Idle...

That's what my car has been doing....idling HIGH!!! It's ridiculous! I got an oil change at Valvoline in early December. I usually go somewhere else, but had a coupon, and with the way things are these days, who can't stand to save a little money!!! So, I went in, they did the oil change and replaced a PCV valve. Whatever...I'm such a girl with all the mechanical stuff, but it did look clogged and it wasn't that expensive, so, go for it, change it! WELL, after that, my car sounded different. I thought, hmmmm, that's odd. Maybe it's just cold, or whatever. I mentioned it to hubby, so he drove it and thought the same thing, but he said maybe it would correct itself so give it a week or so. Sounds as if the engine is trying harder or something. Well, I needed gas too, so I filled it up and went on my merry way. A couple weeks went by and I was on E, so I filled up again.....noticing that my overall mileage was considerably less than what it should have been for a full tank - about 35 miles less to be exact! I thought, odd!!! So, after filling up, I reset my odometer as usual.
Little Hauss must have been playing around with the interior lights while getting out the car one evening, and ran down the battery, so then the next day, it wouldn't start! This was actually a GOOD thing, because when Hubby went to jump it, we notice the antifreeze was leaking.....so I immediately drove it to the garage, they looked at it and tightened the hose.....not really "leaking" but just was loose! So, I asked about the idling....they told me to bring it in the following Monday and they'd check it out.....HERE's where it gets wacko!! I literally drove the car about 10 miles that day total, and noticed that my tank was already down almost a quarter tank!!!!!!! WTF???? So, I call the mechanic (yes, I have his home number) and told him what was going on.....he told me to park it!
NOTHING!!!! is what he found! Diagnostic tests, O2 sensor, fuel line, air filter, all the obvious things - they checked it......
I've now had it checked by a mechanic, tires rotated and balanced, air filter changed, and I even called Valvoline asking if they could have possibly done anything out of the ordinary to make this happen. Of course they didn't, but it could be a clogged fuel filter that they would gladly replace for the low cost of $79.99!! Bull shit they will! They are so not touching my car!
BUT, now after some research on my own with the help of a few car tinkering friends, I think the PCV valve is BAD!!!!! Yes, all the typical signs of a bad PCV valve!!! idling high, bad gas mileage!!! I called the garage...they didn't check the valve because I said that it just was replaced....but they are gonna check it now and Valvoline is gonna get a piece of my mind but no more of my business! And I'm gonna get some money back!
I've now decided that Hubby and I will take matters into our own hands with the cars....he KNOWS how to change oil, so there is no reason that we should be paying someone else to do it!!

Thanks for letting me vent!