Do-it-yourself adsorber repair

According to the requirements of new environmental standards that limit the content of harmful substances in exhaust gases, vehicles must be equipped with an EVAP system. This equipment prevents harmful fuel fumes from entering the atmosphere. The main function in the fuel vapor recovery system is performed by an adsorber. Some people underestimate the importance of this element in a car's performance. However, a malfunction of this, at first glance, a minor unit can damage the fuel pump and affect the operation of the entire engine. Therefore, experts recommend checking the adsorber valve when signs of engine malfunction appear.

The EVAP system is installed on gasoline internal combustion engines to prevent fuel vapors from entering the atmosphere. The canister purge solenoid valve is part of this system. Therefore, in order to find out what the adsorber valve is for and how it works, it is important to understand the principle of the entire system.
The design of the adsorber is a container filled with an adsorbent, most often activated carbon. The device is connected to the fuel tank and the control valve of the vehicle with special pipes.

The adsorber valve is installed between the intake manifold and the adsorber and performs the ventilation function.

Gasoline vapors generated in the fuel tank enter the separator, where they condense and are drained back into the tank. Some part of the vapors does not have time to condense in the separator and enters the adsorber through the steam line. In the filter system, they are absorbed by activated carbon, accumulate and then, when the engine is started, are fed into the intake manifold.
The absorption of fuel vapors takes place only when the engine is off. When the car is running, the electronic control unit opens the canister purge solenoid valve, through which air enters and thus ventilation occurs. In this case, the accumulated condensate, together with the air, is sucked out of the adsorber and again enters the engine, where it is burned out. The canister valve provides ventilation for the entire mechanism and directs the fuel condensate back to the engine.

Almost continuous operation of the canister of the fuel vapor absorption system can cause the purge valve to break.
A malfunction of the adsorber valve often leads to damage to the fuel pump. Due to poor ventilation of the adsorber, gasoline accumulates in the intake manifold, the engine loses power, and fuel consumption gradually increases. This can cause the engine to come to a complete standstill. The operation of the entire car depends on how the adsorber valve works.

Checking the absorber valve

In order to notice and correct problems in time, it is necessary to regularly check the adsorber valve. In this case, it is possible to identify a breakdown by certain indirect signs.
When the engine is idling or in cold weather, the vapor absorption system emits characteristic sounds, as the adsorber valve clicks. Some people confuse this sound with a faulty timing belt, rollers or other parts. You can check this by sharply pressing the gas pedal. If the sound has not changed, it means that the valve of the adsorber is clicking. Experts can explain what to do if the canister valve knocks too hard. To do this, you need to tighten the adjusting screw, while first it is cleaned of epoxy.

The absorber valve can be adjusted.

The screw turns approximately half a turn.If you tighten it too much, the controller will generate an error. Such an adjustment of the adsorber valve will make its operation softer and the knocking quieter.
However, how to check the canister valve for breakage?
Valve breakage can be determined using an error diagnosis system or a mechanical check.
Electronic error codes are stored in the controller's memory and indicate electrical damage. To check the valve, it is recommended to pay attention to such errors generated by the controller as "open circuit of the adsorber purge valve control circuit".
Signs by which it is possible to mechanically determine the malfunction of the adsorber valve:

1. The appearance of dips at idle speed of the engine.
2. Very low engine thrust.
3. No valve actuation sounds are heard when the engine is running.
4. A hiss when opening the gas tank cap indicates a vacuum in the system. This is a sure sign of a malfunctioning adsorber ventilation.
5. The smell of fuel in the vehicle interior. However, other reasons can cause its appearance.

If signs of malfunction are found, valve repair or replacement is required. The canister valve is inexpensive and easy to replace. To dismantle, you need to have a pair of Phillips screwdrivers and know where the adsorber purge valve is.
Operating procedure:

The markings of the old and new valve must match.

