light LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 1999 Owner's Guide

ENGINE - V8
OVERHAUL 12-2-75
Reassembly
1.Clean main bearing locations in cylinder block
and bearing caps; ensure bolt holes are clean
and dry.
2.Clean sealant from rear main bearing cap and
mating faces.
3.Fit key to keyway.
4.Check threads of main bearing cap bolts for
damage, renew bolts in pairs.
5.Lubricate grooved main bearing shells with
clean engine oil and fit to their locations in
cylinder block.
NOTE: Ensure that the flanged bearing is fitted
to the centre position.
6.Lubricate crankshaft journals with clean engine
oil.
7.Position crankshaft in cylinder block.
8.Lubricate plain bearing shells with clean
engine oil and fit to main bearing caps.
9.Fit main bearing caps 1 to 4 only at this stage,
ensuring that they are the correct way round
and in their fitted order.
10.Lightly lubricate threads of main bearing cap
bolts with clean engine oil.
11.Fit main bearing cap bolts but do not tighten at
this stage. Do not fit side bolts at this stage.12.Lubricate new cruciform seals with engine oil
and fit to rear main bearing cap.
CAUTION: Do not trim off excess from
cruciform seals at this stage.
13.Apply a 3 mm (0.12 in) wide bead of sealant,
Part No. STC 50550 to bearing cap rear mating
faces on cylinder block.
CAUTION: Ensure sealant does not enter
bolt holes.
14.Carefully fit rear main bearing cap assembly, fit
but do not tighten bolts.
CAUTION: Ensure engine oil does not enter
the side bolt holes in the bearing cap. Do
not trim off excess material from cruciform
seals at this stage.
15.Lubricate 'Dowty' washers with engine oil and
fit to side bolts.
16.Fit but do not tighten side bolts. Rear side
bolts are Allen headed.
17.Using the sequence shown, tighten main
bearing cap bolts as follows:
lInitial torque - all main bearing cap bolts and
side bolts - 13.5 Nm (10 lbf.ft).
lFinal torque - main bearing cap side bolts 11
to 15 - 45 Nm (34 lbf.ft).
lFinal torque - main bearing cap bolts 1 to 8
- 72 Nm (54 lbf.ft).
lFinal torque - main bearing cap bolts 9 and
10 - 92 Nm (68 lbf.ft).
lFinal torque - main bearing cap side bolts 16
to 20 - 45 Nm (34 lbf.ft).
18.Trim off excess material from cruciform seals.

ENGINE - V8
OVERHAUL 12-2-77
Camshaft
$% 12.13.02.01
Disassembly
1.Remove inlet manifold gasket.

+ ENGINE - V8, OVERHAUL, Gasket -
inlet manifold.
2.Progressively loosen and remove 8 bolts
securing rocker shaft assemblies.
3.Mark each rocker shaft in relation to original
head.
4.Remove rocker shaft assemblies.
5.Remove push rods and store in their fitted
order.
6.Remove tappets.
CAUTION: Store tappets upright and in their
fitted order.
7.Remove timing chain and gears.

+ ENGINE - V8, OVERHAUL, Timing
chain and gears.8.Temporarily fit camshaft gear and lightly tighten
bolt.
9. Attach a dial test indicator (DTI) to front of
cylinder block with stylus of DTI contacting
camshaft gear.
10.Push camshaft rearwards and zero the DTI.
11.Using the camshaft gear, pull camshaft
forwards and note reading on DTI. End-float
should be from 0.075 to 0.25 mm (0.003 to
0.010 in).
12.If end-float is incorrect, fit a new thrust plate. If
end-float is still incorrect, a new camshaft/gear
must be fitted.
13.Remove camshaft bolt and gear.
14.Remove 2 bolts securing camshaft thrust plate
and remove thrust plate.
15.Carefully remove the camshaft avoiding
damage to the camshaft bearings.

