# Cruze owners take note: PCV Valve failure again! Chevrolet When Will You Fix This???



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

I wouldn't make this post about ALL cruzes. Only the Gen1 series. 

The verdict is still out for the Gen2. 

The gen2 also runs at standard temperatures. The gen1 runs 30 degrees hotter then standard. I'm sure that has A LOT do with all the standard problems.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Only affects Gen 1 1.4T; 1.8, 2.0 TD, Gen 2 cars do not have the same issues. The PCV system (and motor in entirety) was completely redesigned for the Gen 2.


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## coopersmokeypiper (Oct 17, 2017)

This car has multiple unresolvable problems. You will have to stock up on valve covers irrespective of garage fixes. The simple truth is that GM has moved on, suggest the same advice to owners and buyers of the brand. Maybe someone can pipe in with “it’s over built”; that is always good for a laugh or two .......


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

*Question -
* 
_Can the car be driven with the dipstick slightly out to relieve the pressure, is this advisable?_


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## jmlo96 (May 2, 2015)

markmashley said:


> *Question -
> *
> _Can the car be driven with the dipstick slightly out to relieve the pressure, is this advisable?_


Simply put, no. It will cause a check engine light. Not seating the oil cap correctly will do the same thing. You'd also more than likely have the dipstick get loose and loose a bunch of oil.


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## BadBowtie (Apr 18, 2015)

hmy: 
Come to think of it,....GM did have a recall for the "SPLASH GUARD" underneath the motor of the early 1.4 LT to be "CUT" in half to avoid large oil accumulation on it that could potentially ignite and cause a major fire !!! Could be lethal....(potentially). 
I wonder if this could have been related to the PCV problems / design by GM ?? Major oil leaks are a result of this problem.
Does cutting the splash guard in half remove them from any liability related to the PCV / oil leaking issue ??? 
Seems like GM should offer something for this issue,..(after warranty too) !! Just saying. :dry: Sure would make a lot of us buy more chevys in the future.
KUDOS to *XtremeRevolution *for his engineering by the way,.. that has helped many Chevy owners with problems. :goodjob:


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## CRUISE-CRUZE (Nov 8, 2010)

I hate so say that again but my Chevy Cruze-s made me a great mechanic! I'm not sure if these were my expectations when I bought these cars brand new!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

markmashley said:


> *Question -
> *
> _Can the car be driven with the dipstick slightly out to relieve the pressure, is this advisable?_


Only if you want the top of your engine covered with a sheen of oil. My ECO had the bottom O-ring on the dipstick break and I ended up with a nice sheen of oil across the top of the engine.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

BadBowtie said:


> hmy:
> Come to think of it,....GM did have a recall for the "SPLASH GUARD" underneath the motor of the early 1.4 LT to be "CUT" in half to avoid large oil accumulation on it that could potentially ignite and cause a major fire !!! Could be lethal....(potentially).
> I wonder if this could have been related to the PCV problems / design by GM ?? Major oil leaks are a result of this problem.
> Does cutting the splash guard in half remove them from any liability related to the PCV / oil leaking issue ???
> ...


I don't think the splash gaurd has anything to do with anything else. It was only a catch that probably shouldn't have been. But I don't know how it was designed and mounted. I didn't own my 12 very long. It sat around for a year and never got it's first change.


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

obermd said:


> Only if you want the top of your engine covered with a sheen of oil. My ECO had the bottom O-ring on the dipstick break and I ended up with a nice sheen of oil across the top of the engine.


Ok, so if I drive it for a few days with the mainseal (chirping/sucking air) and the valve cover diaphragm leaking (same) then I have two points of entry for loss of vacuum leading to lowered boost.
Other than lack of boost and oil entering weird places will this cause any severe damage to occur driving gently to and from work for a few days?

Maybe the maf sensor fouling and a few other minor things.

Any opinions Cruze owners ???


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

markmashley said:


> Ok, so if I drive it for a few days with the mainseal (chirping/sucking air) and the valve cover diaphragm leaking (same) then I have two points of entry for loss of vacuum leading to lowered boost.
> Other than lack of boost and oil entering weird places will this cause any severe damage to occur driving gently to and from work for a few days?
> 
> Maybe the maf sensor fouling and a few other minor things.
> ...


