purge solenoid tick

[jjk1224]

I am experiencing the same symptoms that are in the thread below.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39728&highlight=ticking+noise

Loud tick from the solenoid bolted to the firewall. I have read other posts but cant seem to find a cause or solution. It does not effect driveability from what I have experienced so far, it is just super loud and annoying. Anyone have experience with this issue or any ideas?

[jjk1224]

Anyone?
Ive had it unplugged, the car has only been on the road for the past few days.

[Movin]

My own festy has not presented me with this particular problem but I have
seen it on other cars..so use your own judgement on this.

The solenoids that control flow have a magnetic plunger with a rubber seat to
seal the orifice and stop the flow. Computer has logic in it that modulates the
flow during certain light throttle conditions. This means that the chattering going
on is not noticeable.

When a point is reached that this seat fails it will fall off and go somewhere..
you can track that down. But the plunger now has a longer throw and a metal
to metal contact. The ruckus will compete with the best kicker sound systems.

If you didn't need to shut the vapors from the canister off sometimes you could
just rewire the solenoid to your bass speaker and be done with it, but you do need
to blow out or replace the lines to the solenoid to get rid of the lost rubber seat
and replace the solenoid.

[DavidR]

If its clicking on light throttle inputs then its broke and unfixable. I just pulled one apart yesterday and cleaned it like brand new... but once its broke its broke. Do what i did... go to the wreckers or salvage and get a purge valve from a 98 or 99 model, they are totally different and better, but do the same thing. if you go to get one, snip the wires and take the plug with you, then swap the plugs around on your car, so you can plug in the new one.
Make an effort to fix this purge valve as it directly effects engine vacuum and you will love how the engine feels once its fixed. this is backed up by my vacuum gauge showing much more stable and sharper movements.

good luck.

[jjk1224]

By 98 or 99 I assume you mean out of a Ford Aspire in the United States?

[DavidR]

Sorry to leave you hangin there jj, been busy as hell. Where i am here in ozzy land new aspires where imported up till 2000. i noticed the 98-00 models had better purge valves. if you can find those models in detroit somewhere, grab one from there. the problem with the older ones is the way they are held together with little steel splits at the top and they dont seal properly. You wouldnt think a little leak there on a ported vacuum component would make a difference but it seemed to for me.
anyway, so mine was ticking and i replaced it. heres a pic. good luck.

[IMG][/IMG]

[jjk1224]

Thanks a bunch! Im sure it wont be too difficult to find one.