What are the symptoms of a faulty activated charcoal canister solenoid valve?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a faulty activated charcoal canister solenoid valve include: 1. Gasoline odor inside the car; 2. Jerking during rapid acceleration; 3. Difficulty starting the engine; 4. Unstable idle; 5. Negative pressure in the fuel tank. The function of the activated charcoal canister solenoid valve: It reduces air pollution caused by fuel evaporation emissions while increasing fuel efficiency. When the car starts, the solenoid valve opens, releasing the adsorbed fuel vapor into the intake manifold for combustion in the engine. Methods to check the condition of the charcoal canister solenoid valve: 1. If gas is released when opening the fuel tank cap, it indicates a faulty solenoid valve; 2. If gasoline vapor or dripping oil appears at the charcoal canister's atmospheric vent, it indicates a faulty solenoid valve; 3. If there is poor acceleration, jerking, unstable idle, or fluctuating RPM, it indicates a faulty solenoid valve; 4. If the engine fails to start after stalling or there are abnormal noises while driving, it indicates a faulty solenoid valve.
I've been driving an old car and experienced a faulty activated charcoal canister purge valve. The symptoms were obvious: the check engine light suddenly came on and wouldn't reset. Fuel consumption skyrocketed - from 500km per tank to barely 400km. The car shook violently at idle, sometimes stalling at red lights requiring restart. Acceleration was sluggish, struggling uphill like climbing, especially noticeable at low speeds. There was always a strong gasoline smell in the car that even parking garage neighbors noticed. All this happened because the faulty valve couldn't properly vent fuel vapors. I suggest not delaying - get it checked at a professional repair shop immediately. The repair isn't expensive but the impact is significant. During routine maintenance, have them check the charcoal canister system to avoid roadside breakdowns. Driving safety comes first - leaving this untreated can easily damage other components.