It will be fine, but the car may become unpredictable to drive. Don't try darting out into traffic - my Cruze would attempt to stall at idle or fall flat on its face off the line when the valve cover went.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Well, I took a road-trip through LA today, and suddenly I have a slew of codes, all of which seem to revolve around bank 1 lean/ air leak, so I'm thinking this is the most likely issue? My 2014 LT is just shy of 60K and the three year warranty expired two days after I bought the machine used last year.

So, should I take this to the dealer, or my local garage (Pep Boys, probably)? A valve cover wouldn't be a problem for me to replace in my driveway, but I'm not so sure about having to replace an intake manifold.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> Well, I took a road-trip through LA today, and suddenly I have a slew of codes, all of which seem to revolve around bank 1 lean/ air leak, so I'm thinking this is the most likely issue? My 2014 LT is just shy of 60K and the three year warranty expired two days after I bought the machine used last year.
> 
> So, should I take this to the dealer, or my local garage (Pep Boys, probably)? A valve cover wouldn't be a problem for me to replace in my driveway, but I'm not so sure about having to replace an intake manifold.


Yeah. Take it to the dealer; it's under powertrain warranty.

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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

That's the best news I've had all day.

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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

So, the final result was all of the above: Cover, valve, intake manifold, seal. Also, they gave me a new oil pan and and water pump both for leaking.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> So, the final result was all of the above: Cover, valve, intake manifold, seal. Also, they gave me a new oil pan and and water pump both for leaking.


Wow, that's a lot of warranty work!


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Better that it be done under warranty than a few thousand miles or a month past warranty, though.

Considering that this same dealership lists an air filter change at $70...

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## KillerDad (Jan 25, 2018)

now order the intake pcv bypass kit so that it doesn't happen again.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Well, it turns out my Drive Train warranty is good to 100k or five years (so I have about nine months), so I think I will wait until then before pulling the intake manifold.

I will definitely keep it in mind-- I put on 30k mile in the past 15 months, so then would be a good time to pull it off and eyeball the valve.


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## sbelyo (Aug 4, 2018)

I just purchased a 2014 2LT RS and have been reading about the PCV system failures. I have one year left on my power train warranty with 39800 miles on the car. I just did a tune up and the car runs fine with no issues that I can tell.

Being that the car has almost 40000 miles on it and this is when the system begins to fail should I just wait until the warranty is up just in case it goes? Or be proactive and install the bypass kit on a new intake?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sbelyo said:


> I just purchased a 2014 2LT RS and have been reading about the PCV system failures. I have one year left on my power train warranty with 39800 miles on the car. I just did a tune up and the car runs fine with no issues that I can tell.
> 
> Being that the car has almost 40000 miles on it and this is when the system begins to fail should I just wait until the warranty is up just in case it goes? Or be proactive and install the bypass kit on a new intake?


I would install the kit proactively, if it was my car, simply because the check valve on the original intake manifold, even if it doesn't completely fail, will still produce a boost leak when it gets dirty.


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## sbelyo (Aug 4, 2018)

good point, I think I'll do it proactively


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## sbelyo (Aug 4, 2018)

Here's a question on kit installation. If I purchase a new manifold (ported from zzp) do I just drive the screw into the nipple blocking off the port? I suspect there's no way to remove it on a new manifold.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sbelyo said:


> Here's a question on kit installation. If I purchase a new manifold (ported from zzp) do I just drive the screw into the nipple blocking off the port? I suspect there's no way to remove it on a new manifold.


Use a flathead screwdriver and break the nipple off. Then drive the screw. 

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## txtalon (Mar 13, 2012)

My 2012 Cruze has 140,000 and i can excitedly say ive replaced my Valve Cover 4 times lol Just had the Water Pump replaced cause it was leaking and fell under a GM recall.


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## advoutlander (May 10, 2013)

Does anyone know the part number for the redesigned valve cover?


