Found the spring inside the curious cone shaped TR-4A PCV valve to be
missing. The valve appears to be 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 down by a spring, which is missing,
and is not available from any of the usual suppliers (more on this below).
Questions:
1. What is the function of the 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?
I may have located a source for a suitable replacement spring. 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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