EVAP Canister and vent control solenoid

[Maggie]

I have a Chevy Cavalier 03 thats in need of these 2 parts. The garage that I take my car to says that this is a 2 hr job. and the canister part is $189.00
solenoid is $69.00
Upon googling these two parts I am finding them to be cheaper if I buy them rather than letting the garage buy them. The parts that I found are each under $40.00
Can I still drive my car with out this being fixed? Thanks for a quick response.

 

[tcsalvage]

its not a two hour job you could replace them yourself in about half an hour. they are right behind your gas tank on the passinger side. the connectors are push together and slide off and shouldn't be stuck. make sure you use a jackstand not just a jack to hold the car up on the pass. rear.

 

[Maggie]

Hi, Thanks for your input. Is it safe to drive my car to get the said parts and to a more reputable garage?

 

[tcsalvage]

you shouldn't have any problems except for the check engine light being on. once you replace the parts you can clear the codes out or let the ecm drop the light off. your fuel milage will suffer a little until fixed.

 

[BillK]

Hi, Thanks for your input. Is it safe to drive my car to get the said parts and to a more reputable garage?

Maggie,
Why do you not think the first garage is reputable ???? Because they want to make a profit so that they can pay thier bills and support thier family ? How do you know that your $40 part is not a cheap replica of the OEM $69 part ? Do you want to take that chance ? Also, what makes you think that it will be ok to buy the parts yourself and them take them to a shop for them to install ???? I dont know of a single shop that will install a customer's part.

Would you go buy a steak for cheap at the grocery store and take it to the Steak House and ask them to cook it for you ? I dont think so.

The shop needs to make money on both the parts and thier labor in order to stay in business. They need to make enough money to be able to warranty thier work in case something goes wrong with the parts they supply. If they install the part that you bought and it is defective, will you pay them to remove it so that you can go buy another one ?

Sorry to jump on this, but it is a pet peave of mine. Kind of tired of consumers beating up automotive repair shops because they want to make a decent living

 

[fefarms]

The parts mentioned almost never fail unless damaged in an accident. It sounds like someone (the shop?) (the owner?) is randomly replacing parts trying to clear a check engine light. The most common reason for an evap-related code is a bad o-ring on the gas cap. Other common reasons are hoses that have cracked or fallen off.

I realize it can be difficult to track down one of those "small" leak codes, but replacing the cannister is a spendy and unlikely cure.

 

[lowrider gmc]

well around here the most likely cause of evap codes is the vent valve and canister full of dust causing po446.so ya it could very well need the canister and vent valve.

 

[rlitman]

The parts mentioned almost never fail unless damaged in an accident. It sounds like someone (the shop?) (the owner?) is randomly replacing parts trying to clear a check engine light.

Not entirely true.
I had the purge control solenoid go on my Jeep. An internal leak in it caused the check engine light. I had already checked for all possible external leaks before narrowing my fix down to one of two parts (the solenoid valve was one of them, I forget what the other was). Cost me about $35 for a real OEM part.
I went to the dealer, and asked for both possible parts at the parts counter, and only one was in stock. The counterman then made a really good observation before I special ordered the other. If they have it in, it's something that commonly fails. If not, it's probably not broken.

Now if the canister is leaking, you could probably silicone any cracks shut and not even bother replacing it. I agree that the charcoal canister on it's own should never fail unless it was smashed. The charcoal itself should last the lifetime of the vehicle (and even if it were inactivated, you should not get a malfunction light for that, as there is no way for the car to know this).

 

[Mowerpan]

The parts mentioned almost never fail unless damaged in an accident. It sounds like someone (the shop?) (the owner?) is randomly replacing parts trying to clear a check engine light. The most common reason for an evap-related code is a bad o-ring on the gas cap. Other common reasons are hoses that have cracked or fallen off.

I realize it can be difficult to track down one of those "small" leak codes, but replacing the cannister is a spendy and unlikely cure.