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## Fast Eddie (Dec 19, 2018)

Blown Pcv valve #2 again. So this time I bought the V2 check valve bypass kit for the intake. I missed the intake manifold check valve inspection the first time I replaced the valve cover a couple of years ago. What started this latest repair was the dreaded P0171 & P0420. Sure enough my PCV was leaking again. So I wanted to share a lesson learned on buying the cheaper after market valve covers. After getting most of the bolts started. I was left with 4 bolts that would not start into the head. After an hour of debating to pull the cover and return it. I solved my problem by gently prying the valve cover bolt and insert assembly up from the plastic cover and then carefully finding the threaded hole by screwing the bolt down due to the extra tolerance. Problem solved. Codes cleared, check engine light off. This 2014 Cruze is my Wife's daily driver with 133k miles on the odometer. She drove it almost a week with the check engine light and the PCV leaking waiting for the parts to arrive. I was surprised how well the car ran with the amount of coked up oil in the port where the factory check valve used to reside! Next on the list is to get the weeping water pump replaced under the extended repair service agreement! Happy Holidays!


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Fast Eddie said:


> Blown Pcv valve #2 again. So this time I bought the V2 check valve bypass kit for the intake. I missed the intake manifold check valve inspection the first time I replaced the valve cover a couple of years ago. What started this latest repair was the dreaded P0171 & P0420. Sure enough my PCV was leaking again. So I wanted to share a lesson learned on buying the cheaper after market valve covers. After getting most of the bolts started. I was left with 4 bolts that would not start into the head. After an hour of debating to pull the cover and return it. I solved my problem by gently prying the valve cover bolt and insert assembly up from the plastic cover and then carefully finding the threaded hole by screwing the bolt down due to the extra tolerance. Problem solved. Codes cleared, check engine light off. This 2014 Cruze is my Wife's daily driver with 133k miles on the odometer. She drove it almost a week with the check engine light and the PCV leaking waiting for the parts to arrive. I was surprised how well the car ran with the amount of coked up oil in the port where the factory check valve used to reside! Next on the list is to get the weeping water pump replaced under the extended repair service agreement! Happy Holidays!



Welcome Aboard!:welcome:

Don't forget to introduce yourself and your Cruze here.


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## Fast Eddie (Dec 19, 2018)

UPDATE, about 100 miles later the ill fitting knock off valve cover was removed and replaced with a GM valve cover due to an excessive oil leak. The other repairs . .... 1 unexpected surprise when the thermostat housing was removed to replace the water pump one of the plastic tangs to hold the spring against the thermostat was broken off. At 133,000 miles I didn't feel bad about replacing the thermostat assembly. The car is running great again.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Hrm... car was acting up a few times last week-- sudden momentary drops in power. Don't know if it was due to a bad tank of gas (accidentally put 87 octane in) or if I have a recurrence of this issue, which would really suck: I got all that work done only five months ago!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> Hrm... car was acting up a few times last week-- sudden momentary drops in power. Don't know if it was due to a bad tank of gas (accidentally put 87 octane in) or if I have a recurrence of this issue, which would really suck: I got all that work done only five months ago!


Probably just adjusting to 87. Both of mine run like crap if the computers used to 93 and then they're switched. 

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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Well, if it doesn't stop by the next refill, then I'll re-evaluate. Is there any obvious visual means of determining if that PCV is gone?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> Well, if it doesn't stop by the next refill, then I'll re-evaluate. Is there any obvious visual means of determining if that PCV is gone?


Hissing sound from valve cover or looking for the orange thing in the intake. Oil under throttle body hose (might be left over from before though).


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## JKOPUETZ (Jan 21, 2019)

With this string being very long and I have went through al of it, have done the PCV conversion with the check valve. Two days and roughly 200 miles later I have oil all over again... Has new valve cover setup installed at the same time as the check valve install.. Now what?


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## MINIAC12 (Jul 24, 2017)

JKOPUETZ said:


> With this string being very long and I have went through al of it, have done the PCV conversion with the check valve. Two days and roughly 200 miles later I have oil all over again... Has new valve cover setup installed at the same time as the check valve install.. Now what?