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-5
Evaporative emission system control
diagram
1Battery
2Fuse 13 (engine compartment fusebox)
3Inertia switch
4Main relay (engine compartment fusebox)
5Engine Control Module (ECM)
6Purge Valve (black harness connector)
7Canister vent solenoid (CVS) valve – NAS
vehicles with vacuum type EVAP system leak
detection capability only8Leak detection pump – NAS vehicles with
positive pressure type EVAP system leak
detection capability only
9Fuel tank pressure sensor – NAS vehicles with
vacuum type EVAP system leak detection
capability only
10Instrument pack (MIL warning light)
M17 0210
12
3
4
5
6
7
9
8
10

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-9
Emission Control Systems
Engine design has evolved in order to minimise the emission of harmful by-products. Emission control systems are
fitted to Land Rover vehicles which are designed to maintain the emission levels within the legal limits pertaining for
the specified market.
Despite the utilisation of specialised emission control equipment, it is still necessary to ensure that the engine is
correctly maintained and is in good mechanical order so that it operates at its optimal condition. In particular, ignition
timing has an effect on the production of HC and NO
x emissions, with the harmful emissions rising as the ignition
timing is advanced.
CAUTION: In many countries it is against the law for a vehicle owner or an unauthorised dealer to modify or
tamper with emission control equipment. In some cases, the vehicle owner and/or the dealer may even be
liable for prosecution.
The engine management ECM is fundamental for controlling the emission control systems. In addition to controlling
normal operation, the system complies with On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system strategies. The system monitors and
reports on faults detected with ignition, fuelling and exhaust systems which cause an excessive increase in tailpipe
emissions. This includes component failures, engine misfire, catalyst damage, catalyst efficiency, fuel evaporative
loss and exhaust leaks.
When an emission relevant fault is determined, the fault condition is stored in the ECM memory. For NAS vehicles,
the MIL warning light on the instrument pack will be illuminated when the fault is confirmed. Confirmation of a fault
condition occurs if the fault is still found to be present during the driving cycle subsequent to the one when the fault
was first detected.

+ ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - V8, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, Description - engine
management.
The following types of supplementary control system are used to reduce harmful emissions released into the
atmosphere from the vehicle:
1Crankcase emission control – also known as blow-by gas emissions from the engine crankcase.
2Exhaust emission control – to limit the undesirable by-products of combustion.
3Fuel vapour evaporative loss control – to restrict the emission of fuel through evaporation from the fuel
system.
4Fuel leak detection system (NAS only) – there are two types of system which may be used to check the
evaporative emission system for the presence of leaks from the fuel tank to purge valve.
aVacuum leak detection test – checks for leaks down to 1 mm (0.04 in.) in diameter.
bPositive pressure leak detection test – utilises a leak detection pump to check for leaks down to 0.5 mm (0.02
in.) in diameter.
5Secondary air injection system (Where fitted) – to reduce emissions experienced during cold starting.

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-23
For systems utilising the vacuum method for determining evaporation leaks, the sensor is used to monitor for a drop
in vacuum pressure. The evaporation system is sealed by the CVS valve and purge valve after a vacuum has been
previously set up from the intake manifold while the purge valve is open and the CVS valve is closed. If any holes or
leaks are present at the evaporation system joints, the vacuum pressure will gradually drop and this change in
pressure will be detected by the fuel tank pressure sensor. This system is capable of determining leaks down to 1 mm
(0.04 in.) in diameter.
The fuel tank pressure sensor is part of the NAS OBD system, a component failure will not be noticed by the driver,
but if the ECM detects a fault, it will be stored in the diagnostic memory and the MIL light will be illuminated on the
instrument pack. Possible failures are listed below:
lDamaged or blocked sensor
lHarness / connector faulty
lSensor earthing problem
lOpen circuit
lShort circuit to battery voltage
lShort circuit to ground
lECM fault
Possible failure symptoms of the fuel tank pressure sensor are listed below:
lFuel tank pressure sensor poor performance
lFuel tank pressure sensor low range fault
lFuel tank pressure sensor high range fault
If the fuel tank pressure sensor should malfunction, the following fault codes may be stored in the ECM diagnostic
memory, which can be retrieved using TestBook/T4:
P-code Description
P0451Fuel tank pressure signal stuck high within range
P0452Fuel tank pressure signal short circuit to battery voltage (out of range - High)
P0453Fuel tank pressure signal short circuit to ground or open circuit (out of range - Low)