Don't know where your pulling this information from but as a service advisor at a large Chevrolet dealership you are completely wrong. Like the poster above me stated the valves often get dirt and dust in them and will cause the valve to stick open causing an evaporative leak. There is no driveability concern from these components however like stated the check engine light will be illuminated. The price you were quoted sounds very fair.

 

[Davi]

Maggie,
Why do you not think the first garage is reputable ???? Because they want to make a profit so that they can pay thier bills and support thier family ? How do you know that your $40 part is not a cheap replica of the OEM $69 part ? Do you want to take that chance ? Also, what makes you think that it will be ok to buy the parts yourself and them take them to a shop for them to install ???? I dont know of a single shop that will install a customer's part.

Would you go buy a steak for cheap at the grocery store and take it to the Steak House and ask them to cook it for you ? I dont think so.

The shop needs to make money on both the parts and thier labor in order to stay in business. They need to make enough money to be able to warranty thier work in case something goes wrong with the parts they supply. If they install the part that you bought and it is defective, will you pay them to remove it so that you can go buy another one ?

Sorry to jump on this, but it is a pet peave of mine. Kind of tired of consumers beating up automotive repair shops because they want to make a decent living

Over here a lot of garages will allow you to bring your own parts in. Its the garages responsibility to try and make money, but its the consumers job to try and save money.

 

[rlitman]

Over here a lot of garages will allow you to bring your own parts in. Its the garages responsibility to try and make money, but its the consumers job to try and save money.

I've brought parts to garages when I've had my car serviced. Now I can understand why they might complain, like a movie theater which doesn't allow you to bring your own popcorn, but too bad. If they don't like it, I'll go somewhere else. On the other hand, I've only done that when I wanted OEM parts, and the garage was just going to get aftermarket. It didn't save me any money, but gave me more peace of mind.

As for what the garage charges for parts, that's a little more complicated.
A garage will order the parts from a local supplier, and get them delivered, same-day. Although they buy in bulk, I suppose because of the "free" delivery, you can often get the same price yourself as a walk in customer if you shop around. And that's one more thing, the garage isn't going to spend the time to shop around.
So even before their markup, they're probably paying more than you would, and aren't making as much on the parts as you think (if they're fairly honest, and yes, I admit there are unscrupulous types out there in every field).
Now, if you have the time to go out and get the parts on the internet, and can wait a few days for shipping, you can save a bundle.

 

[Davi]

I've brought parts to garages when I've had my car serviced. Now I can understand why they might complain, like a movie theater which doesn't allow you to bring your own popcorn, but too bad. If they don't like it, I'll go somewhere else. On the other hand, I've only done that when I wanted OEM parts, and the garage was just going to get aftermarket. It didn't save me any money, but gave me more peace of mind.

As for what the garage charges for parts, that's a little more complicated.
A garage will order the parts from a local supplier, and get them delivered, same-day. Although they buy in bulk, I suppose because of the "free" delivery, you can often get the same price yourself as a walk in customer if you shop around. And that's one more thing, the garage isn't going to spend the time to shop around.
So even before their markup, they're probably paying more than you would, and aren't making as much on the parts as you think (if they're fairly honest, and yes, I admit there are unscrupulous types out there in every field).
Now, if you have the time to go out and get the parts on the internet, and can wait a few days for shipping, you can save a bundle.

I could be wrong and wont know for sure till I start working in one but I'm not sure if garages do add much of a markup over here. I've been best mates with a mechanic since before I started driving so I've always paid mates rates anyway lol.

 

[787B]

Sorry to jump on this, but it is a pet peave of mine. Kind of tired of consumers beating up automotive repair shops because they want to make a decent living

If automotive repair shops want to make a decent living, they should be decent people.
They should stop lying and screwing-over consumers who don't know anything about cars.

I know what I'm doing and do most of my own car service, but my Sister, Brother-in-law, and Mother do not. They live in far-away states so I can't always be there to help them. I can't tell you how many times they have been screwed by auto repair shops. More often than they haven't been screwed. Auto repair shops are despised less than only used car dealers, and earn that reputation every day.