Hey guys so I'm the new guy in the room and i need help, also with my Cruze. hmy: My issue is that i own a 2012 LTZ RS i bought new and I have replaced the valve cover, both cats all myself and some smooth black hose with a valve on it if i am not mistaken. The dealer replaced the turbo at 47K. The car currently has 115K. I am getting the oil burning smell in the cabin, i suspect from the PCV failing and pushing the oil out through the cap onto the exhaust. 
I was just going to ask about the Check valve set up i read about before i did the valve cover about 1000 miles ago. So after reading through this thread it doesnt seem like the fix. Is there a descent fix for this?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

MINIAC12 said:


> Hey guys so I'm the new guy in the room and i need help, also with my Cruze. hmy: My issue is that i own a 2012 LTZ RS i bought new and I have replaced the valve cover, both cats all myself and some smooth black hose with a valve on it if i am not mistaken. The dealer replaced the turbo at 47K. The car currently has 115K. I am getting the oil burning smell in the cabin, i suspect from the PCV failing and pushing the oil out through the cap onto the exhaust.
> I was just going to ask about the Check valve set up i read about before i did the valve cover about 1000 miles ago. So after reading through this thread it doesnt seem like the fix. Is there a descent fix for this?


The valve cover doesn't contain a check valve; it contains a pressure regulator diaphragm. The check valves (there are two) are located in the intake manifold and the corrugated PCV pipe at the turbo inlet. 

The check valve in the intake manifold fails quite often. Refer to this thread for diagnosis: 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-g...4-pcv-valve-cover-intake-manifold-issues.html


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Well, took the car in for an oil change, and the mechanic says I have a small leak. A couple months before the power-train warranty runs out, so if I can get that intake replaced again before deadline, I can save a bunch of money and install the mod straightaway.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

So, apparently my turbocharger is "under performing" and is being replaced.

I'll be happy to get my car back; the malibu they gave me as a loaner is horrible.

**Edit: just got a call from the dealership: in addition to the turbo, they also have to change the intake (natch), there's suddenly a coolant leak, check engine light, and there are a couple seals not covered under warranty, but if I buy the parts they will install them along with the warranty work. Amazingly, the seals are only about $26 so yeah, definitely. There's a backlog on turbos, I guess, so I guess I will be driving this barge of a malibu well into next week.


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## SlvrECObullet (Feb 21, 2012)

Well I didn't even get through this entire thread and another thread that was linked about the PCV valve fix before I realized this Check valve may be the underlining issue. However of course I really haven't noticed a difference in drivability. Im almost to 97k miles took my car to the dealer (cause I was lazy) for oil change and tire rotation, and they notify me that I have an oil leak. Oil pan "gasket", return line, Oil feed line and clamps need to be replaced.... they want to charge me $850 to do that. Now that sounds pointless if I don't get a new PCV valve and the fix kit. So I guess I may have been a little lucky that mine lasted so long. Any advice going forward with this issue? I've seen something about the valve cover needed replacing a lot? I haven't noticed any issues with mine... lol. 

Lord why have I stepped away from this site and all the info for so long.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

SlvrECObullet said:


> Well I didn't even get through this entire thread and another thread that was linked about the PCV valve fix before I realized this Check valve may be the underlining issue. However of course I really haven't noticed a difference in drivability. Im almost to 97k miles took my car to the dealer (cause I was lazy) for oil change and tire rotation, and they notify me that I have an oil leak. Oil pan "gasket", return line, Oil feed line and clamps need to be replaced.... they want to charge me $850 to do that. Now that sounds pointless if I don't get a new PCV valve and the fix kit. So I guess I may have been a little lucky that mine lasted so long. Any advice going forward with this issue? I've seen something about the valve cover needed replacing a lot? I haven't noticed any issues with mine... lol.
> 
> Lord why have I stepped away from this site and all the info for so long.


Yeah you missed a bit, haha. Welcome back. 

Replace the pcv pipe (it will crack and create a vacuum leak pretty soon now), as well as the valve cover (that will also fail), and install my pcv fix kit v2 on the intake manifold, and you should be good to go for a while.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

I will be ordering my kit soon, and will be adding it as soon as I can get the time (_after_ I get the car back from the shop, obvs)


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## CRUISE-CRUZE (Nov 8, 2010)

A slight change to the original design...


