There are a million “guides” showing how to refresh the 1.8T PCV valve system but there is one big problem that no one addresses.
This is a good video for example. It covers everything except the huge problem most people will face. Like every other guide I’ve seen. Like this method is secret.
What to do when you realise that the 90 degree hose that goes into the oil filter housing is severed with no obvious way to get the remaining piece out of the housing?
In this article, I show you what I did.
Disclaimer. It’s not pretty and it’s not sophiscated. A this method may cause damage to the engine.
1.8T PCV Valve Refresh – The Tools
1.8T PCV Valve Removal – The Process
If you’ve made this far you know the problem hose I am talking about.
We want to put the bar with the nut (tool one) in the hole/broken hose and use the edge of the nut to pull the brass collar/hose, up, out, of the hole.
But chances are the broken hose will be wedged/welded in there pretty good making this impossible, so…
We are going to use the screwdriver and the hammer to gently destroy the rubber that is in between the brass collar of the broken hose and the oil filter housing itself.
The goal
The goal is to loosen the collar enough, that pulling up on the threaded bar and nut will pull the hose out of the hole.
Things to bear in mind.
With this process rubber pieces from the broken house will go into the oil filter housing. I was told this is not an issue, the pieces will not go into the sump. I had no issues (that I know off) but it may cause issues, which could total your engine. Use this method at your own risk.
I went back an forth, destroy a bit of hose, used the bar to see if the hose was loose, if not, destroy a bit more of the hose with the screwdriver and test again. I went back and forth until the hose popped out of the hole.
The Remnants
After getting the broken piece of hose out of the hole, this is what I was left with.
PSV Renewal Summary 1.8T
And that’s how you renew the PCV system. The video I linked to at the start covers the other bits that need to be done.
1.8T PCV Delete – Should You?
It seems popular to delete the PCV system on the 1.8T but should you?
Personally I believe no. There is a reason it’s on there and the reasons are not all bad. Wikipedia as usual has a great page on PCV systems and why they were invented.
If there is one potential issue with the factory PCV system on the 1.8T is the oil can make it back to the intake, to the turbo and into the engine.
There are some potentially easy fixes for this that do not involve removing the entire PCV system. A catch can can be placed in-between the y-piece on the valve cover and the intake “hockey puck”. Various ways to do this, have a Google and see which one you like.
The issue with the catch can is that it needs to be emptied. This may be an hassle for you, maybe not. I’d suggest there are benefits to periodically popping the bonnet and checking things, especially on a modified engine.
If emptying of the catch can is a hassle you’d rather do without, Motive Video did a feature on catch cans and their solution to catch cans filling was to use the bottom port to drain the oil back into the sump through the factory PCV system. The argument they made was compelling and it’s what I’ll probably end up doing.
1.8T Catch Can Design Problems
One issue I have with the catch can setups for the 1.8T specifically is that they seem to mount the catch-can at the back of the engine bay where it’s very hot. And if the catch can is very hot, it’s harder for the oil vapour to condense in the can before it passes out into the intake. I haven’t done it myself but when the time comes to fit a catch can to the K04-064, I’ll try and mount the can at the front of the engine bay so it is cooler and therefore makes more of the oil vapour condense before the air is passed to the intake.