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
17-2-26 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
Secondary Air Injection System
The secondary air injection (SAI) system comprises the following components:
lSecondary air injection pump
lSAI vacuum solenoid valve
lSAI control valves (2 off, 1 for each bank of cylinders)
lSAI pump relay
lVacuum reservoir
lVacuum harness and pipes
The secondary air injection system is used to limit the emission of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HCs)
that are prevalent in the exhaust during cold starting of a spark ignition engine. The concentration of hydrocarbons
experienced during cold starting at low temperatures are particularly high until the engine and catalytic converter
reach normal operating temperature. The lower the cold start temperature, the greater the prevalence of
hydrocarbons emitted from the engine.
There are several reasons for the increase of HC emissions at low cold start temperatures, including the tendency for
fuel to be deposited on the cylinder walls, which is then displaced during the piston cycle and expunged during the
exhaust stroke. As the engine warms up through operation, the cylinder walls no longer retain a film of fuel and most
of the hydrocarbons will be burnt off during the combustion process.
The SAI pump is used to provide a supply of air into the exhaust ports in the cylinder head, onto the back of the
exhaust valves, during the cold start period. The hot unburnt fuel particles leaving the combustion chamber mix with
the air injected into the exhaust ports and immediately combust. This subsequent combustion of the unburnt and
partially burnt CO and HC particles help to reduce the emission of these pollutants from the exhaust system. The
additional heat generated in the exhaust manifold also provides rapid heating of the exhaust system catalytic
converters. The additional oxygen which is delivered to the catalytic converters also generate an exothermic reaction
which causes the catalytic converters to 'light off' quickly.
The catalytic converters only start to provide effective treatment of emission pollutants when they reach an operating
temperature of approximately 250°C (482°F) and need to be between temperatures of 400°C (752°F) and 800°C
(1472°F) for optimum efficiency. Consequently, the heat produced by the secondary air injection “afterburning”,
reduces the time delay before the catalysts reach an efficient operating temperature.
The ECM checks the engine coolant temperature when the engine is started in addition to the elapsed time since the
engine was last started. The engine coolant temperature must be below 55°C (131°F) for the SAI pump to run.
NOTE: The ambient air temperature must also be above 8
°C (46°F) for the SAI pump to run.
Also, depending on the long term 'modelled' ambient temperature determined by the ECM, the minimum elapsed time
required since the last engine start can be up to 8.25 hours. The period of time that the SAI pump runs for depends
on the starting temperature of the engine and varies from approximately 96 seconds at 8°C (46°F) to 30 seconds at
55°C (131°F).
Air from the SAI pump is supplied to the SAI control valves via pipework and an intermediate T-piece which splits the
air flow evenly to each bank.
At the same time the secondary air pump is started, the ECM operates a SAI vacuum solenoid valve, which opens to
allow vacuum from the reservoir to be applied to the vacuum operated SAI control valves on each side of the engine.
When the vacuum is applied to the SAI control valves, they open simultaneously to allow the air from the SAI pump
through to the exhaust ports. Secondary air is injected into the inner most exhaust ports on each bank.
When the ECM breaks the ground circuit to de-energise the SAI vacuum solenoid valve, the vacuum supply to the
SAI control valves is cut off and the valves close to prevent further air being injected into the exhaust manifold. At the
same time as the SAI vacuum solenoid valve is closed, the ECM opens the ground circuit to the SAI pump relay, to
stop the SAI pump.
A vacuum reservoir is included in the vacuum line between the intake manifold and the SAI vacuum solenoid valve.
This prevents changes in vacuum pressure from the intake manifold being passed on to cause fluctuations of the
secondary air injection solenoid valve. The vacuum reservoir contains a one way valve and ensures a constant
vacuum is available for the SAI vacuum solenoid valve operation. This is particularly important when the vehicle is at
high altitude.