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

Dngrsone, you hate the new Malibus too?
Man they are awful with the 1.5 in them. They are tolerable with the 2.0T in them, but I cringe Everytime someone says they enjoy the new 'Bu, especially if they say it's better than the current Cruze.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

I would like to have the extra leg room of the Malibu, however, I'm somewhat spoiled by the power of the Cruze (when it's working, hah).

TBH, my next car is likely going to be a hybrid such as the Prius V, but that is sometime in the distant future. I plan on driving this Chevy for a long time.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Ma v e n said:


> Dngrsone, you hate the new Malibus too?
> Man they are awful with the 1.5 in them. They are tolerable with the 2.0T in them, but I cringe Everytime someone says they enjoy the new 'Bu, especially if they say it's better than the current Cruze.


I compared both, and bought the Cruze. Looks nicer, drives nicer (with more get up and go and more refined motor for sure), and the interior is way nicer than the new Malibu (I was looking at the LT with leather vs Premier Cruze). 

I still don't like the styling on the Bu, and don't think they will age as well as the 08-12 has. 

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## SlvrECObullet (Feb 21, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> SlvrECObullet said:
> 
> 
> > Well I didn't even get through this entire thread and another thread that was linked about the PCV valve fix before I realized this Check valve may be the underlining issue. However of course I really haven't noticed a difference in drivability. Im almost to 97k miles took my car to the dealer (cause I was lazy) for oil change and tire rotation, and they notify me that I have an oil leak. Oil pan "gasket", return line, Oil feed line and clamps need to be replaced.... they want to charge me $850 to do that. Now that sounds pointless if I don't get a new PCV valve and the fix kit. So I guess I may have been a little lucky that mine lasted so long. Any advice going forward with this issue? I've seen something about the valve cover needed replacing a lot? I haven't noticed any issues with mine... lol.
> ...


Should I even bother replacing the intake manifold? Or would that be a waste of moneys?


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

Got the car back. this time around I had:

*Leaking front cover gasket
*Turbo charger under boost (replaced)
*Replaced oil return tube due to "oil coking and sealing gaskets"
*Two seals not covered under power-train warranty, $21.86
*Coolant leak from water outlet (replaced)

Also, they wanted to charge me something like $220 to replace the spark plugs because they are all corroded or whatever (cylinder 4 misfires like crazy). I have like 67,000 miles on this car and the spark plugs are shot already?

At any rate, I can change them myself and even with ordering a special long socket, I am only spending $59.11 to do it.

Next payday, I am going to order the kit!


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## SlvrECObullet (Feb 21, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> Got the car back. this time around I had:
> 
> *Leaking front cover gasket
> *Turbo charger under boost (replaced)
> ...


Be sure to take care with the coil when you remove it. At around 88k miles one my cylinders was misfiring as well the spark plug super corroded to the coil which broke when I removed it.


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

SlvrECObullet said:


> Be sure to take care with the coil when you remove it. At around 88k miles one my cylinders was misfiring as well the spark plug super corroded to the coil which broke when I removed it.


Funny you should say that...

The misfire wasn't because of the corroded sparkplug, but because of a weak connection between the coilpack and the spring. I ended up paying $162 for a replacement coilpack, and I'm more than a little angry with the dealership because of it.


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

I keep hearing about the PCV problem but so far I've not had it with mine. I just crossed 100k and am wondering if I should go ahead and do the fix before it happens and causes other problems like the main seal sucking in. For the mechanics out there whats your opinion? Should I do this as a PM item or just wait? I've seen others that report 200K and have not had the issue.


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## SlvrECObullet (Feb 21, 2012)

Dngrsone said:


> Funny you should say that...
> 
> The misfire wasn't because of the corroded sparkplug, but because of a weak connection between the coilpack and the spring. I ended up paying $162 for a replacement coilpack, and I'm more than a little angry with the dealership because of it.


I spent like $148 on a coil pack plus I had to end up buying new tools to my collection and replaced it my self. "F" the dealer when ever possible... even though I have been real lazy lately


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## Dngrsone (Jul 3, 2017)

It's very possible that, like the seals, they were quoting the price of materials only, which would have been fine, but they did not make that clear to me at the time.

At any rate, what's done is done, and I shall get along with my life... My kit showed up, and I need a day and some dry weather to install it.


