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Performance Upgrades - Maintenance - Modifications - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street Trucks. Covering the Explorer, ST, Sport, Lincoln Aviator, Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Aerostar. Featuring H.I. - Human Intelligence.
when i get out of the explorer i get a whiff of sour gas smell like in front of the explorer and right where the drivers wheel well is. i dont think its the canester. i checked for gas leaks i dont see any.
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...Just a guess as I can't smell it but from the location description I would guess the canister is full=shot, and can no longer absorb vapors...
...Usually you will also have a stored code for the SPV (Solenoid Purge Valve)...I would also check the rubber line from the canister down to where it meets the metal fuel vapor line at the frame rail running by the fuel filter...This line tends to rot from the inside out but also leaves rubber balls in the line to clog it up...
I have this same problem with my 94 Eddie. The canister purge solenoid is bad. I have not replaced it yet to see if it will help, but it makes sence. The valve does not open and the canister gets saturated with fumes as they cannot be drawn into the intake. They have no place to go except into the air.
My limited did the same thing when I first got it. Although it had not been driven in about two months until I got it. It quit smelling right after I drove it to work a couple of days.
As tbars said you should get a code for the Canister purge solenoid. It will not set the check engine light. It should be in the stored codes, KOEO.
My experience with these is that you will only get a code if the fault is electrical. If the circuit is intact, but the solenoid is mechanically stuck closed, you won't get a code. In addition to pulling codes, I would also use the output state test and a vacuum pump to make sure the CANP solenoid can open when told to.
X2 on the canister. or atleast the purge valve. i also noticed alot of other cars reak weird when its really lately. almost like gas smell. but not exactly.
The canister usually does not need to be replaced (it's just a box with activated charcoal in it -- not much can go bad). If the solenoid is bad, then replacing it will fix the problem. It could also be a clogged/kinked line or an electrical fault preventing the valve from opening.
I'm sure the charcoal can loose its "activation". I'm not really sure how it works but I would imagine they can wear out. I'm sure its some sort of chemical reaction that holds the fuel vapors. And evetually it looses its effectivness. Any one on here know how these things really work?
activated charcoal is a physical absorbant. It can absorb and release gasoline indefinitely.
In saying that, I'm not saying that it can't go bad. My intention was more along the lines of, if given a random choice between canister or solenoid (as cklinejr implied), I would lay odds on the solenoid or something else long before I'd worry about the canister itself being bad.
