[RIP]

That could be the problem. It uses engine vacuum to operate. Essentially you had a vacuum leak. Low vacuum at idle will kill the engine.

Most of us, including me, take the PCV system for granted. Maybe we should all pay more attention to it. This is an excerpt from an article at machinerylubrication.com:
"The consequences of ignorance about PCV systems can also be costly. The system is simple. As a professional mechanic, almost every week I see a malfunctioning PCV system literally grinding an engine to bits. The rubber hoses and grommets that are part of the system can swell and loosen their connection to the other parts of the engine. The results depend upon where the integrity of the connection fails. If the connection is loose and sucking air into the line between the air filter housing and the valve covers or other intake point, raw unfiltered air is introduced to the crankcase. This can grind bearings, overload the oil filter capacity and in general, make a junk pile of the engine. Many of the prematurely worn out engines I have seen can trace their failures to a long-term malfunction of the PCV system.

If the connection fails on the other side between the PCV and the intake manifold, raw blow-by products spew into the atmosphere. The results are the terribly messy, oil and dust-coated engine compartments that many of us have seen, and the release into the atmosphere of many aggressive pollutants.

The ignorance and lack of attention to detail made my first wine experience my last. Don’t let the lack of knowledge and disregard for the simple PCV on your car cost you many miles of service from your modern-day combustion engine. Either you or your mechanic can inspect this entire system in just a few minutes. Hose, grommet or PCV replacements often cost less than $20. Do yourself and the environment a favor - check and/or repair this vital system this week."