Maxima crankcase ventilation issue

Hey, I'm having trouble with my 2008 Nissan Maxima with a gasoline engine. The check engine light came on, and I've noticed a significant reduction in engine power. Also, there's visible smoke coming from the exhaust when I accelerate. I've run a diagnostic scan, and it's pointing towards a crankcase ventilation valve malfunction. I am at 142644 km. Has anyone experienced something similar?

4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar. I had a similar issue with my 2012 BMW 3 Series a while back. Same symptoms: check engine light, power loss, and smoke. Turned out to be a PCV valve issue as well. Did the smoke smell particularly oily or sweet? Also, how's your fuel consumption been lately?

Thanks for the quick response! The smoke does seem to have a slight oily smell to it. As for fuel consumption, I'd say it's increased noticeably over the past few weeks. What exactly was the fix for your BMW? Was it just a simple valve replacement, or did it involve more extensive work?

Yeah, oily smoke and increased fuel consumption definitely point to a faulty PCV valve. For my BMW, it was just the valve itself that needed replacing. However, it's best to get it checked out by a professional since a defective crankcase ventilation can cause serious engine damage in the long run. I ended up paying around 400€ for everything.

Thanks so much for the insight! I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'll take it to a workshop. They quoted me 360€ for the replacement, so it seems fair. Hopefully, that will solve the problem.

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