2003 GT - Canister Control Solenoid

[IIGood]

I had my '03 GT at the shop recently getting the fuel pump replaced. The day after I picked it up, the Service Engine Soon light came on and I took it back in.

They said it was now the vapor canister and the canister control solenoid. To order the parts and install them, they wanted $600, half of which was parts alone (albeit, from the Ford dealer).

I thought I'd take a stab at running the parts down myself and I've found the canister quite easily but I'm not so sure on this solenoid. There's a "vapor canister vent valve/solenoid" on RockAuto but I'm not sure if it's the same thing.

Can anyone help shed some light on this? Thanks!

 

[wmburns]

Just wondering. Did the car have a check engine light before the work was done?

Rather than thinking by some astonishing coincidence that the CV vent solenoid failed just at the moment after the fuel pump was replaced, consider another option. How about the possibility that the mechanic doing the work failed to reconnect (or damaged) the EVAP lines that run across the top of the gas tank.

Are you interested in fixing the problem yourself or is your hope to just "part swap" to a solution?

IMO you should prepare for the possibility that there's nothing wrong with the CV solenoid and the problem might be a vapor leak.

As far as the charcoal canister is concerned, they rarely go bad. Except if raw gas is allowed to enter from over filling. IF you can blow through it, it's OK.

Or since you paid a professional for their work, IMO it might be reasonable to expect a professional result.

Here's some information on an affordable ODB2 scanner with bi-directional support that will help trouble shooting the EVAP system.

ForScan ODB2 scanner w ELM327 USB

ForScan ODB2 scanner w ELM327 USB

While working on your car have you ever wanted: to find an ODB2 operational PID value (say fuel pressure or MAF)? How about graph a PID value over time? Or compare multiple PID's over time? Access a bi-directional PCM control such as test a...

www.stangnet.com

 

[RaggedGT]

+ 1 that the shop left off our broke a vapor line

 

[IIGood]

@wmburns

The light was not on before the fuel pump repair...the fuel pump just up and quit on me, and that was quite an "interesting" experience itself.

Anyway, no, I'm not entirely convinced their diagnosis regarding the light is right. The timing of when it initially came on does make me suspect that something wasn't reconnected and I took it back to the shop asking them if something was not connected properly. They said they checked everything and did a smoke test and when they told me their findings and the price tag for it, I was a bit hesitant (mostly because of cost, TBH) and said I'd try to find the parts myself.

When I started the car after that, the SES light was off. Two days ago, the "Check Fuel Cap" light appeared and then yesterday morning the SES light came back on.

It's not affecting the performance of the car of course, but it is mildly annoying having those lights on. Guess I'll have to push back a little harder.

 

[wmburns]

and did a smoke test

This was information not included in the original post. This tends to discount the possibility that something like a disconnected vapor tube.

Do you have $30? Do you have a Windows laptop? Don't discount the value of what the ForScan software can do for you.

For example. There's an in bay EVAP test. Plus with the bi-directional controls it possible to "command" the CV vent solenoid to close or open. Why is this important? What about just listening for the "click" of the CV solenoid right by the charcoal canister. If there's a click this means that the wiring is in tact.

Or how about monitoring the fuel tank pressure (FTP) PID? Close the CV vent solenoid. Does the FTP change? If so, that proves that the FTP is sending data.

Information.

Small EVAP leaks can be some of the more difficult problems to fix for the home DIY'er. Mostly because the home DIY'er doesn't have access to a smoke machine. You have a huge leg up on the problem being as you know the results of a smoke test.

 

[IIGood]

This was information not included in the original post. This tends to discount the possibility that something like a disconnected vapor tube.

Sorry about that, looks like that would've helped in this instance. My bad.

Do you have $30? Do you have a Windows laptop? Don't discount the value of what the ForScan software can do for you.

I have really been considering that lately, even before all this craziness went down. My only hangup was how often I'd use it, but it would sure help regardless.