That said, I do have one general repair shop I trust, and I trust the dealer I bought my Dodge truck from. They are both run by decent people who treat me like an adult and don't lie to me or my friends and acquaintances I refer to them. But I know I'm going to pay a premium if I need to use either one. Sometimes it's worth it (Dodge Ram heater core, anyone?). Neither of them have any problem with me bringing my own parts.

 

[Grumpy365]

Maggie,
Why do you not think the first garage is reputable ???? Because they want to make a profit so that they can pay thier bills and support thier family ? How do you know that your $40 part is not a cheap replica of the OEM $69 part ? Do you want to take that chance ? Also, what makes you think that it will be ok to buy the parts yourself and them take them to a shop for them to install ???? I dont know of a single shop that will install a customer's part.

Would you go buy a steak for cheap at the grocery store and take it to the Steak House and ask them to cook it for you ? I dont think so.

The shop needs to make money on both the parts and thier labor in order to stay in business. They need to make enough money to be able to warranty thier work in case something goes wrong with the parts they supply. If they install the part that you bought and it is defective, will you pay them to remove it so that you can go buy another one ?

Sorry to jump on this, but it is a pet peave of mine. Kind of tired of consumers beating up automotive repair shops because they want to make a decent living

I understand book rate, but I am skeptical book rate for this is 2 hours.

Also, EVERY time I go into a shop, they try to sell me a service I don't need. I just had a Mini dealer, here in Houston, tell me my tie rods were rusted and needed replaced. ( the car was in for an oil change not an alignment)

 

[jethro29]

its not a two hour job you could replace them yourself in about half an hour. they are right behind your gas tank on the passinger side. the connectors are push together and slide off and shouldn't be stuck. make sure you use a jackstand not just a jack to hold the car up on the pass. rear.

so in your opinion just bolting in the new parts completes the job? what about verifying the repair? by smokeing the system,clearing the codes and getting the evap monitors to pass and allow the vehicle to go into readyness.that is how you do a evap job,any other way( half hour) is half assed.sure i guess you could just bolt in new parts and hope for the best if your comfortable with that.but i am not. and evap solonoids or cannisters are very common evap issues.i do this 50 hours a week.

 

[Mowerpan]

I understand book rate, but I am skeptical book rate for this is 2 hours.

Also, EVERY time I go into a shop, they try to sell me a service I don't need. I just had a Mini dealer, here in Houston, tell me my tie rods were rusted and needed replaced. ( the car was in for an oil change not an alignment)

I would suspect that the Mini Dealer does a multi-point inspection just like all dealers including ours. I did not see nor inspect your tie rods however wouldn't you want them to inspect the vehicle when in for an oil change? I'm sure if there was a safety item they did not find during a routine inspection and something bad happened on the road because of it then you'd be mad they didn't recommend anything. I would rather recommend an item that is necessary and have you decline it rather then not mention it to you the customer. At our dealership the quick service has it's own service adviser that handles the vehicles once they are written up and is responsible for showing the customers the recommended items and the reasons they are recommended. We take the customers into the shop when the vehicle is on the lift and show them the faulty component and demonstrate the test used to test that component such as a loose tie rod end, etc. I would never recommend a tie rod because of surface rust. Here in sunny Florida they are either loose or the boots are torn/deteriorated to the point they are gone so we have no rust to deal with.

 

[tcianci]

Changing the parts may fix it if there's not a physical wiring problem involved. My 07 Yukon is throwing a P0449 right now and if you read the definition of the code, it says its a evap canister vent solenoid circuit malfunction. Make sure you actually know what's broke before you throw parts at it.

On the subject of bringing parts to the garage. It's similar to what we do in the trades... We will install pretty much anything, ONCE. If the part you supply didn't fix the problem because it was mis diagnosed to begin with, or the part you supplied is defective, you own it, and you own the next install. A garage deserves to mark up their parts so that they can make a profit in the event that the same situatiuon happens to them. Sometimes If I need a part that I want to install myself but am unable to pay any less than retail for it, I call up the garage I use and have them get it. I'd rather see the guys I know make the money on it than just some stranger I may never deal with again.