2006 Mazda3 2.3 PCV valve

Here is another useful video I wish i had found before diving into this...
kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4W1ZaOQmb2Npsk

[@johnsmith-zi7jh]

I did the same job on an 08 Ford Escape 4 cylinder 2 wheel drive 2.3 dual overhead cam non hybrid. It is aggravating to do but it is doable, if you're a little familiar with working on cars, most importantly, stay calm lol. Look at the back of the part online so you know how many bolts you're looking for, general design of & general placement. After taking it Loose once at the neighbors I found it at a junkyard, with the "radiator and grill gone there was so much room" it was easy to take apart. I had luck with the PCV valve grommet by grabbing it with a pair of comfortable to the hand pliers. I was able to get the grommet moving clockwise counterclockwise, lifted a little with pliers while inserting the left tip of a small screwdriver, using the edge of the screwdriver allowed me to use it as a wedge, so as I rotated clockwise counterclockwise I was able to slide more of the small tip screwdriver into that Gap leveraging it open slowly, once it cleared the clip I went to the other side, and successfully cleared that clip as well. my biggest tip would be to remove the radiator & front grill, that allows you to see the entire face of that intake manifold and the hidden Bolt that's hard to get to in the middle of the intake, looking up into engine for two bolts 2 wire clips + 2 Star head connections that hold the oil dip stick was disorienting with disconnected wires and hoses everywhere. Replace the water bypass hose that runs above the PCV valve, left hand side has a metal nipple right hand side has a metal nipple that is very deep in the engine to get to, I got a kitchen knife with a long narrow blade, scored the hose several times then Twisted the hose to get it loose. You're there. If that hose goes out in another 15 to 50,000 miles you get to do the job over, not a yeehaaw. If you're in a place where you can afford the 20 bucks for that hose I'd strongly suggest it. Patience is the word of the day. Your mainly going to use 8 mm, 10 mm, different pliers, and the star head name Escapes me. 200 bucks I replaced the spark plugs, tune up was the origional intent, valve cover gasket, intake manifold, intake manifold gaskets, PCV valve, and water bypass hose. the quoted fix time for a PCV valve in that engine was between 6 and 8 hours. Putting the neighbors Engine Back Together, I wasn't able to take the radiator and Grill loose, I was not going to freak that poor woman out. If the car was mine I would definitely take the radiator and the grill loose couple of bolts that are easy to get to, saves you incalculable frustration. Like black clouds parted & Angel's sang. The reinstall kind of sucked but doing it twice I know what to do where I was going. The biggest thing is my pendemic kindness saved that lady a lot of money. I charged a 10th of what Google quoted for the PCV valve and tune up labor. after running to the junkyard and to the hub as I found broken parts I think I broke even. 🤣😂🤣😂😭😭😭😭 Good luck mechanicing.

[@matthewhanson498]

This video gave me a good laugh. This job is a true pita. Last piece of advice, PUT THE MANIFOLD CENTER BOLT IN FIRST. I did it last and almost lost it in the manifold. Took two set of hands to retrieve

[@rmc9030]

Great vid and Verbal Summary PromisKeeper especially the WARNING not to try this disassembly at home is noted - thank you! For last year+ been watching all the vids on this disassembly and all are regretting the process in the video. I have a daily driver 2006 MazdaSpeed6 with 110k miles - burning oil (1qt every 250 miles) - I strongly suspect the PCV valve is stuck OPEN because Oil is pooling in the intake (right after the throttle body valve) from suction through the pcv line because after departing 20 minutes of highway driving and idling at a traffic light I smell burning oil 100% of the time in the cabin through the vents. External engine areas are BONE DRY. I'll try Mr Tempel's "underneath approach" for 1-2 hours (I am very handy); if it works I'll report back. Otherwise, I can only get one Mazda dealer of three near me that will even quote a shop repair for it (They quoted 6+ hours labor(keep it all day) around $700 for the full disassembly approach) - All for a $20 part I could do myself it I can reach it from underneath!! What a design and Mazda hasn't changed it!!!! I really enjoy the MS6 acceleration and handling but won't be buying another Mazda until they follow the approach of Honda, for instance, where you can reach the PCV with just one socket wrench, pliers, and your hands! Thank you!

[@ylim623]

Thanks for Video. I have 2008 Mazda 6 Same PCV system ... I Bought PCV,Plastic Clip ,Hose in Mazda Dealer They have all parts still

[@virtualbrian]

Sorry that you had so much trouble. We WILL NOT be taking on this task. Thanks for your incite.

[@semperpiscandi865]

Thank you!!!!!! We have the engine out, obviously making it easier.