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## 6rout (Feb 27, 2019)

Dngrsone said:


> It's very possible that, like the seals, they were quoting the price of materials only, which would have been fine, but they did not make that clear to me at the time.
> 
> At any rate, what's done is done, and I shall get along with my life... My kit showed up, and I need a day and some dry weather to install it.


My kit came in the mail today, but I had a new manifold put in under warranty literally 2 days ago. I'd kind of like to ride it out until the valve fails again, hopefully non-catastrophically, before putting in the work myself to remove and fix kit the manifold. You got me thinking that spark plug replacement might be a worthwhile investment too. I haven't inspected mine yet, but I'm at 67k miles and just had to replace manifold & PCV hose a week after buying the car due to leaks.

Question though: where exactly does the PCV nipple go when it fails and falls off?


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## Chriscomputers (Aug 23, 2019)

My fiance has a 2012 cruze with the 1.4L Turbo engine. I've replaced the valve cover for her 4 times now. Seems every 40,000 miles or so the PCV valve blows out. It's easy to change them and they are cheap to buy online now($35 shipped). Takes maybe an hour tops to swap. Even though this is a bad design flaw it sure beats other more costly repairs that other cars have. Her cruze also had a couple plastic parts for the cooling system replaced. Other then these issues the car has been very reliable.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Chriscomputers said:


> My fiance has a 2012 cruze with the 1.4L Turbo engine. I've replaced the valve cover for her 4 times now. Seems every 40,000 miles or so the PCV valve blows out. It's easy to change them and they are cheap to buy online now($35 shipped). Takes maybe an hour tops to swap. Even though this is a bad design flaw it sure beats other more costly repairs that other cars have. Her cruze also had a couple plastic parts for the cooling system replaced. Other then these issues the car has been very reliable.


Have you addressed the actual pcv valve in the intake manifold? The valve cover houses a pressure regulator diaphragm, not a pcv valve. 

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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Chriscomputers said:


> My fiance has a 2012 cruze with the 1.4L Turbo engine. I've replaced the valve cover for her 4 times now. Seems every 40,000 miles or so the PCV valve blows out. It's easy to change them and they are cheap to buy online now($35 shipped). Takes maybe an hour tops to swap. Even though this is a bad design flaw it sure beats other more costly repairs that other cars have. Her cruze also had a couple plastic parts for the cooling system replaced. Other then these issues the car has been very reliable.


If it's blowing that frequently, the check valve in the intake manifold is the cause of your issue.


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## Chriscomputers (Aug 23, 2019)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Have you addressed the actual pcv valve in the intake manifold? The valve cover houses a pressure regulator diaphragm, not a pcv valve.
> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk


My mistake. Tired when I typed that up. I meant the diaphragm has gone out every 40,000 miles or so. First time the valve cover was swapped out by a dealership under warranty. Other 3 times I changed it.


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## lonewolf04 (May 6, 2016)

Chriscomputers said:


> My mistake. Tired when I typed that up. I meant the diaphragm has gone out every 40,000 miles or so. First time the valve cover was swapped out by a dealership under warranty. Other 3 times I changed it.


There is another check valve in the hose assembly that goes from the intake to the turbo. That might have gone bad causing your multiple failures as well.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Chriscomputers said:


> My mistake. Tired when I typed that up. I meant the diaphragm has gone out every 40,000 miles or so. First time the valve cover was swapped out by a dealership under warranty. Other 3 times I changed it.


Right, but there's another check valve in the intake that goes bad, and the valve cover is usually 2nd to fail. If not addressed, it will continue to leak oil from seals, pull oil through the intake piping, and blow valve covers fairly regularly.









2011-2016 Cruze Limited 1.4L PCV System Explained


2011-2016 Cruze Limited 1.4L PCV System Explained Video: I made a video to help better explain how this whole PCV system works to supplement this article. Overview: The purpose of this post is to explain the function of the PCV system in the 1.4L Turbo engine so those of you who are having...




www.cruzetalk.com


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

snowwy66 said:


> I wouldn't make this post about ALL cruzes. Only the Gen1 series.
> 
> The verdict is still out for the Gen2.
> 
> The gen2 also runs at standard temperatures. The gen1 runs 30 degrees hotter then standard. I'm sure that has A LOT do with all the standard problems.



