Help with a part number and problem

[yitbos]

I posted a problem I was having a short time ago about smelling gas fumes inside the car while driving. After talking to a few people, they suggested changing the charcoal canister in my '84. I changed that about 2 years ago and the fumes have gotten worse lately. So they suggested changing the solenoid valve connected to the charcoal canister.

I called the dealership today and that part is discontinued. They gave me a part number of #1997629. I got on Ecklers.com and found their part number #36926 that is an EGR solenoid valve and ordered it, but I'm begining to think it is not the correct item. I'm looking though my 84 shop manual and it looks almost the same as the other item I need. It looks exactly like what I removed from my car yesterday afternoon.

Could these two valves be the same? They look the same but I'm not sure they will work the same. I'm going to call Ecklers tomorrow and see what they say and if possible, cancel my order. But I wanted to get some input from all of you before I made that call.

In the 84 shop manual, the part I'm looking for is on page 6E2-85 at the bottom, #6 - Fuel Vapor Canister Solenoid.

The part I think I ordered is from page 6E2-107 #14 (even though it looks exactly the same).

Thanks for your help. I could really use it here.
John

 

[geekinavette]

Even of the canister solenoid was bad....I don't see what that would have to do with fumes inside the car. There are no fuel lines whatsoever that run into the cockpit...so the fumes have to be coming from outside. Maybe the fumes are in fact coming from the canister...but if that's the case there's still a leak from the engine bay into the cockpit that you need to find and fix.

I'm not sure about the solenoid compatibility....have to research that a little.

Bill

 

[JonM]

First thing you need to do is make sure the air cleaner is working properly. Make sure the doors of the cleaner open when the car warms up. Next get the entire air cleaner off the two injuectors. Check all the fuel connections for leaks while running. Check to see if either injector is leaking. Look at both injectors, they should look like a nice even spray. Also remove the line running from the canister also remove the door where you fill the tank. Remove the hose leading from the cannister and see if you can blow compressed air through it. Change the fuel filter on the frame rail.

 

[yitbos]

Thanks for the ideas and info. I'm looking at what you suggested. Could the oxygen sensor be causing part of this problem? After driving home today, I began noticing the smell of gas vapors as the engine was up to full temperature. It took most of my ride home before I noticed it (about 20 minutes into my drive).

One problem I have had in the past is trying to figure out how to get the air filter pan off the top of the engine. As I recall, from the last time I was looking at that area, there were some bolts, but when I loosened them, they did not allow the air filter pan to move at all. Any suggestions on how to get that component off the engine?

Thanks,
John

 

[JonM]

If your O2 sensor hasn't been changed in a while, you really should change it. It tells the ECM what to do as far as fuel and air combo's. Also check the exaust system...you may have a leak and exaust maybe entering near the tunnel

To take the air cleaner off...take off the top with the two screw connectors...then loosen up the 4 #10 bolts...they don't come completly out, but loosen then untill they are sloppy. Now on the front of the cleaner you will see a hose type connection entering the cleaner...push that towards the front of the car to disengage. Now look under the cleaner on the pass side, you will see a hose running into the dome cover..remove that...on the drivers side you will see a silver tube running into the cleaner...while you lift the cleaner off the engine swing the cleaner around to disengage the tube. Their is also a small vacuum hose running from the cleaner to the back of the throdle body..remove that and you are home free. It sounds like alot, but really isn't...don't forget to reinstall the vacuum hose when you put everything back.

 

[yitbos]

I'm the second owner and the vehicle just turned 51k miles. I have all the service work forms and I don't find anything saying the O2 sensor, PCV Valve or any other thing like that has been changed. I have had the fuel filter and pump changed though.

I figured this weekend I'd do the PCV and O2 sensor and see what happens. I also found by talking to the tech at Ecklers that the solenoid for the charcoal canister is not available and he does not carry it either. There are two solenoids under the hood that look the same but are different in operation. So he said if I could find a part number on the one in my vehicle he could send some messages out to other places to see who might carry something like that.

This should be interesting.