1. Open the hood and find a cylindrical device - an adsorber.
2. Remove the negative terminal from the storage battery.
3. Disconnect the connector by pushing in the lock and pulling it towards you.
4. Loosen the valve fastening.
5. Remove the fittings under the latch and disconnect the hoses.
6. Remove the valve together with the bracket from the adsorber.
7. The new valve is installed in the reverse order.

Thus, even such a small element as an adsorber valve performs important functions and its failure can seriously disrupt the operation of the entire engine. Therefore, it is important to monitor the condition of your car and carry out diagnostics on time.

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Damage to the device that controls the operation of the gasoline vapor recovery system usually leads to a slight increase in consumption and a small loss of power. At the same time, prompt replacement of the adsorber valve avoids a number of much more serious problems. Due to a violation of ventilation, a vacuum is formed in the tank, which causes an increase in the load on the fuel pump and can lead to the failure of the latter.

With the engine off, the canister purge solenoid valve should be closed. After starting the engine, the control system gives the command to open it, and the air, passing through the EVAP system, is saturated with fuel vapor and enters the intake manifold. Together with the combustible mixture, it enters the cylinder and burns there.

The electromagnetic device has a winding and an actuator that allows the channel to be closed or opened. The reasons for the failure of the valve through which the adsorber is purged may be as follows:

• Burnout of wiring or interturn short circuit.
• Damage to the control circuit.
• Significant depletion of the valve working surface and seat surface.
• Violation of tightness due to the ingress of sufficiently large mechanical particles into the chamber.

Diagnostics of the EVAP system involves the use of motor testers, with which the error code is determined. The exact cause of the failure of the valve designed to purge the adsorber is established during the checks of the electrical circuits. For these purposes, a digital or pointer tester with a mode for determining the resistance of the windings is used. A significant deviation from the passport data indicates a winding break.Fault detection of the actuator is impossible due to the fact that the device has a non-separable housing.

After detecting a failure of the electromagnetic device, it will need to be replaced. Due to the design features, repair of the adsorber valve is not performed, an attempt to restore its operability will lead to its destruction and does not make sense. For the same reason, high-quality cleaning of the contaminated unit is impossible. The valve, if necessary, is washed with a solvent and blown out, if a defect remains in its place, a new one is installed.

To eliminate the malfunction, it is necessary to remove the product in the following order:

• Disconnect the electrical connector.
• Loosen the clamp screws with a screwdriver and remove both tubes.
• Remove the bolt securing the valve to the vehicle or engine body.

The installation of a new electromagnetic assembly is carried out in the reverse order, before the connector is docked, a small amount of non-conductive grease is applied to the contact surfaces. This will ensure their reliable protection against corrosion and ease of separation.

The installation of a new unit does not present any particular difficulties for a person with minimal skills in working with a locksmith's tool, especially since it does not require adjustment. The main problem is diagnosing the causes of valve failure, this will require a motor tester and an experienced technician. When decoding fault codes, errors are possible, in addition to the failure of the indicated unit, clogging or damage to the adsorber is likely.

A visit to a car service with modern equipment allows you to quickly eliminate a malfunction of the EVAP system valve. A qualified technician using electronic devices will quickly and accurately determine the cause of the failure and replace the damaged unit.

In a car, an adsorber absorbs fuel vapors from the gas tank ventilation system and supplies them to the intake, because according to environmental standards, the gas tank must be isolated from the atmosphere.

From Wikipedia ;

Adsorber (from Lat. Ad - for, at and sorbeo - I absorb) - an apparatus for absorption (thickening) by the surface layer of a solid, called an adsorbent (absorber), dissolved or gaseous substances, not accompanied by a chemical reaction. The adsorber is used in the chemical, oil refining and other industries. The process taking place inside this apparatus is called adsorption.

Gasoline vapor filtration system. The diagram is rather arbitrary, but reflects the essence. Gasoline vapors from the tank pass through a charcoal filter, are cleaned and fed to the inlet through a solenoid valve controlled by an ECU.

