What is this???

[Big Dawg1]

My accelerator was starting to stick so I did the usual checking and found that a part of the engine was contacting the accelerator linkage. See picture.



As you can see, the green arrow is the accelerator linkage, the light blue arrow is a metal tube and the red arrow points to a plastic housing that the metal tube fits into.

What I found was the metal tube had slid toward the linkage and was interfering with the linkage. I squeezed the tube back into the black plastic housing and put a zip tie around it to hold it in place. Should that tube be loose enough to slide out like that? Do I need to worry about the tube and housing not being sealed well? And as my subject line said...What is this???
BD

PS I know the picture looks like the zip tie is now in the way of the linkage, but it's not.

[itsa300zx]

Black housing is valve cover, metal tube is Pcv piping system. Common issue for TT. Some jb weld in place and some zip tie as you have done.

[Big Dawg1]

itsa300zx
Thanks for the reply.
My Z is NA not TT so I assume this issue still applies.
Am I to assume that using JB Weld around the metal tube where it enters the black plastic housing is to create a seal or is that just to further ensure that the metal tube doesn't slide back out again?
One thing...are saying that the black plastic housing seen in the picture is a valve cover? Valve cover for what?

[itsa300zx]

Correct for the jb weld. Covers are valve covers, there are four of them under the intake plenum. 2 intake and 2 exhaust covers.
See link

http://z32.wikispaces.com/Valve+Cover

[Big Dawg1]

Wow, I never new that this section was part of the engine valve cover. I never really followed it to the rest of the cover.
What is the purpose of this hose coming from the PVC flex hose (which is coming from the air filter) to the engine? Since it is apparently drawing in outside air into the valve cover...is this somehow creating a positive or negative pressure in the engine?

[zcar93na]

P-ositive
C-rankcase
V-entilation

The rotating assembly (crank, rods, and pistons) and engine temperature creates pressure inside the engine. Back in the day, you simply had a breather filter on a valve cover. But emissions don't allow that now, so the PCV system directs the fumes (pressure) into the intake to be burned...Also the valve covers are aluminum.