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Discussion starter · #21 ·
just changed oil again.
15,000 miles later- ZERO oil found in the tube.
 
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Did this mod to our 2012 LT yesterday. The oil contamination in the intake tube was increasing, and when I pulled the PCV valve it was almost totally clogged. I drilled it out and expect the problem to diminish significantly. The car has always been serviced with synthetic oil, and I was hoping that there would be less carbon fouling -- but this time around it was severe. Probably due to our family's short trip winter driving schedule where the oil never really heats up and goes through a thorough heat cycle.
 
Just did the PCV mod to my 2012 Traverse with 61,852 miles. It barely had any build up or oil in the intake tube but I have been getting fault code P2138 pop up and throw my vehicle into limp mode every couple months. Herd that the PCV mod could possibly fix that problem. And if not its a good peice of mind anyway for the bennefits down the line. I'll keep you posted if it fixes the P2138 fault code.
 
Changed the oil a few days ago, and the PCV fixed worked flawlessly. There was hardly any oil in the intake tube -- just a drop that wiped out with a rag and not the pool that was in there before. The throttle plate on the other hand was clean as a whistle -- whereas in previous oil changes it was always gunked up.

The PCV fix is what made all the difference in the world.
 
A bit longer of a post to go into more detail.

Many thanks again to rbarrios whom I've learned so much from. As requested:
2016 Traverse 3.6l, 2wd
55,000 miles
Castrol 5W-30 Dino oil (non-synth)
PCV never been serviced- It was almost fully clogged closed


I was going thru a little bit more oil between changes than I thought normal. I wasn't burning it and read the above posts and decided to have a look. So I thought I got the right part at P-Boyz and proceeded to drill out the holes as instructed. Pulled off the cross engine valve covers hose. The front connection is pretty easy. The firewall connection is a tiny 'catch clamp' that you need to pull back with your thumb by feel and then lift up. Here's a picture of the clamp release.


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I attempted to remove the PCV with plyers but no way it was moving nor twisting. I then used a “trim fastner removal tool” that worked perfectly at a levered angle but still needed a lot of force. Here's the $5 tool.


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The OE PCV in 2016 is a “Press Fit”, metal to metal and exact sized. When I got it out it was almost fully clogged. The P-boyz part that I drilled out was too big to fit in that press-fit metal hole. Here's the pict of the double hole and the OE single hole dirty one. {ignore the dirty opening cause I blew in it and opened it. It was CLOGGED!}


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I went down to the dealership for an OE replacement PCV. Guess What? Its listed on the screen as a “Non-Serviceable” part. No part number, No price, Can't even buy the PCV alone. Nope, you have to purchase the ENTIRE valve cover with the PCV installed at ~$200 !!!


I'm not wrecking my engine like said in the above posts, so carb sprayed it and clean as new. Used a deep well socket over the top of the cleaned part and just kept tapping on top for 10 mins with a rachet head until it seated solid again metal to metal.


I removed the bellows connection hose between the air intake body and the air cleaner to look for standing oil. Inside the air intake body area there was none


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I then looked inside the bellows tube and there was a wet slick of oil in there which I cleaned out in the catch can and inside the tube which you can see. I think it's ALOT of oil to be standing in there and with a clogged 'non-serviceable' PCV, it's going to get a lot worse.


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On my 2016 there is a small “catch can” molded into the bellows connection that you can see in this picture.


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Just my maintenance story and I enjoy all the tips and tricks posted here cause I learn a lot. After I posted the 108mph speed limiter that I got flamed on I could use a few 'Likes'. Just hover your cursor on the bottom right grey 'Quick Reply' button and directly above it will pop up a little blue “LIKE” button. Click on that if you thought what I posted here was good.
 

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Hey all. 2012 Traverse AWD here, ~92,000 miles. I've only owned it for 4 months, but I'm doing synthetic oil at 5,000 mile intervals.

Prior to doing the PCV mod today, I had taken apart the intake tube to clean the throttle body (old Trailblazer owner here lol) and there was a LOT of the typical milkshake mixture in there. That was about 1,000 miles and a little over a month ago. Prior to my ownership I know almost nothing about the maintenance history, but if I had to guess, I would say I was the first one to clean that gunk out.

Upon pulling it apart to do the PCV mod, I thought there was no oil in the tube at all, which surprised me, since my PCV was unfortunately completely clogged. However, when cleaning the MAF sensor, the tube laid there upside down so to speak. When I looked again, there was oil dripping from the little "catch can". Just cleaned it out, installed the new PCV, and will post results upon my next oil change in approximately 4,000 miles.

Note: I had a pretty decent nest under the engine cover when I went to do the plugs (starting early on my 100,000 mile service) and I noticed that they've gotten to some wires. I have no issues with my Traverse that I know about (aside from some "hesitation" while accelerating very slowly, for example, in stop and go traffic, that I was hoping the throttle body cleaning would fix. Now I'm hoping the MAF cleaning will solve that), but to be ahead of the curve does anyone know what that little green wire is? It's plugged into the harness to the right of the PCV valve. See the pic in attaching.

Thanks for the great forum all!
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Has anyone installed a catch can and if so, what did you use? I have an 09 and I'd be interested in installing one along with doing the PVC mod.
 
Put catch can in the search field at the top of the page. Lots of threads on it.
 
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Put catch can in the search field at the top of the page. Lots of threads on it.
Thanks, that's exactly what I did and I found a few posts. I was talking to my father-in-law last night who has a 2018 Silverado. He installed a catch can as his first mod. He used the one from Elite Engineering, they had a kit for his truck. They do have a universal one, but it was a bit too pricey for my taste so I went with one from UPR for the V6 Camaro which had the same features as the Elite one. Once the weather is warmer, I'll install it along with doing the PCV mod.
 
