Crankcase Ventilation System Description
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The compressed combustion gas which escapes past the piston rings into the crankcase is known as blow-by gas. Blow-by gas contains large amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC). The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system prevents the blow-by gas from being emitted into the atmosphere. The PCV system routes the crankcase blow-by gas back into the intake system where the blow-by gas becomes part of the combustion process. The PCV system consists of the following components:
- The PCV valve
- The crankcase vent (breather) or air inlet tube
- The air inlet filter or separator, if used
- Any hoses or couplers