[@mackhanson4340]

This is the exact problem in my car!!! Thanks for the advice and the video btw.

[@PromisKeeper]

Speed 6 thanks. After I changed the valve and the oil, It looked like the problem was fixed. I went 1000 miles and couldn't see any oil loss on the dipstick. But by 1500 I was a quart low again. Even several months after making this video, it's still pretty consistent with 1 quart every 1000 miles. Sometimes I'll make it to 1500, haven't found any real reason for the variation. I'm really careful to add only 1 quart so I can keep track accurately. The oil level is super hard to read on these Mazdas sometimes, especially with how clean these new oils are.

[@keytaylor2103]

Man I was just about to do this

[@bobbymckenzie3202]

I'll just keep adding a quart every week...thanks

[@Madmike772]

What a horrendous place to have that part.. I wanted to do mine, til I seen all the crap you gotta remove. Engineering fail on Mazda

[@gregdenman2342]

Sue at 1A auto made a video on youtube also..maybe you saw it already..shows how to remove this "ring" without breaking it. This PCV valve is $40 CDN here in Cornwall, Ontario. If it rattles, it's good, but run some brake cleaner through to make sure to CLEAN IT OUT. This job isa nightmare but follow the steps. The common issue also is that hose splits and has a vacuum leak causing stalling,rough idle/codes. The hose is another 40, plus the labour. For the love of God, please pull the starter off and have it checked..it's right there in your teeth and your gonna have to do all again(even the dealer/other mechanic). The most lower bolt(just above the oil pan was the worst for me 'cause mine's an 04 and salt. Just break the intake because it's more of a support than anything. Clean all surfaces from grit and go buy the 40 dollar felpro kit,new hose(from Mazda..new clamps>>not sure), get some beer and just set aside a good weekend for this escapade. Get all parts before you start, can always return them. I plan on packing the through passages for the intake with bearing grease 'cause you drop those bolts(specially that hidden bolt), just sit down and do not grab a torch to burn it down, you might want to though. I have yet to reinstall, but check 1A Auto for parts and great videos...I am not sponsored..."Intake removal"/PCV valve replacement for Mazda 6 2.3..same engine...Gotta get my pack o' beers for install tomorrow

[@carlosbanegas7577]

thank you

[@howardtempel]

I just replaced the PCV valve on my 2007 CX7 and it took me 2 hours to do the process. I replaced by removing the PCV valve cover from the bottom. Just removed the dip stick and the coolant hose near the PCV cover. I'm not sure if the layout of the engine is the same but it's a 2.3L Turbo engine as well.

[@PromisKeeper]

My 3 wasn't a turbo. My whole problem was I could not pull the intake off completely and could not figure out what I was missing. Just got rid of the car a month ago. Burned 1 quart every thousand miles, no more and no less.

[@ncvman]

I used to like Mazda but after owning two that are a pain to work on. I will try to replace from the bottom. Thanks

[@zkomins]

Thanks. I found the grommet cover online, getting it just because I know i will break it taking it off.

[@LokoBalbu]

Zach Komins would you mind puting link on where to find it

[@gregdenman2342]

I had to just o'ring @ my Mazda dealer...Not included with valve but was 14 CDN. This o'ring will also cause vacuum leaks so do it while you are there. Review : hose(look for splits or cracks) PCV (rattle??) O'ring (hard as a floor tile?) Starter (at least clean connections..Draw on full crank ?? ) ALL MY ISSUES FROM 04 Mazda 6!!, Mazda 3 More room?? ANY 2.3/2.5 same..Fusion 2.5?? Same as 03-12 Same as Mazda 6

[@mathewlong8401]

Did replacing the pcv valve eliminate your oil consumption problem?

[@PromisKeeper]

Sadly it did not.

[@Dylan.Donovan]

The Idea of replacing this piece isn't that oil is pushing up through there, its that pressure in the crank case is not able to be relieved through this valve, so it gets pushed up and out the top of the case which routes back to the air intake pre-turbo and gets sucked into the engine through there.

[@PromisKeeper]

+Dylan Donovan I see how that would make sense, and I've considered the possibility, but everything I've seen is geared towards these valves being stuck open. And being a cheap piece of plastic I can't imagine it being able to hold back the oil pressure. Even with this brand new valve my oil is still burning consistently at 1 quart every 1,000 miles a year later.

[@Dylan.Donovan]

ahh that sucks, fair enough man, I just finished replacing mine, Ill have to see how I go

[@PromisKeeper]

Dylan Donovan curious what your throttle body looked like. Mine gets caked with greasy soot very quickly since this problem has started. Car still runs great, every few thousand miles I'll rev the rpms pretty high and blow off the carbon build up.

