Replaced PCV valve, now won't start

[NavyGuy]

I have a 96 mystique <insert ford contour here>, with a 4 cyl engine in it. The car idled rough, and when I started it cold, it would stall almost immediately (once idle dropped down), but then it would run fine. I thought this might be the PCV valve (original equipment, and the car has 120k miles on it) and so I replaced the PCV valve (the engineer that placed that one should be shot). Anyway, when I started the car up again, the engine wouldn't stay running. It would idle down and die, even after it had been running a little bit. This problem got worse. I started revving the engine to see if it just needed to heat up a little bit, but when it got up to 4k rpm, it kind of revved, died, revved, died, revved died, then it dies for good. Now it won't start. What happened here? Any ideas where to start?

Thanks,

NavyGuy

[mralias]

sounds fuel related. Check fuel lines and filter. Also make sure all vacum lines if equiped are conected. Make sure you did not by accident knock something off when you replaced the pvc. I dont think the pvc was your problem. I would go with fuel obstruction or exhust obstruction like catalytic converter.

[deaz]

Actually, we have a 97 contour here, and I had to replace the pcv valve too... I ended up unhooking just about everything in my way, and I had the same problem.. Turned out, one of the vacuum hoses that LOOKED like it was connected, ended up not being connected. So, just double check anything you had to remove to get to the pcv valve.

[hallboy]

Sounds like vacuum for sure. Could be a sh**t ton of stuff on this car. Start with the vac lines around the PCV. If you where already having issues then start looking around the top side as well. Let the car idle or up the idle just enough to keep it running. Listen for the air hissing.
Good luck
hallboy