I'm reposting this because the first post was partially in error and,
having posted on a Friday evening, I got no responses at all.
Found the spring missing inside the curious cone shaped TR-4A PCV
valve. The valve is a one way check valve, in general permitting gases to
flow from inside the valve cover to the intake manifold, but not in the
other direction. There is a disk and post gadget inside the valve that
sits directly and vertically over the check valve itself, which is at the
apex of the downward pointing cone. It appears that the disk is supposed
to be pushed *up* by the spring. The disk is pushed down by a diaphragm
above when ambient air pressure exceeds the pressure inside the valve.
Becuase the spring is missing in my valve, the post is resting directly
atop the check valve. It does not, however, cut off the airflow to the
manifold, as I get suction with the engine running if I disconnect the
valve cover hose.
Questions:
1. What is the function of the spring, disk and post?
2. What is the effect of the spring being missing? Dangerous to the engine?
3. If it were, could I just disconnect the PCV valve from the system and
plug the hole in the intake manifold for the time being?
4. It seems like at tune up time, one is always trying to eliminate leaks
in the intake manifold. Doesn't the PCV valve act like a leak in the intake
manifold, with similar bad consequences?
The missing spring not available from any of the usual suppliers. I may
have located a source for a suitable replacement. If so, it would be good
if the suppliers picked up on it. Anyone have experience working with the
suppliers to develop replacement parts sources?
Thanks.
John Cowan
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