Does my Windstar have 2 PCV valves?

There is the obvious one that connects to the air intake tube on the front (technically LH side of engine) engine valve cover, but when i was in there the other day there was something very cruddy looking on the rear valve cover (RH side of engine) that looked as if it was a 2nd PCV valve with some hose connected to it.

What gives? What is that thing? If its never been replaced should I pull it and replace it or clean it?

OMG - Its Full Of Stars.....
My Brain That Is.
I Know What Is Wrong With My Van! This Has To Be It! Stayed Up All Night Researching The Entire Cd-rom!! Post More Later!!!

OK.....1995 through 1998 windstar has the PCV valve in the REAR valve cover......
The crankcase BREATHER is in the front valve cover.....CLEAN air (that has flowed through the air filter) flows into the front valve cover to replace the air that has been pulled out the rear valve cover through the PCV valve.

The air that is flowing through the PCV valve has been measured by the MAF......as the air flowing IN through the breather has flowed through the MAF also.

In 1999, they switched....and the PCV valve is in the front valve cover, and the breather is in the rear valve cover.

OMG - Its Full Of Stars.....

Hahahahaha thats great...I love Kubrick films...and yes keep us posted

:( Though I am sad and let down I remain somewhat hopeful because I now know for sure I had something BASS-ACKWARDS in the engine. I have never in my life witnessed a PCV valve on the rear cover. A long time ago when I was very green and first got the van I noticed, what I didn't know was the crankcase ventilation breather tube on the front cover, that it was cracked.

Not being familiar with "breathers" (though of course I'd heard of them) I replaced the breather valve/orifice or whatever it is with what I thought was supposed to go there..... a PCV VALVE !!!!! I rigged something up cause what I figured was that the previous owner just took it off and put a open line there.

WHAT TYPE OF ENGINE DAMAGE CAN OCCUR DRIVING WITH 2 PCV VALVES FOR OVER 2500 MILES?

My OLD ENGINE WAS IN THIS CONFIGURATION AS WELL!!!! I WONDER IF THIS CONTRIBUTED TO MY LOSS OF ENGINE!!!!

THIS EXPLAINS THE WHISTLING I HEAR WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE!

I THINK THIS EXPLAINS THE BAD MPG!!!!

BUT.... THE SAD PART..... :( - Near stall condition still exists. I JUST converted the old PCV valve on the rear cover to a breather valve. I put a new PCV on the back bank so now the engine should BREATH as it was meant to do!!!

Looking inside the engine through what I now know as the breather HOLE it is pretty charred/gummed/varnished.... for a new engine I would not imagine this is how it should look right?

It has me wondering what kind of INSANE PRESSURE must've been building in that crankcase and I don't know how I haven't sprung a leak or some gasket somewhere.

I'm worried about what I've done to the engine now. Anybody know what no engine ventilation can do?

In any case I need to drive it around. I'm probably going to through some cleaner in the crankcase (Lucas treatment or Seafoam or both separate times).

This just pisses me off. This was a stupid design. For 1 the PCV should've always been in front and for 2 the orifice that holds the breather tube should not be the same diameter such to avoid confusion in case of breather tube breakage, cause thats exactly what happened here.

well....most you did was apply a vaccum to the crankcase......you were pulling air out the rear valve cover.......and the PCV valve in the breather spot would have restricted the airflow into the motor.
I don't see where you would have done any damage in that short of time.

The valve cover for the PCV valve has some sort of baffle to prevent oil spray from being drawn into the PCV line...(excessive oil consumption).
If you read the TSB information for the 1999 through 2000 windstar, that was an issue....not a good enough baffle for the PCV line.
So this could be an issue with trying to put the PCV in the front valve cover on a 1995 - 1998 model year windstar.
Otherwise....it would not matter.
The Idea is to pull the air out one valve cover and draw clean air into the other valve cover.....to provide a slight air flow through the crankcase to draw off harmful vapors that, if left in there, would case sludge issues and premature breakdown of the motor oil.

I would not get carried away with putting cleaners into the crankcase......if you decide to do it.....look into ordering some Auto-RX online....as it does work....but is NOT a solvent.

Is it called Blackstone Labs? I'm pretty sure that's what they're called! Anyway, if I'm wrong someone will chime in. I would send them a sample of the current engine oil and see what results you get back from them.