Recent Feedback
I have a 2002 Jetta 1.8t and I would like to replace the breath hose (part of the Positive Crankcase Ventilation PCV system). I wanted to buy the part online or go to the dealer - possible to have a friend replace the torn tube. Is there any reason this part would tear from the valve? Could i have another, much larger problem with my engine.
Optional Information: 2002 1.8 Jetta turbo Already Tried: My car overheated about two weeks ago -- the mechanic said that the fans weren't turning on so he replaced the amps that connect the fan to the battery. I replaced all the fluids in the car (like the oil, radiator fluid, etc). About 3 days after that the car would stall when turning on .. like the battery would start but not the rest of the engine (it would stall after a days driving like after i came back from work and it would not turn on when leaving the supermarket. Then replaced the spark plugs and noticed that the breath tube (part of the PCV) was torn ... is this why my car wouldnt turn on after a days drive? Is there any other issue that can be causing all these issues? Also, the engine light just turned on for the first time yesterday.
That breather tube tends to get soft and tear due to the vent gases passing through it- they tend to be corrosive to rubber due to the oil/gas content, and from sitting in the hose they can get acidic. It's likely that in replacing just this hose, you may break other hoses- I tend to replace the rubber "Y" pipe and the hard plastic hose that goes down from it at the same time- there is a "T" fitting that this hard pipe goes into, and a one-way valve, a hose that goes up to the underside of the intake manifold, and the main large pipe coming out of the crankcase. There is also a good chance that your vacuum amplifier is bad- it is a black plastic valve under the intake manifold, with three hoses coming out of it (one at an angle)
The check engine light may be due to the torn PCV hose, it will allow "unmetered air" into the system, and could cause running issues.
Yes .. the Y tube is the one that is torn (for some reason or another i picked up the breath hose?). I want to replace it ... do you recommend going to the dealer for the part? or are there recommendable websites that can sell it for less ($76 at the local dealer). If its a pretty easy job, i have a few friends that are car savvy -- is this a job that can easily be taken on? .. Just trying to save some bucks if possible.
It can be done- you just need to take your time and not get frustrated. There are a bunch of metal clamps that need to be loosened or cut to remove sections. It's about $350 at the dealership for ALL of the parts for this repair if you do the vacuum amp and the whole crankcase breather section with all the hoses and clamps. I find that no matter how hard I try to be careful, it's almost inevitable that you will end up breaking the plastic "funnel" of the dipstick tube when you are under the intake area (it is unsupported, and you bump against it easily)
There are a couple different variants of these hoses, so unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure of the part number (can often be found on the hoses) you may want to trust the expertise of the local parts department, since they probably hand them out quite often.
Experience: VW FastTrack '00-'01, VW Academy Chicago and Seattle '00-present, VW Certified