Now the first question - why filter gasoline vapors if they still go to the intake? The answer is simple - it is much easier to correct the ICE control program by adding the n-th number of clean air at the inlet than to correct the fuel-air mixture (gasoline vapor from the tank) of an unknown proportion.

And now the answer to the main question - why delete it?
So, although some manufacturers claim that this device will have enough resource for the entire life of the car, but we know that they are cunning)

In general, over time, the adsorber becomes clogged and stops letting air through. As a result, we get excess pressure in the tank, which interferes with the normal operation of the gas pump. In the cabin (sometimes under the hood), we get a periodic smell of gasoline, the vapors of which are squeezed out of the ventilation tube. And the engine starts to run on a rich mixture due to lack of air.

Now guess how this problem is solved in our country? That's right, most simply throw out the adsorber and shut down the system as shown in the diagram:

A fuel filter from the classic carburetor is usually put on the pipe from the gas tank, and the solenoid valve, through which clean air should flow into the engine, is simply muffled with a bolt.

In the picture I have already written that this is wrong and here's why.This method of removing the adsorber solves the problem only partially. Yes, the smell of gasoline disappears, the tank is ventilated, but air was not supplied to the inlet and is not supplied, the engine continues to run on a rich mixture.

And now the following diagram:

And now it has already shown how it SHOULD be done. The hose from the valve to the adsorber is put on all the same de filter from the classics, which now acts as an air filter and does not allow dirt to get into the receiver. This is how the air-fuel mixture is brought back to normal parameters.

Well, now a couple of illustrative photos of how it all looks in reality:

Everything is clear here, one pipe goes to the gas tank, the second through the valve to the engine. The lower part of the adsorber. There is a fitting for supplying air from the atmosphere so that a vacuum is not created in the adsorber. This is how it was all done on my machine. I did not take a picture of the tube from the tank, it is difficult to crawl to it even without a phone

A solenoid valve, called an adsorber, is present on every injection-type engine. However, few people know why this part is needed. The adsorber is designed to accumulate fuel vapors that are heated in the fuel tank. Thus, when the engine is started, it is the vapors accumulated by the adsorber that enter the collector and the combustion chamber, for which a special purge valve is responsible, which regulates the condensate and ventilates the system.

To control the amount of fuel vapors entering the combustion chamber, a special purge valve is installed on each model of a car with an injection-type engine - as a rule, in the area of ​​the gas tank. In general, an adsorber is a system consisting of several valves, each of which is responsible for certain parameters. So, the gravity valve prevents fuel overflow in emergency situations, and the pressure sensor, accordingly, regulates the pressure in the gas tank. In addition, the adsorber contains a carbon filter, an electromagnetic sensor and special connecting pipes for system integrity.

As for the adsorber for the Lada Kalina model, if this mechanism malfunctions, the car's fuel consumption increases and the power level significantly decreases. Recently, however, experts disagree as to how exactly the malfunction of the adsorber affects the behavior of the engine and the car. In any case, the adsorber is an important component of the fuel system, the components of which must be repaired and replaced in case of malfunctions.

If your car has a faulty adsorber valve, this can lead to a variety of consequences for the fuel system and engine. Firstly, due to insufficient and poor-quality ventilation of the system, the gas pump may suffer, and secondly, the gradual accumulation of fuel in the manifold can lead to failures during engine operation. If your Lada Kalina “suffocates” at idle or significantly loses in traction, the adsorber sensor may be to blame for this. To determine if the adsorption mechanism on the Lada Kalina model is working properly, you need to open the gas tank after stopping the car and listen. If a characteristic “hiss” is heard from the area of ​​the gas tank, this is the first sign of a malfunction of the ventilation valve in the adsorber.

In addition, the smell of gasoline in the passenger compartment may indicate a malfunction. In this case, the adsorber must be replaced immediately in order to avoid more serious consequences for the engine. Of course, the smell of gasoline in the cabin can be caused by other reasons, but if all other elements of the fuel system are working properly, then the problem is in the purge valve, which you can replace yourself.