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-35
Exhaust Emission Control Operation
The oxygen content of the exhaust gas is monitored by heated oxygen sensors using either a four sensor (NAS only)
or two sensor setup, dependent on market destination and legislative requirements. Signals from the heated oxygen
sensors are input to the engine management ECM which correspond to the level of oxygen detected in the exhaust
gas. From ECM analysis of the data, necessary changes to the air:fuel mixture and ignition timing can be made to
bring the emission levels back within acceptable limits under all operating conditions.
Changes to the air:fuel ratio are needed when the engine is operating under particular conditions such as cold starting,
idle, cruise, full throttle or altitude. In order to maintain an optimum air:fuel ratio for differing conditions, the engine
management control system uses sensors to determine data which enable it to select the ideal ratio by increasing or
decreasing the air to fuel ratio. Improved fuel economy can be arranged by increasing the quantity of air to fuel to
create a lean mixture during part-throttle conditions, however lean running conditions are not employed on closed loop
systems where the maximum is λ = 1. Improved performance can be established by supplying a higher proportion of
fuel to create a rich mixture during idle and full-throttle operation. Rich running at wide open throttle (WOT) for
performance and at high load conditions helps to keep the exhaust temperature down to protect the catalyst and
exhaust valves.
The voltage of the heated oxygen sensors at λ = 1 is between 450 and 500 mV. The voltage decreases to 100 to 500
mV if there is an increase in oxygen content (λ > 1) indicating a lean mixture. The voltage increases to 500 to 1000
mV if there is a decrease in oxygen content (λ < 1), signifying a rich mixture.
The heated oxygen sensor needs to operate at high temperatures in order to function correctly (≥ 350° C). To achieve
this the sensors are fitted with heater elements which are controlled by a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal from
the engine management ECM. The heater element warms the sensor's ceramic layer from the inside so that the
sensor is hot enough for operation. The heater elements are supplied with current immediately following engine start
and are ready for closed loop control within about 20 to 30 seconds (longer at cold ambient temperatures less than
0°C (32°F)). Heating is also necessary during low load conditions when the temperature of the exhaust gases is
insufficient to maintain the required sensor temperatures. The maximum tip temperature is 930° C.
A non-functioning heater element will delay the sensor's readiness for closed loop control and influences emissions.
A diagnostic routine is utilised to measure both sensor heater current and the heater supply voltage so its resistance
can be calculated. The function is active once per drive cycle, as long as the heater has been switched on for a pre-
defined period and the current has stabilised. The PWM duty cycle is carefully controlled to prevent thermal shock to
cold sensors.
The heated oxygen sensors age with mileage, causing an increase in the response time to switch from rich to lean
and lean to rich. This increase in response time influences the closed loop control and leads to progressively
increased emissions. The response time of the pre-catalytic converter sensors are monitored by measuring the period
of rich to lean and lean to rich switching. The ECM monitors the switching time, and if the threshold period is exceeded
(200 milliseconds), the fault will be detected and stored in the ECM as a fault code (the MIL light will be illuminated
on NAS vehicles). NAS vehicle engine calibration uses downstream sensors to compensate for aged upstream
sensors, thereby maintaining low emissions.
Diagnosis of electrical faults is continuously monitored for both the pre-catalytic converter sensors and the post-
catalytic converter sensors (NAS only). This is achieved by checking the signal against maximum and minimum
threshold for open and short circuit conditions. For NAS vehicles, should the pre- and post-catalytic converters be
inadvertently transposed, the lambda signals will go to maximum but opposite extremes and the system will
automatically revert to open loop fuelling. The additional sensors for NAS vehicles provide mandatory monitoring of
the catalyst conversion efficiency and long term fuelling adaptations.
Note that some markets do not legislate for closed loop fuelling control and in this instance no heated oxygen
sensors will be fitted to the exhaust system.

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
17-2-36 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
Failure of the closed loop control of the exhaust emission system may be attributable to one of the failure modes
indicated below:
lMechanical fitting & integrity of the sensor.
lSensor open circuit / disconnected.
lShort circuit to vehicle supply or ground.
lLambda ratio outside operating band.
lCrossed sensors.
lContamination from leaded fuel or other sources.
lChange in sensor characteristic.
lHarness damage.
lAir leak into exhaust system (cracked pipe / weld or loose fixings).
System failure will be indicated by the following symptoms:
lMIL light on (NAS and EU-3 only).
lDefault to open-loop fuelling for the defective cylinder bank.
lIf sensors are crossed, engine will run normally after initial start and then become progressively unstable with
one bank going to its maximum rich clamp and the other bank going to its maximum lean clamp – the system will
then revert to open-loop fuelling.
lHigh CO reading
lStrong smell of H
2S (rotten eggs)
lExcessive emissions
Fuel Metering
When the engine is cold, additional fuel has to be provided to the air:fuel mixture to assist starting. This supplementary
fuel enrichment continues until the combustion chamber has heated up sufficiently during the warm-up phase.
Under normal part-throttle operating conditions the fuel mixture is adjusted to provide minimum fuel emissions and
the air:fuel mixture is held close to the optimum ratio (λ = 1). The engine management system monitors the changing
engine and environmental conditions and uses the data to determine the exact fuelling requirements necessary to
maintain the air:fuel ratio close to the optimum value that is needed to ensure effective exhaust emission treatment
through the three-way catalytic converters.
During full-throttle operation the air:fuel mixture needs to be made rich to provide maximum torque. During
acceleration, the mixture is enriched by an amount according to engine temperature, engine speed, change in throttle
position and change in manifold pressure, to provide good acceleration response.
When the vehicle is braking or travelling downhill the fuel supply can be interrupted to reduce fuel consumption and
eliminate exhaust emissions during this period of operation.
If the vehicle is being used at altitude, a decrease in the air density will be encountered which needs to be
compensated for to prevent a rich mixture being experienced. Without compensation for altitude, there would be an
increase in exhaust emissions and problems starting, poor driveability and black smoke from the exhaust pipe. For
open loop systems, higher fuel consumption may also occur.
Exhaust Emission System Diagnostics
The engine management ECM contains an on-board diagnostics (OBD) system which performs a number of
diagnostic routines for detecting problems associated with the closed loop emission control system. The diagnostic
unit monitors ECM commands and system responses and also checks the individual sensor signals for plausibility,
these include:
lLambda ratio outside of operating band
lLambda heater diagnostic
lLambda period diagnostic
lPost-catalytic converter lambda adaptation diagnostic (NAS only)
lCatalyst monitoring diagnostic
Lambda Ratio Outside Operating Band
The system checks to ensure that the system is operating in a defined range around the stoichiometric point. If the
system determines that the upper or lower limits for the air:fuel ratio are being exceeded, the error is stored as a fault
code in the ECM diagnostic memory (the MIL light is illuminated on NAS vehicles).

