The canister purge valve is a huge component of the vehicle’s evaporative emission control system, with the function of this system to prevent fuel vapors in the tank from escaping into the atmosphere and harming the environment. The EVAP system is in charge of trapping fuel vapors from the fuel tank and storing them in the charcoal canister. To find out the total canister purge valve replacement cost, you should expect to pay between $130 and $230.
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What is a canister purge valve?
The canister purge valve is a part of the evaporative emission control system that works to keep vapors in the right spots in your car, and functions mainly to bring the stored and housed vapors into the engine during internal combustion after being stored in the charcoal canister. If the charcoal canister is not working correctly, this can increase the canister purge valve replacement cost.
There is a main vacuum line that connects the intake manifold with the charcoal canister housing the fuel vapors. The intake manifold is a network of tubes that distributes air coming into the engine to the correct places. The canister purge valve is located within the vacuum to allow these vapors into the intake manifold at the right time during the combustion process.
As we know, the evaporative emission control system fits a huge part of your car and keeps your emissions in check and working smoothly. The EVAP system contains a vapor canister purge valve that manages the quantity and quality of fuel vapor that emits from the charcoal canister in your vehicle.
The canister purge valve used to be controlled mechanically with a vacuum, but now in more modern cars, the engine control unit, also known as the car’s computer, is used to electronically control the canister purge valve.
The canister purge valve and the charcoal canister work in tandem to recycle the emission back into the engine so that the emissions are eliminated as the internal combustion in the engine occurs. They work together, so if one is not working, the other will not work properly as well. The canister purge valve replacement cost can depend directly on the charcoal canister and the engine control unit.
What is the car’s EVAP system?
The car’s evaporative emission control system is used to prevent gasoline and fuel vapors from escaping into the atmosphere as it is being held from the fuel tank and the fuel system. The EVAP system usually requires very little maintenance during your car’s lifespan, but if the system has any faults or has become damaged, then it can turn on the check engine light and prevent the car from passing an emissions test.
How does the canister purge valve work?
Now that you know what the canister purge valve is, you need to know how the canister purge valve works. When the purge valve opens, the fuel vapors then transport to the intake manifold in your vehicle. From the intake manifold, the car’s vapors and emissions are sent into the internal combustion chamber within the engine. At this point, the vapors will be ignited with the fuel and air mixture to power the car. If something is not working in the internal combustion chamber, this can enhance the canister purge valve replacement cost.
If you have an electronic canister purge valve, the engine control unit can manage and analyze it. This is the main computer of the car that is in charge of calculating the exact amount of vapor that needs to be transported into the engine. Once the electronic control unit and the canister purge valve allows enough vapor through, the canister purge valve will close so that no more vapor seeps through.
Bad canister purge valve symptoms
If you have a bad vapor canister purge valve, the symptoms and signs that you might notice could be worse and more severe than the symptoms of a bad charcoal canister. When you notice these symptoms, you need to determine the overall canister purge valve replacement cost. If you need to understand what these symptoms are to see the bad canister purge valve, then you need to check out the main symptoms of this issue.
Check engine light
There are dozens of reasons why your check engine light might be illuminated on your dashboard, like the mass air flow sensor issues, a faulty oxygen sensor, and many other problems. If you have a damaged canister purge valve, then this could cause the check engine light to come on.
In your car, there are main sensors that are in charge of noticing when the canister purge valve is working correctly and when it is not. However if there is a lack of signals coming from the purge valve, then this will show to the sensors that the canister purge valve might be damaged, and the overall canister purge valve replacement cost is higher.
The sensors will then let the engine control unit know about the information in the canister purge valve and how the functioning is occurring, which will then result in the check engine light being turned on and alerting the driver.
Rough idle
If your car has a rough engine idle, then this means it is no longer able to run consistently and smoothly giving you a comfortable ride. The rough idle will cause the car to run at an inconsistent rate as you are driving, especially if you are stopped for a period of time at a stop sign or when you are stuck in highway traffic.
The longer that you let the car continue to rough idle, the more consistently that your car will idle and it will eventually lead to your engine completely stalling during use, which can increase the canister purge valve replacement cost. If you let this get out of hand, then it can cause much further damage to other systems in your car.
