DIY: Replace Fuel Tank Breather Valve (Fix for bouncing idle at fuel station)

RC Post wrote

I've been having this bouncing idle and stalls out only on morning cold starts and no other time thru out the day.. No codes.

Should I give this a go?

The part isn't that expensive, it's a matter of if intermittent stalling bothers you enough to try and replace this part.

Just replaced breather valve. All information needed is in this thread. Everything went well only part that took the longest was removing the hose off the valve itself which took some effort to pull off but eventually came off.

BUT morning cold start rough idle/bog/stall still persist . AGAIN I'm only experiencing it only in the morning. What else to look for?

RC Post wrote

Just replaced breather valve. All information needed is in this thread. Everything went well only part that took the longest was removing the hose off the valve itself which took some effort to pull off but eventually came off.

BUT morning cold start rough idle/bog/stall still persist . AGAIN I'm only experiencing it only in the morning. What else to look for?

Idle control device?

derekc5475 wrote

Does anyone know if there are any negative side effects to the car if you have this problem and don't replace the valve? As far as I know, it's only the bouncing RPMs for a minute or so after you fill up gas. Can it do some potential damage?

From what I gather, the valve gets stuck open which is what causes all of these issues. I don't think you'd have any issues with flooding the charcoal canister.

Ty

In the process of doing this, I broke the nipple off the old fuel tank breather unit...Thought I could get the piece out with pliers but to no avail. Have to order an entire new pipe.

JDNY516 wrote

In the process of doing this, I broke the nipple off the old fuel tank breather unit...Thought I could get the piece out with pliers but to no avail. Have to order an entire new pipe.

You could try an easy out

EJT86 wrote

You could try an easy out

Not sure how, I tried using needlenose pliers to get it out. It's really in there. 100k mile and never been replaced

JDNY516 wrote

Not sure how, I tried using needlenose pliers to get it out. It's really in there. 100k mile and never been replaced

An “easy out” is a reverse threaded bit used for when a screw is stripped. Screw the easy out into the broken plastic and twist it free and pull it out little by little

JDNY516 wrote

EJT86 wrote

You could try an easy out

Not sure how, I tried using needlenose pliers to get it out. It's really in there. 100k mile and never been replaced

A couple suggestions on how to get the nipple out. I suspect that if you look up how much the pipe costs you will put significant effort into getting the old one out.


First hopefully the pipe is fully disconnected/ out of the car. If not follow it to the connection on the shock tower. Once out, it will be much easier to work on.

The locking mechanism can be seen. You maybe able to pick them loose as shown here:

At about 9:50 he (not me) pulls out the hose and disconnects the valve. In your case you may want to try and screw a wood screw into the broken plastic to have something to hold/pull on. Also you may have a better view of the the teeth holding the piece in.

If that doesn't work I would try to cut the inside of the tube and try breaking it out with your needle nose pliers. You may need some specialized xacto blades or a very narrow saw blade (scroll or coping saw).

Good Luck!

drrust wrote

A couple suggestions on how to get the nipple out. I suspect that if you look up how much the pipe costs you will put significant effort into getting the old one out.


First hopefully the pipe is fully disconnected/ out of the car. If not follow it to the connection on the shock tower. Once out, it will be much easier to work on.

The locking mechanism can be seen. You maybe able to pick them loose as shown here:

At about 9:50 he (not me) pulls out the hose and disconnects the valve. In your case you may want to try and screw a wood screw into the broken plastic to have something to hold/pull on. Also you may have a better view of the the teeth holding the piece in.

If that doesn't work I would try to cut the inside of the tube and try breaking it out with your needle nose pliers. You may need some specialized xacto blades or a very narrow saw blade (scroll or coping saw).

Good Luck!

I believe he is talking about the small hose in the front that’s hose clamped onto the breather. The nipple of the breather broke off inside the little hose

My experience was the back connection was the difficult one. Need OP's response.

drrust wrote

My experience was the back connection was the difficult one. Need OP's response.

Mine too, it was late and dark so I just broke it, but when he said “broke the nipple off...” it sounded like he meant the front since I wouldn’t consider the back a “nipple”

back connection, nipple broke and is stuck inside the hose. I already bought a new hose.