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-37
Lambda Heater Diagnostic
The system determines the heater current and supply voltage so that the heater's resistance can be calculated. After
the engine has been started, the system waits for the heated oxygen sensors to warm up, then calculates the
resistance from the voltage and current measurements. If the value is found to be outside of the upper or lower
threshold values, then the fault is processed (the MIL light is illuminated on NAS vehicles).
Lambda Period Diagnostic
The pre-catalytic converter sensors are monitored. As the sensors age, the rich to lean and the lean to rich switching
delays increase, leading to increased emissions if the lambda control becomes inaccurate. If the switching period
exceeds a defined limit, the sensor fault is stored in the ECM diagnostic memory (the MIL light is illuminated on NAS
vehicles).
Post-Catalytic Converter Lambda Adaptation Diagnostic (NAS only)
On NAS vehicles the ageing effects of the pre-catalytic converter sensors are compensated for by an adaptive value
derived from the post-catalytic converter sensors. This is a long term adaption which only changes slowly. For a rich
compensation the additive value is added to the rich delay time. For a lean compensation, the adaptive value is added
to the lean delay time. The adaptive time is monitored against a defined limit, and if the limit is exceeded, the fault is
stored in the ECM's diagnostic memory and the MIL light is illuminated on the instrument pack.
Catalyst Monitoring Diagnostic
On NAS specification vehicles the catalysts are monitored both individually and simultaneously for emission pollutant
conversion efficiency. The conversion efficiency of a catalyst is monitored by measuring the oxygen storage, since
there is a direct relationship between these two factors. The closed loop lambda control fuelling oscillations produce
pulses of oxygen upstream of the catalyst, as the catalyst efficiency deteriorates its ability to store oxygen is
decreased. The amplitudes of the signals from the pre-catalytic and post-catalytic converter heated oxygen sensors
are compared. As the oxygen storage decreases, the post-catalytic converter sensor begins to follow the oscillations
of the pre-catalytic converter heated oxygen sensors. Under steady state conditions the amplitude ratio is monitored
in different speed / load sites. There are three monitoring areas, and if the amplitude ratio exceeds a threshold in all
three areas the catalyst conversion limit is exceeded; the catalyst fault is stored in the diagnostic memory and the MIL
light is illuminated on the instrument pack. There is a reduced threshold value for both catalysts monitored as a pair.
In either case, a defective catalyst requires replacement of the downpipe assembly.
In the case of a catalytic converter failure the following failure symptoms may be apparent:
lMIL light on after 2 driving cycles (NAS market only).
lHigh exhaust back pressure if catalyst partly melted.
lExcessive emissions
lStrong smell of H
2S (rotten eggs).
Oxygen sensor voltages can be monitored using TestBook/T4, the approximate output voltage from the heated
oxygen sensors with a warm engine at idle and with closed loop fuelling active are shown in the table below:
Measurement Normal catalyst Defective catalyst
Pre-catalytic heated oxygen sensors ~ 100 to 900 mV switching @ ~ 0.5
Hz~ 100 to 900 mV switching @ ~ 0.5 Hz
Post-catalytic heated oxygen sensors ~ 200 to 650 mV, static or slowly
changing~ 200 to 850 mV, changing up to same
frequency as pre-catalytic heated oxygen
sensors
Amplitude ratio (LH HO
2 sensors & RH
HO
2 sensors)<0.3 seconds >0.6 seconds (needs to be approximately
0.75 seconds for single catalyst fault)
Number of speed/load monitoring areas
exceeded (LH & RH)0 >1 (needs to be 3 for fault storage)