Is there any way to safely reduce the "operating temperature" Maybe use a lower thermostat?

Not sure how this all works, isn't the engine actually _designed_ to operate at a very specific temp though?

Also a concern of mine now; would fitting a transmission cooler help for longterm tranny reliability, if operating temps are 30' higher is this a concern?


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

markmashley said:


> Is there any way to safely reduce the "operating temperature" Maybe use a lower thermostat?
> 
> Not sure how this all works, isn't the engine actually _designed_ to operate at a very specific temp though?
> 
> Also a concern of mine now; would fitting a transmission cooler help for longterm tranny reliability, if operating temps are 30' higher is this a concern?


Engine temp is separate from transmission temp. The engine is designed to run 30° hotter than in the past. That should not have any appreciable affect on the transmission temp. With a scan tool, you should be able to monitor your transmission temp under stress (ie, highway speed, hot day, uphill, etc) and see if it's getting above designed temperature. I wouldn't add an extra cooler to it unless there is some extraordinary condition. Keep in mind, the owner's manual recommends against towing with this car, which is probably the most common source of transmission over-heating.

As for lowering the engine temp, there's a thread here about doing that. But my thinking is to make it work at the designed temp. So I'd focus on fixing leaks, replacing bad sensors, etc, rather than trying to re-engineer the operating point. YMMV.

Doug

.


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

plano-doug said:


> Engine temp is separate from transmission temp. The engine is designed to run 30° hotter than in the past. That should not have any appreciable affect on the transmission temp. With a scan tool, you should be able to monitor your transmission temp under stress (ie, highway speed, hot day, uphill, etc) and see if it's getting above designed temperature. I wouldn't add an extra cooler to it unless there is some extraordinary condition. Keep in mind, the owner's manual recommends against towing with this car, which is probably the most common source of transmission over-heating.
> 
> As for lowering the engine temp, there's a thread here about doing that. But my thinking is to make it work at the designed temp. So I'd focus on fixing leaks, replacing bad sensors, etc, rather than trying to re-engineer the operating point. YMMV.
> 
> ...



I'm inclined to agree with you regarding not fiddling with engine temp for the same reasons you state.

However, I would like to read the link you refer to, would you please post a link to it.

Just curious, the transmission has a separate cooler, or is it integrated into (part) of the radiator?


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Transmission coolers are part of the radiator.

The thread installs a 176* thermostat. When driving around. The car will run at 176ish. When parked and idle. The fan still don't come on till 230*. Nothing you can do to change that unless your good and crack the ecm to tweak the software.

So yes. Installing a lower thermostat will make the engine run cooler. And will also keep the transmission temps cooler. Since it uses the radiator for the cooler. Crawl underneath and you should see 2 transmission lines going to the radiator tank.

I"m assuming there's still lines that connect the trans to the radiator.

Even if it didn't. The fact that the engine will run cooler and is mounted to the transmission. The trans won't get AS hot.

You'll increase the life of the engine. The oil. All the parts that keep going out. The trans. Everything will last longer.

Lowering the temps will also reduce NOx. Some post said the increas is only marginal but still. Any reduction is better for the quality of life and the air we breathe.

The only drawback. Is your heater won't roast you out anymore. You'll still get heat. Just not as toasty hot. 

None of us know why the reasoning to run a 30* hotter then industry norm thermostat. 
It was a very dumb idea. And came with a health factor for world population.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

markmashley said:


> I'm inclined to agree with you regarding not fiddling with engine temp for the same reasons you state.
> 
> However, I would like to read the link you refer to, would you please post a link to it.


I think this is it: https://www.cruzetalk.com/threads/1-4-eco-thermostat-swap-221°f-to-176°f.225041/

Back in the day, I can remember my dad talking about running a cooler thermostat in his car, an Olds 88 with a 360 HP rocket 455. The motors made lots of heat and were notorious for eating water pumps and starter motors. Lowering the operating temps 10 or 15 degrees F, at first thought, seemed like a good idea. Of course, it really only made the engines run less efficiently, as if 12 MPG wasn't already bad enough 

Anyway, I see guys on other forums going from 195 down to 180° thermostats on some of the other engines, probably for the same reason, thinking it will buy some additional margin against over-heating.



