Driving With Bad Purge Valve: 5 Alarming Signs Of A Defective Purge Valve 

You might be driving with bad purge valve without noticing! Many people only realize this when they have to pay extra money to deal with what a faulty purge valve causes. 

But worry not, Driverevolve has come to help! In today’s post, we’ll show you 5 alarming signs of a defective purge valve so you can keep severe repercussions at bay!

What Is A Purge Valve? 

The purge valve is an essential part of your car’s EVAP mechanism.

A solenoid controls the purge valve in modern autos. Whenever your engine is working, your purge valve remains open; whenever your engine shuts down, the purge valve closes.

So precisely, what does a purge valve do?

Your purge valve prevents fuel vapors in your car’s gas container from leaking into the environment and the car’s cabin. It also guarantees that your intake vacuum carries the appropriate amount of gasoline vapors required by your engine inlet manifold.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Bad Purge Valve? 

As a seasoned car driver, you may master all the lousy oil pump symptoms. But the poor purge valve sure signs are also worth reading to brush up on your overall insights into car engines.

The Check Engine Light Flashes

Aside from the cylinder misfires that can make your check engine light flicker, a faulty purge valve can be another reason.

There are devices in your vehicle’s mechanism that monitor the operation of your purge valve. When the data from the valve struggle to transfer, these devices send feedback to the engine control module, highlighting the check engine symbol on your dashboard.

Rough Idling

Being stuck in the traffic with your engine on? If so, you’d probably see how smoothly your engine works. 

However, if you notice frequent rough idles, you probably have a faulty purge valve and should address the issue as soon as possible. Don’t ignore the problem since it might cause the engine to shut down entirely if vacuum leakage arises.

Difficult Ignition

If your automobile suffers vacuum leakage, starting the vehicle will be more problematic. And as your purge valve’s condition worsens, the issue becomes much more frequent. This vacuum leakage would also allow air into the engine, significantly interfering with your ignition procedure. 

Engine Performance Is Not Good

If you enjoy fast and smooth drives, a faulty purge valve will wreck the whole experience. Your engine efficiency would suffer, and your power output would diminish regardless of how hard you tried. 

The Emission Test Failures

Do you know that a purge valve prevents harmful pollutants from escaping the vehicle’s exhaust?

 Then, when you drive with a faulty purge valve, those harmful vapors would leave the tailpipe, affecting the environment and ultimately failing your emission control testing.

Of course, there are also a few other reasons you fail this test (such as a bad O2 sensor); a defective purge valve is still a potential culprit.

Driving With Bad Purge Valve: Is It OK? 

Traveling with a defective purge valve doesn’t trigger immediate damage. For example, if you are driving on a highway and detect symptoms of a faulty purge valve, panic not.

You can continue traveling and solve the problem later.

However, this does not mean you could ignore the issue. In the long run, driving with a bad valve might bring adverse effects. 

Firstly, it directly affects the environment. The purge valve works in tandem with the charcoal container to recycle pollutants caused by the internal ignition procedure. Thus, when this valve is defective, pollutants will escape into the air.

Secondly, your valve will likely suffer more damage, not just to the EVAP mechanism but also to other components in your car. The longer you use a vehicle with a faulty purge valve, the more damage it brings to other parts. 

If you are on the road and notice black smoke escaping from your car’s tailpipe, you should take it to a professional to address the problem immediately. Refusing to do so may result in more costly and longer repairs.

For example, you might ruin essential components like the catalytic converter. Changing your catalytic converter is very expensive, usually from $945 to $2475, depending on the model and manufacturer. This is far more expensive than changing your purge valve.

How Much Is A Purge Valve Replacement Cost? 

Lucky you, its replacement cost seems to be far less than the master cylinder replacement price. In particular, replacing the purge valve typically costs from $110 to $170. The component costs $75 to $110, while labor charges $40 to $55. This price point excludes taxes and does not factor in unique car models.

FAQs

Wrapping Up 

Yes, driving with bad purge valve is possible. However, this isn’t advisable as a faulty purge valve yields rough idles, affects your engine performance, reduces gas mileage, and even harms the environment. 

Thus, to prevent any undesirable effects, schedule a check-up and a replacement (if necessary) when your purge valve shows any of the above symptoms. Good luck!

For extra tips and advice, visit our Fun Driving section!