As the title states, my son's 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback is difficult to fill. It's throwing a code that says it's the "Evap solenoid".Anything I've been able to find on line says the device is on the top of the tank, which is above the rear sub-frame. It's a somewhat crusty Michigan car and I'm in no hurry to drop the tank. Can someone confirm if that's where the darned thing is located, and is there any work around? There is another little electrical device right beside the canister by the right rear wheel. Anyone know what that one is?
Thanks
Warren
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Aug. 10, 2011 10:27 a.m. DeadSkunk HalfDork
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Aug. 10, 2011 11:07 a.m. Streetwiseguy Dork
If it won't take gas, something in the evap cannister is plugged up. The vent solenoid is normally open, just closes to check the system integrity.
Be prepared to break everything you touch on a rusty Subaru.
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Aug. 10, 2011 11:47 a.m. Woody SuperDork
I did this three days ago. Part cost $80.
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Aug. 10, 2011 3:05 p.m. DeadSkunk HalfDork
The valve that is described in that link is very accessible on the Outback ! I must have misunderstood what I was reading on the other board. Thanks Woody.
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Aug. 11, 2011 9:32 a.m. DeadSkunk HalfDork
Woody, could hear anything from the new valve? Does it make an audible click or anything?
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Aug. 12, 2011 9:35 a.m. sachilles Dork
no it's silent. Almost guaranatee it's the purge valve. I bought a subaru with that problem(probably the reason they got fed up with the car and sold it). Easy fix. Though the old one is likely rusted in place. I had to cut my old one off and just tie wrapped the new one in place. You can test if it's the problem by pulling off the hose on both sides of the valve, and fill up the tank. It defaults closed.
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Aug. 12, 2011 9:49 a.m. DeadSkunk HalfDork
Thanks sachilles,I was wondering if I could bypass that thing.
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Aug. 12, 2011 11:08 a.m. sachilles Dork
You don't want to leave it bypassed, as it can eventually leak fuel. However, it works to see if it is that valve.
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Aug. 12, 2011 11:45 a.m. Grtechguy SuperDork
in the mean time, hold the pump nozzle upside down.
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Aug. 12, 2011 1:26 p.m. sachilles Dork
That doesn't really work in this case, if it's the same thing I experienced. You'll just be paying for gas that goes in the pump recovery system. Air doesn't vent from the gas tank causing the gas to sort of bubble up the filler neck.
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Aug. 13, 2011 6:00 p.m. DeadSkunk HalfDork
So this evening I took both the tubes off the solenoid valve. Then we went to the gas station to see if there was a change. There wasn't any difference from before. The nozzle turns off after 2 or 3 seconds and it takes forever to fill. Is that valve between the tank and canister,or between the canister and atmosphere?
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Aug. 13, 2011 7:26 p.m. Grtechguy SuperDork
sachilles wrote:
That doesn't really work in this case, if it's the same thing I experienced. You'll just be paying for gas that goes in the pump recovery system. Air doesn't vent from the gas tank causing the gas to sort of bubble up the filler neck.
shrug I have a 99 Forester at work. been driving and filling it for the last 2.5 years with this condition.
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Aug. 17, 2011 9:04 p.m. DeadSkunk Dork
This problem may actually be fixed, and in a GRM way, too! It wasn't the solenoid/vent valve because removal of the tubes to and from the valve had no effect. Elsewhere online,I found a thread about the same issue and a guy had unstuck his tank vent valve by sealing an air hose to the filler tube and pressurizing the gas tank. I don't have an air compressor, but I do have an HVLP paint gun and air blower that I bought at Harbor Freight. So I used that and a chunk of foam kneeling pad as a gasket and applied pressure to the gas tank filler. We were able to fill the tank with gas and the nozzle never shut off until it was full. I had removed the hoses from the carbon canister and I could feel the air escaping from the gas tank as it was filling. Since I did two things at once (removed tubes from canister, and inflated the tank) I'm not 100% sure the inflating the tank is the final fix, but the canister tube and the vent solenoid tube are supposed to be connected to each other and the tank wouldn't vent properly when I pulled the tube from the solenoid valve, so I think inflating the tank may have unstuck the valve that sits on the top of the tank. Follow all that ? We'll know for sure the next time my son gasses up the car.