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I put a small catch can on my 2008, it caught the ingredients of the milkshake before it got to the air intake snorkel. A small aluminum threaded canister worked, I believe it helped being up close to the front of the engine compartment where the moisture condensed quickly in the colder temperature driving.
After going through the Polar vortex back in 2015, it has been trouble free since the mod, catch can, new throttle body and Mass Air Flow sensor.
 
I was able to do the PCV mod and catch can install on my 09 last week. I noticed a change in throttle response almost immediately and saw a slight increase in gas mileage, at least according to the trip computer calculations.

A week and 232 miles later and I emptied about teaspoon of fluid from the can, looked like Starbucks :smile_big:
 

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Did the 2017 have this problem also ?
It's my understanding that they opened up the holes around 2013. I'd say there are fewer reports of the "milk shake" in the intake, but some folks have still had issues with the throttle body getting gummed up. So it's better, but not fully solved. Haven't had an issue on my 2017. (And it was 6 deg F today.)
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
38,000 miles since I drilled the bigger holes. I have found zero oil in the tube.
 
It's my understanding that they opened up the holes around 2013. I'd say there are fewer reports of the "milk shake" in the intake, but some folks have still had issues with the throttle body getting gummed up. So it's better, but not fully solved. Haven't had an issue on my 2017. (And it was 6 deg F today.)
My 2017 with 22.5K miles just showed me the dreaded "traction control off" light today for the first time ever. Im just trying to figure out, why?
 
If you live in a cold part of the country (and most of the country is cold right now), the oil in the intake congeals and causes the throttle body gum up. That may be your issue. Easy to clean.
 
A bit longer of a post to go into more detail.

Many thanks again to rbarrios whom I've learned so much from. As requested:
2016 Traverse 3.6l, 2wd
55,000 miles
Castrol 5W-30 Dino oil (non-synth)
PCV never been serviced- It was almost fully clogged closed


I was going thru a little bit more oil between changes than I thought normal. I wasn't burning it and read the above posts and decided to have a look. So I thought I got the right part at P-Boyz and proceeded to drill out the holes as instructed. Pulled off the cross engine valve covers hose. The front connection is pretty easy. The firewall connection is a tiny 'catch clamp' that you need to pull back with your thumb by feel and then lift up. Here's a picture of the clamp release.


Image





I attempted to remove the PCV with plyers but no way it was moving nor twisting. I then used a “trim fastner removal tool” that worked perfectly at a levered angle but still needed a lot of force. Here's the $5 tool.


Image





The OE PCV in 2016 is a “Press Fit”, metal to metal and exact sized. When I got it out it was almost fully clogged. The P-boyz part that I drilled out was too big to fit in that press-fit metal hole. Here's the pict of the double hole and the OE single hole dirty one. {ignore the dirty opening cause I blew in it and opened it. It was CLOGGED!}


Image





I went down to the dealership for an OE replacement PCV. Guess What? Its listed on the screen as a “Non-Serviceable” part. No part number, No price, Can't even buy the PCV alone. Nope, you have to purchase the ENTIRE valve cover with the PCV installed at ~$200 !!!


I'm not wrecking my engine like said in the above posts, so carb sprayed it and clean as new. Used a deep well socket over the top of the cleaned part and just kept tapping on top for 10 mins with a rachet head until it seated solid again metal to metal.


I removed the bellows connection hose between the air intake body and the air cleaner to look for standing oil. Inside the air intake body area there was none


Image





I then looked inside the bellows tube and there was a wet slick of oil in there which I cleaned out in the catch can and inside the tube which you can see. I think it's ALOT of oil to be standing in there and with a clogged 'non-serviceable' PCV, it's going to get a lot worse.


Image





On my 2016 there is a small “catch can” molded into the bellows connection that you can see in this picture.


Image





Just my maintenance story and I enjoy all the tips and tricks posted here cause I learn a lot. After I posted the 108mph speed limiter that I got flamed on I could use a few 'Likes'. Just hover your cursor on the bottom right grey 'Quick Reply' button and directly above it will pop up a little blue “LIKE” button. Click on that if you thought what I posted here was good.
It looks like your "PVC Valve" (if you want to call it that) just has a hole in the center. Is it possible to to just jamb a piece of wire or something through it to clean it out, rather than take it or the valve cover off? I'm asking because I need to do this to my 2016 Traverse.
 
Haven't heard much trouble with the 16s, they must have modified the system to rectify the situation. How do you know yours is clogged?
When I removed my 08 to clean it and drill the holes bigger, it took a lot of carb cleaner to get the crud out. My 15 has not had any issues with PCV.
 
Haven't heard much trouble with the 16s, they must have modified the system to rectify the situation. How do you know yours is clogged?
When I removed my 08 to clean it and drill the holes bigger, it took a lot of carb cleaner to get the crud out. My 15 has not had any issues with PCV.
I don't know for sure. I need to pull off the intake bellows and see if there's any oil in it. That would probably be a sure sign. I have to add two quarts of oil between oil changes, so it has to be going somewhere. The only other possibility is bad rings. Hard to get motivated to work on a car when it's 30 degrees outside.
 
It looks like your "PVC Valve" (if you want to call it that) just has a hole in the center. Is it possible to to just jamb a piece of wire or something through it to clean it out, rather than take it or the valve cover off? I'm asking because I need to do this to my 2016 Traverse.
Your 2016 already has a larger hole. It was enlarged in 2013. No one has really complained about them since then. That doesn't mean it doesn't need "cleaning," but I'm skeptical.
 
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