> Just curious, the transmission has a separate cooler, or is it integrated into (part) of the radiator?


I just looked on my 2013 LS with 1.8 LUW and 6T30 auto trans. There are cooler lines running to the driver's end of the radiator.

HTH.

Doug

.


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

plano-doug said:


> I think this is it: https://www.cruzetalk.com/threads/1-4-eco-thermostat-swap-221°f-to-176°f.225041/
> 
> Back in the day, I can remember my dad talking about running a cooler thermostat in his car, an Olds 88 with a 360 HP rocket 455. The motors made lots of heat and were notorious for eating water pumps and starter motors. Lowering the operating temps 10 or 15 degrees F, at first thought, seemed like a good idea. Of course, it really only made the engines run less efficiently, as if 12 MPG wasn't already bad enough
> 
> ...


Right, I hear you Doug...

Nice one, thanks


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

jblackburn said:


> All automatic Cruzes actually have a small, separate trans cooler in front of the radiator/condenser assembly.


You made me look, again! On closer inspection, in addition to connecting to the radiator end pan (driver's side) I can see where the trans cooler lines also connect to the separate cooler in front of the radiator. 

Chevy has it buttoned up pretty good. Getting any closer look at what's behind the grill requires some non-trivial disassembly 

Doug

.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

jblackburn said:


> All automatic Cruzes actually have a small, separate trans cooler in front of the radiator/condenser assembly.
> 
> View attachment 283514


JOOC, drilling down on this some more, this thing is EXPENSIVE ! Over 350 bucks at _discount_ online Chevy parts stores! p/n: 13311081 .

366 at gmpartsgiant.com . 

And 355 at gmpartsdirect.com , who says the part does not fit my car - says it's only for the 1.4T and 2.0TD. Go figure.

Doug

.


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## kfinandandy (Aug 27, 2020)

Just received a letter in the mail this evening! Chevy officially has a recall for this issue.


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

kfinandandy said:


> Just received a letter in the mail this evening! Chevy officially has a recall for this issue.


Well, not a recall per say where they are telling you to bring them in. They will jstu pay for or reimburse for repairs to the cam cover.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

kfinandandy said:


> Just received a letter in the mail this evening! Chevy officially has a recall for this issue.


Extended warranty coverage, not a recall. True NHTSA recalls typically have no expiration date.


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

kfinandandy said:


> Just received a letter in the mail this evening! Chevy officially has a recall for this issue.


I got one also. I have the pcv v 2 kit installed so I should be good !


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Special Coverage - Camshaft Cover Replacement - (Jul 28, 2020) #N202299080


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## Alstrucks (Feb 25, 2021)

Hi, I recently put the PCV fix kit in my 2011 Cruze and ,knock on wood, seem to be ok but every once in a while when coming to a stop at the lights or stop sign the engine idles rough while other times it is runs smooth, any thoughts? Thanks

Al


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Alstrucks said:


> Hi, I recently put the PCV fix kit in my 2011 Cruze and ,knock on wood, seem to be ok but every once in a while when coming to a stop at the lights or stop sign the engine idles rough while other times it is runs smooth, any thoughts? Thanks
> 
> Al


Check to make sure you didn't lose the retaining ring inside the manifold pcv pipe terminal. 

Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Alstrucks said:


> Hi, I recently put the PCV fix kit in my 2011 Cruze and ,knock on wood, seem to be ok but every once in a while when coming to a stop at the lights or stop sign the engine idles rough while other times it is runs smooth, any thoughts? Thanks
> 
> Al


Is it only from a cold start around 1/4 on the temperature gauge? If so, that's completely normal and just a weird quirk of the car.


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## Alstrucks (Feb 25, 2021)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Check to make sure you didn't lose the retaining ring inside the manifold pcv pipe terminal.
> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk


Do you mean the the hose that goes from the top of the intake to the turbo?


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## Alstrucks (Feb 25, 2021)

jblackburn said:


> Is it only from a cold start around 1/4 on the temperature gauge? If so, that's completely normal and just a weird quirk of the car.


No, it is after it warms up, and as well there appears to be no codes either. Thanks


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