The canister purge valve is the opening that releases fuel vapors that were previously absorbed by the charcoal back into the engine so that it can undergo combustion. The failed purge valve is a real cause for concern and is one of many causes for the check engine light illuminating your dashboard.
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A damaged purge valve is usually difficult for a mechanic to diagnose, despite the check engine light being a common symptom of many issues. The cost to replace a purge valve in your car is generally between $110-$170, with the parts being the high price of the replacement.
The parts’ cost usually comes in at an average of $75-$110, while the labor usually only runs at about $50, meaning this is a quick and straightforward fix that does not take very long. When asking yourself, “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve,” the overall average cost to replace a purge valve is $180.
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 and help you answer “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Canister Purge Valve Mechanism
The main vacuum line 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.
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Canister Purge Valve Function
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. Still, now in more modern cars, the engine control unit, also known as the car’s computer, is used to control the canister purge valve electronically. If the engine control unit is not working correctly, this can help you answer “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
The canister purge valve and the charcoal canister work to recycle the emission back into the engine. The emissions are eliminated as the engine’s internal combustion occurs. They work together, so if one is not working, the other will not work properly. The canister purge valve replacement cost can depend directly on the charcoal canister and the engine control unit.
Faulty 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 signs are of the bad canister purge valve, then you need to check out the main symptoms to help answer the question “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Check Engine Light
There are dozens of reasons why your check engine light might be illuminated on your dashboard, like the mass airflow sensor issues, a faulty oxygen sensor, and many other problems. If you have a damaged canister purge valve, the check engine light could come on.
There are main sensors in your car 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, this will show 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 canister purge valve’s information and how the functioning is occurring, resulting in the check engine light being turned on and alerting the driver. The check engine light is a crucial sign that can help answer “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Rough Engine 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 stop for a period of time at a stop sign or when you are stuck in highway traffic.
The longer you let the car continue to rough idle, the more consistently your car will idle. It will eventually lead to your engine completely stalling during use, increasing 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 and increase the answer to the question “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Reduced Engine Performance
If you can start your vehicle with a bad canister purge valve, you can’t expect it to be a smooth ride, and you will experience a lower engine power coming from your car and a lack of performance abilities.
Low engine power means that your engine will not 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 to the canister purge valve and help answer “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Trouble Starting Your Car
If you have a vacuum leak caused by a bad canister purge valve, you will usually have difficulties starting your vehicle. A vacuum leak 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, engine problems, like engine stalling, and the canister purge valve replacement cost is much higher.
- Failed Emissions Test
As we know, the vapor canister purge valve is in charge of redirecting fuel vapors back into the engine. Redirecting vapors prevents hydrocarbons from being emitted from your exhaust and your tailpipe. If you were to have a failing canister purge valve, it cannot redirect the fuel vapors to prevent them from escaping your vehicle.
A failed canister purge valve can lead to a failed emissions test and help you answer the question “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
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Low Fuel Economy
Along with the poor engine performance, a bad canister purge valve could cause poor fuel economy and miles per gallon in your vehicle. Because the fuel vapors usually used during the internal combustion process are kept, the fuel will not be used as efficiently when they are vented out in the atmosphere.
Inefficient combustion can result in worse gas mileage than you are used to and means your car will not go the same distance with the same amount of fuel.
Canister Purge Valve Replacement
The canister purge valve replacement and the cost to replace the purge valve is generally a simple and easy procedure since there might be just one valve to replace in your car. However, you might have to end up paying for additional repairs and parts that are related to the purge valve replacement.
Once the technician has figured out the problem and the root cause, they can determine the full extent of the damage and where it came from. The technician’s diagnostics can help answer the question, “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
The amount of work that the technician has to do or the mechanic must undergo depends on how long it takes to replace the valve, which is usually not very long, and the kind of car you have – the make, model, and year of the car. It also depends on how much damage has been caused by the damaged purge valve, affecting how much it costs to replace the purge valve.
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Purge Valve Replacement Timing
Usually, the mechanic will tell when the canister purge valve is damaged or has failed by their visual inspection. Although you can still drive the car, you can cause further damage to your vehicle if you continue to drive on it, as well as to other parts.
The more you drive the car on a damaged canister purge valve, the more that you will damage other components. You will need to eventually fix the problem, but try not to let it sit too long, despite not being an immediate and necessary fix.
If you are driving and notice black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe in your vehicle, then you need to stop driving your car right away and bring it to the mechanic so that you can fix your problem as soon as possible. If you do not bring your car to the mechanic, you could damage serious parts like the catalytic converter.
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Save Money on Purge Valve Replacement
If you want to save money on replacing the canister purge valve, you should check your local area for the best rate from various mechanics. The price of labor and parts could be different from one mechanic to another in your area or the surrounding areas, but you are not likely to see a big difference with this fix or repair prices.
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Testing Canister Purge Valve
To determine if you need to replace the purge valve, you should know how to test the part and determine if it is faulty or broken, helping answer “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve?”
If the vehicle service manual recommends that you apply battery voltage to the purge valve terminals, you can 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, 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, the canister purge valve is not sealed 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.
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Sample Purge Valve Replacement costs
One of the least expensive options when replacing the valve is the Honda Civic, with the total price betting between $99-$139 for the total cost, with the labor prices being between $63 to $80 and the cost of the parts ranging between $36 and $59. The second most inexpensive option is the Nissan Altima, ranging from $108 to $156, with the parts cost being between $70-$106 and the labor price ranging between $38-$50.
The middle range of prices includes the Ford Focus, the Toyota Camry and Corolla, the Ford F-Series, and the Ford Fusion. The Toyota Cars range from $120-$167, while the Ford cars’ total cost to replace the canister purge valve is approximately between $158-$195.
The more expensive options are the Honda Accord, between $192-$226, with the labor costing lower than $100 and the total parts cost over $110. The highest price for how much it costs to replace the canister purge valve is the Chevrolet Silverado, with the total price ranging between $262-$355, with the labor price being between $70-$89, which is relatively inexpensive, and the cost of the parts ranging from $192-$266.
Conclusion
Figuring out the answer to “how much does it cost to replace the purge valve” can help you make a smart decision when it comes to the longevity and performance level of your vehicle!