Trouble starting the car
If you have a vacuum leak that was caused by a bad canister purge valve, then you will usually have difficulties starting your vehicle. This will cause the outside air to enter the engine and cause issues with the overall internal combustion process. If you have air mixing with fuel in the cylinder chamber, this can cause engine problems, like engine stalling, and the canister purge valve replacement cost to be much higher.
Poor Engine Performance
If you are able to start your vehicle with a bad canister purge valve, you can’t expect it to be a smooth bride and you will experience a lower engine power coming from your car and a lack of performance abilities. This means that your engine will not be able to provide the acceleration that you need and can be very noticeable when you are going uphill or passing another car. The poor engine performance can directly relate the canister purge valve and cause a much higher canister purge valve replacement cost.
Poor Fuel Economy
Along with the poor engine performance, a bad canister purge valve could cause a poor fuel economy and miles per gallon in your vehicle. Because the fuel vapors usually used during the internal combustion process are kept, when they are vented out in the atmosphere, the fuel will not be used as efficiently. This can result in worse gas mileage than you are used to, and means your car will not be able to go the same distance with the same amount of fuel.
Emissions test failure
As we know, the vapor canister purge valve is in charge of redirecting fuel vapors back into the engine. This prevents hydrocarbons from being emitted from your exhaust and your tailpipe. If you were to have a failing canister purge valve, then it cannot redirect the fuel vapors to prevent them from escaping your vehicle. This can lead to a failed emissions test and cause the canister purge valve replacement cost to be higher.
Canister purge valve replacement cost
The replacement cost of a canister purge valve usually ranges between $130 and $230 on average, with the main expensive being for the parts itself, costing between $75 and $120. The amount of time the mechanic needs to carry out the replacement of the canister purge valve comes out to between $50 and $100, but you can save a lot of money by going to an independent auto repair shop or doing the repair yourself.
Sample canister purge valve replacement costs
The least expensive options for the canister purge valve replacement for modern cars on the market today involve the Honda Civic, with the lowest price being between $99 and $139. The total labor costs come out to between $63 and $80, with the parts cost being between $36 and $59. The second cheapest price for the canister purge valve replacement cost deals with the Ford Focus, with the total price being between $115 and $148, with the total labor cost being between $45 and $57, with the cost of the parts ranging between $70 and $91.
The Next cheapest option for common cars on the market today are the Toyota Cars, the Toyota Camry and the Toyota Corolla. Both of these cars cost between $120 and $167 on average, with the labor cost ranging between $44 and $56, and the parts ranging between $76 and $111.
The middle of the road prices for modern cars involves the Honda CR-V and the Ford F-Series, with the total price ranging between $158 and $195. The labor costs for these two cars come out to between $61 and $78, and involve a total parts cost of between $97 and $117.
The most expensive canister purge valve replacement cost involves the Chevrolet Silverado, with the total price being between $262 and $355. The total parts cost is between $192 and $266, while the labor cost is between $70 and $89.
How to test the canister purge valve
If you are trying to determine if you need to repair the valve or if you need to figure out the total canister purge valve replacement cost, then you will have to test the canister purge valve. You can find the right procedure to test the purge valve in the service manual for your specific car. The procedure is different depending on the car’s make and model, while the purge valve is usually closed during use.
If the vehicle service manual recommends that you apply battery voltage to the purge valve terminals, this can help you determine which end provides an audible click. The next step is to test if the purge valve closes properly and does not show any leaks during use. If the canister purge valve is leaking, then you will need to look up the canister purge valve replacement cost.
To find the leak, you need to connect a handheld vacuum pump and apply the vacuum to the canister purge valve. When this happens, the vacuum should not drop almost right away. If the vacuum pressure drops this means that the canister purge valve is not sealing properly and must be replaced. The car might also have the check engine light turned on the dashboard and you should use a diagnostic tool to check for any trouble codes.
The trouble code can alert you to whether the evaporative emission control system vent control circuit is malfunctioning and can determine the source of the leak in the bad canister purge valve and help you get closer to the total canister purge valve replacement cost.
To find the difference, you might need to test the canister purge valve from a different car. If the canister purge valve holds the vacuum well, then this means there is an issue with your own car. After this step is complete, you need to connect the battery voltage. The purge valve will click and the vacuum drops, showing the purge valve is working correctly and you do not need to look at the canister purge valve replacement cost.