Do these pics show symptoms of a PCV problem?

[gibbons]

I've used Mobile 1 exclusively since 5,000 miles, up to the current 196,000 miles. As such, I thought my motor was immune from PCV gunk and I never paid any attention to the threads about PCV problems. My throttle body failed a couple of weeks ago (I think it failed, anyway). I started looking at how difficult it will be to replace, and see this gunk build up on it and in the general area (17.5 years worth). Is this oil residue spritzing out of a leak in the boost tube, indicating a problem with the PCV system routing oil mist back into the intake?
94429443

[Astro14]

Looks pretty light for 17.5 years of gunk and oil vapor...

Really, the only way to know you need to replace the PCV is to dig into it, or when a seal fails. Oil leaks are a big clue, but if your engine has only a bit of gunk like that, you're probably OK.

Dropping the oil pan, which takes an hour or two, will give you a look up into the oil separator (flame trap) and if you see carbon, you should do the whole thing.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it right now. 5,000 miles on Mobil 1 is pretty conservative. The big issue isn't the quality of oil, it's the additive package. If the oil maintains its acid-neutralizing properties, that keeps sludge from forming. Regular Mobil 1 isn't designed for extended drains, but should be plenty basic (anti-acidic) for a short run of 5,000 miles.

I'm a fan of the better European-specification oils. Two of the most stringent long-drain oil specifications are the Porsche A40 and MB 229.5. Look for an oil that meets either, or both, of those and you're good.