What the collected opinion on changing out the PCV valve?
Procedure and time/miles.
The "proper" way is to remove the intake manifold and change from
the top.
Changing from below requires an experienced 6 year old (hand size).
Mounting a catch can is almost as much fun.
Opinions/options.

My 2¢

 

If you are comparing a task by hand size then don't consider it or for the most part servicing many things on most vehicles American from about 1978 to present and foreign vehicles almost since they first started to be *assembled. LOL
I often hear and even participate on ridiculous threads called as an example "WHAT IS THE HARDEST CAR YOU EVER WORKED ON"
As for the PCV valve ... on new MAZDA manufactured Skyactiv engines I would "GUESS" at least at the 100k mark as part of a comprehensive preventive maintenance overall of commonly considered wear parts.i.e. belts,hoses, spark plugs engine and transmission mounts etc, etc, etc,.!

As for the PCV valve in less then mentioned above miles unless you know absolutely the PCV has started to fail or that you have a dirty (oil deposits or worse) "air" intake manifold or you are getting excessive blow-by and confirmed the lower short block and upper head are in good condition via compression test followed up by a leak down test and even possibly scoping the intake and the combustion chambers there really is no reason to change it out. IMHO

The catch can you refer to required simple DIY garage owned tools a couple of drive up DIY ramps and reading the simplified and detailed with illustrations the installation from CS

 

While my 60 years of fiddling with cars has seem some pretty gummed up
PCV valves, I've limited experience with GDI engines and PCV valves.
Given the whole problem with intake valve deposits, and the PCV system
being well involved with that problem, changing that valve, at least on some
engines, could be a part of maintenance even if long range.
Cleaning the valve on Mazda's 2.5 is not do able.

My 2¢

 

We were not talking about other cars but the MAZDA and specifically your MAZDA!
And you did not do your math when talking about servicing PCV valves and your years experience with them ... LOL

Generally speaking on the MAZDA Skyactiv engines keeping the schedule of oil changes and using a top tier *fuelwill reduces PCV problems.

*Fuel quality has more to do with how well the crankcases does not becomes as contaminated with normal use which has nothing to do with a "air intake system" on DI engines.

 

I haven't seen any PCV issues with Skyactiv engines. Unless you are having issues, leave it alone.