EMISSION CONTROL - V8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 17-2-39
Evaporative Emission Control Operation
Fuel vapour is stored in the activated charcoal (EVAP) canister for retention when the vehicle is not operating. When
the vehicle is operating, fuel vapour is drawn from the canister into the engine via a purge control valve. The vapour
is then delivered to the intake plenum chamber to be supplied to the engine cylinders where it is burned in the
combustion process.
During fuel filling the fuel vapour displaced from the fuel tank is allowed to escape to atmosphere, valves within the
fuel filler prevent any vapour escaping through to the EVAP canister as this can adversely affect the fuel cut-off height.
Only fuel vapour generated whilst driving is prevented from escaping to atmosphere by absorption into the charcoal
canister. The fuel filler shuts off to leave the tank approximately 10% empty to ensure the ROVs are always above
the fuel level and so vapour can escape to the EVAP canister and the tank can breathe. The back pressures normally
generated during fuel filling are too low to open the pressure relief valve, but vapour pressures accumulated during
driving are higher and can open the pressure relief valve. Should the vehicle be overturned, the ROVs shut off to
prevent any fuel spillage.
Fuel vapour generated from within the fuel tank as the fuel heats up is stored in the tank until the pressure exceeds
the operating pressure of the two-way valve. When the two-way valve opens, the fuel vapour passes along the vent
line from the fuel tank (via the fuel tank vapour separator) to the evaporation inlet port of the EVAP canister. The fuel
tank vents between 5.17 and 6.9 kPa.
Fuel vapour evaporating from the fuel tank is routed to the EVAP canister through the fuel vapour separator and vent
line. Liquid fuel must not be allowed to contaminate the charcoal in the EVAP canister. To prevent this, the fuel vapour
separator fitted to the fuel neck allows fuel to drain back into the tank. As the fuel vapour cools, it condenses and is
allowed to flow back into the fuel tank from the vent line by way of the two-way valve.
The EVAP canister contains charcoal which absorbs and stores fuel vapour from the fuel tank while the engine is not
running. When the canister is not being purged, the fuel vapour remains in the canister and clean air exits the canister
via the air inlet port.
The engine management ECM controls the electrical output signal to the purge valve. The system will not work
properly if there is leakage or clogging within the system or if the purge valve cannot be controlled.

+ ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - V8, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, Description - engine
management.
When the engine is running, the ECM decides when conditions are correct for vapour to be purged from the EVAP
canister and opens the canister purge valve. This connects a manifold vacuum line to the canister and fuel vapour
containing the hydrocarbons is drawn from the canister's charcoal element to be burned in the engine. Clean air is
drawn into the canister through the atmosphere vent port to fill the displaced volume of vapour.
The purge valve remains closed below preset coolant and engine speed values to protect the engine tune and
catalytic converter performance. If the EVAP canister was purged during cold running or at idling speed, the additional
enrichment in the fuel mixture would delay the catalytic converter light off time and cause erratic idle. When the purge
valve is opened, fuel vapour from the EVAP canister is drawn into the plenum chamber downside of the throttle
housing, to be delivered to the combustion chambers for burning.
The purge valve is opened and closed in accordance with a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal supplied from the
engine management ECM. The system will not work properly if the purge valve cannot be controlled. Possible failure
modes associated with the purge valve are listed below:
lValve drive open circuit.
lShort circuit to vehicle supply or ground.
lPurge valve or pipework blocked or restricted.
lPurge valve stuck open.
lPipework joints leaking or disconnected.
Possible symptoms associated with a purge valve or associated pipework failure is listed below:
lEngine may stall on return to idle if purge valve is stuck open.
lPoor idling quality if the purge valve is stuck open
lFuelling adaptions forced excessively lean if the EVAP canister is clear and the purge valve is stuck open.
lFuelling adaptions forced excessively rich if the EVAP canister is saturated and the purge valve is stuck open.
lSaturation of the EVAP canister if the purge valve is stuck closed.