out the PCV system and the EGR system seeing as these are "no cost" items and I am hoping the idle is rectified after that.
If I recall correctly, though the idle was not perfect before but after doing the rear rocker cover gasket it may have gotten worse

I don't have a MUT-III :( just Evoscan (http://www.evoscan.com/) and an OpenPort cable (which does have limitations compared to a MUT-III, but does the job for a many things).

I just checked out the website and the software looks really good.

I'm a little confused as to which cable do I need to buy?

What do you suggest? :learn:

I don't have a MUT-III :( just Evoscan (http://www.evoscan.com/) and an OpenPort cable (which does have limitations compared to a MUT-III, but does the job for a many things).

I just went a head and bought the 1.3U cable. It looks to be the right one. Fingers crossed.

I just went a head and bought the 1.3U cable. It looks to be the right one. Fingers crossed.
That will work fine for both logging and reflashing on any J/L/W series Magna. If you haven't looked already, see the thread linked in my sig...

That will work fine for both logging and reflashing on any J/L/W series Magna. If you haven't looked already, see the thread linked in my sig...

Thanks WytWun, I will do that and be doing some studying before the cables arrive, I assume next week sometime.

I've already downloaded the software and it looks promising