[@Gtakagt]

I'm a new owner of a 06 mazda 3. And am experiencing blue smoke after an oil change, on acceleration and backfire in 2nd gear. Was that something you had experienced with the symptoms?

[@PromisKeeper]

GT if you only started seeing smoke and backfiring after the oil change I would check the oil level to make sure you aren't over filled. Over filling can turn into a very big problem. Check the level, drain a quart or two and you'll probably want to pull the plugs and try cleaning the residue or replacing them altogether.

[@PromisKeeper]

GT and just to clarify, I'm still burning 1 quart every thousand miles even after replacing the valve. No backfiring or noticeable smoke from the exhaust. Check out my videos on the spark plugs, EGR valve, and throttle body.

[@dozza202]

sounds like the oil is overfull so check that

[@rogerbock7300]

So did you see a difference in oil consumption after replacing?

[@PromisKeeper]

roger bock, it made no difference. I still have to add 1 quart every 1,000 miles. And I'm going to have to check my throttle body at least every 6 months because of the build up. Car still runs great, but it is definitely burning in the cylinders. And I have a decent amount of oil that seeps past the VVT. It seems to be getting worse as well.

[@Bricklinsv1970]

@@PromisKeeper Wow! That sucks all that work for nothing.

[@Rayvisin]

​@PromisKeeper have you tried the valve covers?

[@PromisKeeper]

@Rayvisin no. We got rid of the car a long time ago.

[@vkhiev]

Looking like a PITA work

[@831CROW]

Dam thanks

[@rogerbock7300]

How did you figure out oil is burning in the cylinders?

[@PromisKeeper]

+roger bock just to clarify from the long comment. I've added 15 quarts of oil to the car over the last 3 oil changes, 5k intervals. 1 quart every 1000 miles exactly. It's gotten no worse and obviously no better. With no visible leaks or stains where I park, it's gotta be burning it.

[@ncvman]

PromisKeeper my mechanic told me usually after 100k on these Mazda the turbo goes. I replaced my turbo, labor 700 bucks. I think I am still burning oil. Should I try pcv next? I have taken care of this car with regular oil changes at 5k intervals. Maybe seals are bad?

[@Bricklinsv1970]

I have a 05 Ranger 2.3 adding quart of oil every 500 miles. I was thinking of doing this but now having second thoughts. Truck has 130 k on it.

[@PromisKeeper]

That’s a lot of oil for 500 miles. The valve didn’t do a thing for mine. Just worn cylinders is all it could have been I guess.

[@Bricklinsv1970]

@@PromisKeeper mechanic said it's normal for some higher milage engines to use more oil some more than others.

[@PromisKeeper]

Yeah that’s expected as the engine wears. But my highest driven vehicles never burned more than maybe a quart every 3,000 miles unless there was a bigger problem. Doesn’t necessarily mean you’re about to experience catastrophic failure but if your truck is burning that much every 500 miles, you’ll surely be dealing with fouled plugs and filthy intakes. All that oil lost has to be going somewhere. And if it’s not from a leak on the ground, it’s being burned up in the cylinders where it’s not meant to be. When I started noticing performance problems with the Mazda, I got rid of it.

[@bignine600]

Mazda Xedos 9 V6 , PCV Valve Change - 30 Seconds 😀

[@rogerbock7300]

My son has the exact same problem in his 2007 Mazda 6 2.3. A quart every 2 weeks. He already went through one engine. Replaced it with a used one and this one has the same problem. Hasn't even paid off the last engine. Lifters are ticking too.

[@PromisKeeper]

+roger bock the biggest problem is Mazda has been well aware of this for a long time. The VVT solenoids from 2010 and earlier are notorious for failing and the ticking you hear could be partly the solenoid making noise. I pulled my intake manifold off to look at the pcv valve again and it is covered in oily soot. I pulled my spark plugs and they were very dirty and the carbon build up on the cylinder heads looked terrible. I have no oil leaks, no stains in my parking spot. There are people with the same problems all over the internet. A friend recently took his 2007 Mazda cx7 in to have the VVT replaced by the dealer and when they took it apart they said the engine was shot. He had oil sludge that turned rock hard they claimed they couldn't treat and everyone he talked to said never buy a used Mazda engine. He let the car get repossessed because a new engine cost more than the car was worth.

[@glennfuller3226]

vacume leak pcv

[@SurferSandman]

I can tell by your frustration that as with even the cabin air filter on this car, there are stupid design choices..... I am curious to know how many miles you had on the car (If you remember) and if you had any other symptoms besides burning oil. Thanks!