This diy was awesome. Thank you. I found that using a 6 mm socket on an extension was much easier than using a screwdriver to tighten the clamps for the plenum. Getting the valve off was a pain in the ass.

FWIW, I struggled with removing the hose from valve. I finally solved the problem by using a angled pick tool, inserting it into the end of the hose then working it around the nipple to loosen the hose.

roninCoder wrote

FWIW, I struggled with removing the hose from valve. I finally solved the problem by using a angled pick tool, inserting it into the end of the hose then working it around the nipple to loosen the hose.

Lol, every single connector, hose/tube, on this car needs to be taken apart..... and put back together so that when it's time to perform a DIY it takes half the time.

Seriously the MOST sore finger tips in the world the morning after working in the engine bay from a newly acquired BMW.

GM

just tackled this job this weekend with the help of this DIY and it was great. thanks for the detailed contribution.

that rear clip that everyone is talking about.... i took the front tube off, then i removed the actual valve from it's mount, and i was able to rotate it to get a better grip of the clip. Then, PUSH IN towards the valve, and press the clip, and mine came right off. I did this repair along with Throttle actuators. Getting the plenum to sit in the back was difficult. I asked a Indy shop friend who recommended wiping some silicon lubricant on the surface, and that helped.

Thanks for the great write up!

ThatM3guy wrote

just tackled this job this weekend with the help of this DIY and it was great. thanks for the detailed contribution.

that rear clip that everyone is talking about.... i took the front tube off, then i removed the actual valve from it's mount, and i was able to rotate it to get a better grip of the clip. Then, PUSH IN towards the valve, and press the clip, and mine came right off. I did this repair along with Throttle actuators. Getting the plenum to sit in the back was difficult. I asked a Indy shop friend who recommended wiping some silicon lubricant on the surface, and that helped.

Thanks for the great write up!

silicon lubricant...ky jelly?

Followed the DIY guide today to do this replacement, but should have read further down in the comments on removing the rear hose from the valve, because my hose collar cracked and the old valve nipple broke off inside the hose as I was trying to remove it. I managed to remove the broken nipple by prying apart the connector and using some needlenose, and can reinstall the hose on the new valve, but the pinch collar no longer clamps the same way. The hose is reasonably snug and doesn't fall off per se, but I can pull it off the valve with a good tug. Should I just go ahead and replace the fuel breather hose, or will it be OK? I can't really see a scenario where it just slides off, but is there high pressure on it?

PACarGuy wrote

Followed the DIY guide today to do this replacement, but should have read further down in the comments on removing the rear hose from the valve, because my hose collar cracked and the old valve nipple broke off inside the hose as I was trying to remove it. I managed to remove the broken nipple by prying apart the connector and using some needlenose, and can reinstall the hose on the new valve, but the pinch collar no longer clamps the same way. The hose is reasonably snug and doesn't fall off per se, but I can pull it off the valve with a good tug. Should I just go ahead and replace the fuel breather hose, or will it be OK? I can't really see a scenario where it just slides off, but is there high pressure on it?

Use zip ties to hold it in place then decide if you want to spend the cash on another hose. Same thing happened to me and I used two spare hose clamps because it was cold and dark when I had finished. I planned on buying a new hose but I got lazy

EJT86 wrote

PACarGuy wrote

Followed the DIY guide today to do this replacement, but should have read further down in the comments on removing the rear hose from the valve, because my hose collar cracked and the old valve nipple broke off inside the hose as I was trying to remove it. I managed to remove the broken nipple by prying apart the connector and using some needlenose, and can reinstall the hose on the new valve, but the pinch collar no longer clamps the same way. The hose is reasonably snug and doesn't fall off per se, but I can pull it off the valve with a good tug. Should I just go ahead and replace the fuel breather hose, or will it be OK? I can't really see a scenario where it just slides off, but is there high pressure on it?

Use zip ties to hold it in place then decide if you want to spend the cash on another hose

Doh! I was trying to think of a way to secure it but no idea why a zip tie didn't come to mind lol.
I'll call around tomorrow morning to see how quickly I can get a replacement hose and if I can't get one quickly I'll try the zip tie...or hose clamp.
Thanks!