5 Signs of a Bad Canister Purge Valve (and Replacement Cost)
While the average driver has no idea what is going on with their vehicle’s emissions systems, there are many new components that have completely overhauled the operation of modern engines.
One of these innovative technologies is the EVAP system, which has several components that make everything work. But one of the integrated components of the EVAP system is the vapor canister purge valve.
When everything works correctly, it is an excellent component that significantly reduces emissions. But when it doesn’t, you may notice a number of problems. Below, we’ll detail everything you need to know about this new technology making its way into vehicles.
We’ll also look at the symptoms of a purge valve, its location, function, and the cost of replacement if you need to replace yours. First, let’s look at the signs.
5 Symptoms of a Bad Canister Purge Valve
The most common symptom of a faulty canister purge valve is a check engine light on your car’s dashboard. In most cases, you won’t notice any other problems.
The main symptoms of a bad canister purge valve include:
- check engine light
- Increase in emissions
- Poor engine performance
- hard to start
- In slow motion
Although the vape cartridge purge valve solenoid is an emissions component, that doesn’t mean you won’t notice some performance issues if you don’t fix it right away.
Below is a more detailed list of the five most common symptoms of a faulty canister purge valve.
check engine light
The most common thing you’ll notice about a bad vapor cartridge purge valve is that you’ll get a check engine light that you weren’t expecting. Although the symptoms may change depending on whether the valve is stuck open or closed, one thing that should not change is that a check engine light should come on.
Increase in emissions
If the vapor canister purge valve is stuck closed instead of open, the valve will not push fuel vapors into the engine. Instead, they will come directly from the exhaust, resulting in much higher emission levels.
Of course, you probably won’t notice this unless you take your vehicle for an emissions test.
Poor engine performance
When the vapor canister purge valve is stuck, more air enters the system than your vehicle intended. This means that every time you step on the accelerator, your vehicle is not injecting enough fuel into the engine for the amount of fuel it contains.
Although these effects are most noticeable at low rpm, they can affect performance at all engine speeds; It’s just not that noticeable.
Related: 8 Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Accelerate
hard to start
The vapor canister purge valve does much of its work when you start your vehicle to empty the fuel tank, so it makes sense that this is when you will notice the most symptoms.
If the bleeder valve is stuck, you will get excess air when you start the engine, and since your vehicle doesn’t take this into account, it will throw off the fuel-to-air ratio.
Although your vehicle should still start, you will notice that it takes a little more work to get there. However, it is quite rare that it does not start because of this valve.
In slow motion
The vapor canister purge valves leak vacuum, and if you have a vacuum leak, it can affect engine performance, especially at low rpm.
The result of a vacuum leak in a canister purge valve would be rougher than normal idle. The size of the leak would affect the significance of a problem.
Related: Difficult Causes of Downtime and How to Fix Them
Steam Tank Purge Valve Function
Unless you’re a mechanic or engineer, you’ve probably never heard of a canister purge valve before. For starters, it is an emissions component that redirects excess fuel vapors to the engine.
The entire system it is a part of is your vehicle’s EVAP (evaporative emission) system. It works in conjunction with the charcoal canister to capture and redirect excess fuel vapors so the engine can burn them again.
This reduces your emissions by burning fuel vapors instead of letting them out of the air, essentially maximizing the amount of energy produced and minimizing the amount of harmful chemicals released as a byproduct.
Because it is effective in reducing the overall amount of harmful emissions, many automakers have begun implementing them in new vehicles to meet increasing emissions standards.
But when the vapor cartridge purge valve remains open, too much air enters the system, which impairs performance. On the other hand, if it gets stuck, its emission levels skyrocket.
Steam Tank Purge Valve Location
Depending on what you drive, there are two typical locations for the vapor canister purge valve.
The canister purge control valve is usually located in the engine compartment on a hose that runs from the intake to the canister. It can also be located near the fuel tank.
The component won’t look like much. It is usually nothing more than a small black plastic component with an electrical connector and a vacuum line on each end. Although it can be difficult to identify, it is usually fairly easy to get to once you find it.
Steam Tank Purge Valve Replacement Cost
The average vapor canister purge valve replacement cost is $50 to $300, depending on car model and labor costs.
While these little plastic components don’t look like much, they aren’t cheap to replace. The piece alone usually costs between $30 and $150. From there, you should also consider labor rates.
This cost can vary depending on the location of the vapor canister purge valve and how difficult it is to reach, but the cost typically ranges between $20 and $150.
If you’re looking to do the job yourself, it’s fairly simple to replace a vapor canister purge valve located in the engine compartment. All you need to do is locate the valve and possibly remove an intake cover to complete the job.
If the valve is attached to the back of the fuel tank, you may need to lift the rear of the vehicle and remove the tire to access the area. While it’s not a lot of work if you have the right equipment, it can definitely slow down the process a bit.
But considering these simple steps can save you between $50 and $150, it’s usually worth the extra steps! Remember to reset the engine code by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery to complete the job!