[@PromisKeeper]

Would have been somewhere around 140k miles when I did this. This car had had a couple issues that led to me getting rid of it. A wheel imbalance the shop could never properly diagnose. Even replaced a rim and never fixed it. Burning a quart every 1000 miles. And the transmission in first gear would not hold the car in place if parked on a slight incline. It would happen in small jerks like you were feeling the pistons go thru all 4 strokes. 3 tiny movements and then one big one. 3 more and then one big one. Had to be extremely careful where I parked because it didn’t matter if it was a steep or subtle incline and I had a car with an e-brake that broke before so I was scared to rely on this one. Made sure my car was flat or wheel turned against the curb.

[@SurferSandman]

Yikes, seems like a lot of little things adding up to it being unsafe. I'm at 156k and just having some hesitation on acceleration, and periodically system bank too lean. Though my third gear synchro is going out and my ignition tumbler is usable but likes to disassemble itself. It is an old car after all. Thanks for the info. @@PromisKeeper

[@seyeriv2804]

Did you ever find out what the real cause of the burning oil was ???

[@PromisKeeper]

Nope. Traded the car in just a few months ago. Still ran fine but every 1k miles I was adding a quart.

[@corieleclair4373]

think this would work on the mazda6?

[@PromisKeeper]

I have no idea. Dependng on the year the process may be similar.

[@thesorrow619]

I was gonna change this, thinking it was located on the valve cover. There’s a thing that looks similar but black but now I’m sure as hell not doing it

[@PromisKeeper]

I think I your talking about the vvt solenoid near the spark plugs. Mine leaked oil around the top too but it's not a simple fix either.

[@thesorrow619]

PromisKeeper no, the thing I’m talking about it’s located above to the right, it’s connected to a hose that goes to the air intake

[@PromisKeeper]

EGR valve maybe? I have a short video on that too.

[@thesorrow619]

Nah, not the EGR either, it’s kind of to the side/behind the valve cover almost under brake fluid reservoir and has a hose, I have no idea what it is but it’s probably for vacuum

[@PromisKeeper]

I traded the car in last year, went back to an old video and i think i see what your talking about right behind the last spark plug.

[@xlargetophat]

What a nightmare Same problem. 2004 ford ranger 2.3 I gave up

[@chrisburnsed6349]

You just gotta hold your tung right. It’s not nearly as bad as he makes it out to be. Kind of a whiner.

[@Sazonman]

I was going to purchase a 2009 Mazda 5, but fuck this after watching numerous video pertains to the pcv, manifold, ect and seeing the difficulty issues trying gaining access in order to change these and other parts I prefer not to deal with any and all crappy Mazda vehicles; so screw you Mazda and hellooooo Toyota...beside I have a 2003 Toyota Matrix XR FWD with 280k miles and still going strong like a baby's bottom and they never ever gave me any issue gaining access to either the pvc or manifold gasket or any other part

[@jaskanwarrandhawa6577]

i guess ill just keep adding oil

[@alphakennybuddy7346]

If you haven’t figured it out I’m pretty sure it make the piston rings go bye bye

[@jaskanwarrandhawa6577]

@@alphakennybuddy7346 how?

[@gregdenman2342]

Engineers boardroom meeting: Let's f...people over by designing it this way.....HA HA Ha. I can use 3 wrenches or more on my 67 Impala to do most maintenance 3/8'ths,7/16,1/2 upto 13/16 I should proof read my stuff before commenting AKA my last post

[@javamochafrap]

biggest help= dont do this. lol looks like a pain in the butt to replace

[@PromisKeeper]

Yeah. It didn’t solve my oil issue either so it was a huge waste of time.

[@xXzombeistXx]

This is why I hate Mazda.. Do your self a favor and drive it off a cliff and buy an audi 😂

[@kevins1834]

The 2.3 L engine is a ford design

[@xXzombeistXx]

@@kevins1834 yeah same reason y I don't like Ford

[@jonathanromero8639]

This guy shouldnt be working on cars, he obviously doesnt have the patience or maybe knowledge or maybe even passion to do so, ive done intake manifold replacements on a couple cars myself n I will say its not a walk in the park but can be done right with basic tools and alot of patience. It does seem to me like he whines alot

[@hondaman8648]

You obviously are no mechanic. This is a simple job. You are over engineering this

[@brianluck84]

I know I'm 4 yrs late but thought the exact same thing. This guy would bitch about how hard rotating tires is.

[@dennisolmstead2501]

Definitely shouldn't be using wrenches,you totally waste everyone's time babbling. Pull the inner fender well out,reach in and pull it out. 1/2 hr. My advice is dont give anyone advise when you dont even know yourself