Anyone done this. Dealer is telling me it needs one (it has 280,000 miles on it) and I have located a used one. I just need to know if anything else ought to be replaced at the same time. I also understand that the canister is behind the muffler in the rear. I'd appreciate any insight you might have on this.
Jeff D.
Why does it "have to" be replaced, is it rusted out? If it seals its ok.
jeff deane wrote:
======================= I don't claim to be an expert on this but here's my experience. Troubleshooting a problem on my 1977 Toyota truck I once replaced the charcoal canister with used. Made no difference whatsoever. Reading the Factory Service Manual for the Camry, I discovered a test procedure for the charcoal canister in the Maintenance section that involved seeing if air would pass in one direction but not the other. My canister with around 150,000 miles, failed the test so I ordered a new one from the dealer and paid something like over $200. When I removed the new unit from the box, a plastic flange on the bottom was broken, but before returning the damaged new part to the dealer for a refund, I performed the same diagnostic check on the brand new unit and it passed or restricted air flow exactly like my existing charcoal canister so I did not replace it. The charcoal canister simply collects fumes from evaporated fuel in the tank so the odor of "unburned hydrocarbons" is not released into the atmosphere. The canister should be behind the battery, under the hood, near the driver side tire (US LH steering). There is no charcoal canister near the muffler. If you needed to replace some other part it might be the vacuum switching valve which routes fumes back into the intake manifold. I'd be getting a second opinion. It is possible the filtering material has settled and is blocking flow, so then you would have more vapor pressure in the fuel tank. I'm not sure why that is such a problem. The fuel cap already warns you to remove slowly. Apparently they recognize even with the properly functioning charcoal canister some residual pressure remains.
You just have to make sure you do need a new canister and that the service writer didn't need more money in his pocket as he gets a cut of the profit. Is the check engine light on? If so go to AutoZone to have it read for free and let us know.
The 97+ generation has problems with bad canisters that disintegrate inside and send carbon dust to plug up a lot of things. But otherwise it may just be a stuck evap vacuum switching valve (VSV) on the air filter housing.
If it's the VSV, you can clean it by prying it open carefully without breaking the plastic port. Clean and lightly lube it. If you see carbon particles on the diaphragm spring inside then the canister is probably shot.
jeff deane wrote:
Well it is throwing 2 codes.....P0441 (Evap incorrect purge flow) and P0446 (Evap control circuit). Does that help narrow it down to Canister or purge valve assembly?
Another poster said the Canister was in the engine compartment, but the dealer is telling me it is in the rear near the gas tank. Anyone have the service manual for download?
Jeff
Some of the codes seem to show up together in pairs. It could be a faulty valve. The repair could cost over $200 and it may not improve the performance of your vehicle. You may want to consider just turning off the computer codes.
I had the exact same set of diagnostics on my '98 Camry LE and brought it to a n Autozone shop since they run the scan codes for free. The mechanic who did so couldn't tell me what was wrong and tried to convince me to buy engine cleaner. I did so ($8 probably well spent anyway) but the codes didn't go away. I then wound up at the Toyota dealer and had them fix the problem. It was due to a failed gasket on gas cap. I'd suggest you get a new cap (probably $10 or so) before you bring the car in for service. It might also be that you were driving with the cap loose for a while. Check that out.
Good luck.
- David
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