I'm replacing the pcv and old semi-plasticized grommet and after a few attempts to pry while pulling it I bailed as it is starting to crumble like an old pencil eraser. I had dropped a piece in but s baffle stopped it and i was able to retrieve it. Now I'm afraid to risk pulling the cover over a piece of old rubber, thinking of taking it in to the shop. It is partially torn in the outer rim but the shaft portion is still intact, i could drive it to the shop if need be. Anyone have exp. here? How large is the baffle behind the grommet? Could I just cut it in half and remove a half at a time? Thanks.

 

I've done a couple of things that have worked in the past while leaving the VC on:
1) stuff a strip of a lint free rag into the hole basically filling from the baffle to the bottom of the grommet and leaving the end of the strip laying on the top of the VC. Once the pieces are contained, pull the strip back out of the hole.
2) having the shop vac running so as a piece breaks off it gets sucked up

or.....remove the VC.

 

Awesome ideas. I'm getting a quote from my shop, if its steep I'm definitely doing the cloth idea and if I can get my wife to help the vacuum as well. Also thinking of trying to use an x-acto to cut it then snake it out from one end.

 

This is your normal every day grommet not made out of stainless steel .

If it fell in one big piece about the worse that might happen it could get stuck in one of the oil drain holes .I don`t feel like looking how big thet are

No worse down the road then the timing guide pieces I pull out of all the high mileage Toyota engines.

I had a couple fall to pieces in my case no harm done.

You do what you feel you need to.

You did spray it with silicone to make it come out easier??

 

I had the same fear when I changed my valve broke it in chunks and pulled it out with some needle nose the little chunk that I thought fell in just laid on the baffle no big deal.

Easy peezy good luck

 

Thanks guys. I've screwed more than one thing up being careless when removing the old piece so this helps to put my mind at ease. Especially when I'm still paying on the thing

 

Same here, came out in chunks but didn't have any trouble getting it all. The thing that I didn't like was the aftermarket pcv valve I'd picked up. It looked like the ball could too easily fall out. Went with oe instead, much better quality.

 

Just popped it off with no pieces. Used my "old timer" thin blade and cut a slit in it then snaked it out with a few picks and needle nose. Old one spun freely and now it's snug as a plug. Thanks everyone.
PS yeah I had bought the autozone one but returned it when I saw it was an all plastic body. OEM has a steel body with a plastic nipple. I wasn't going to deal with it snapping.