Monday’s featured service is fuel filler pipe replacement on a 2001 Ford Mustang, brought to us by a client from North Vancouver, BC.
This Ford came to our shop with several concerns, one being that the check engine light was on. We road tested the vehicle: it ran great. We connected our diagnostic scanner and retrieved a P0456 stored trouble code. P0456 indicates a leak in the EVAP system. The EVAP system’s function is to keep raw fuel vapours from escaping into the atmosphere as they are a major source of hydrocarbon pollution.
Armed with the P0456 trouble code we could now focus our diagnostic tests and find the cause of the concern. We tested the EVAP system for leaks and found the fuel filler neck rusted out and leaking. While some EVAP system concerns are not urgent to repair, a rusted fuel filler is not in that camp: it is serious as a fuel leak can occur, especially when filling the tank. In this case the check engine lamp performed the valuable service of not only warning of excessive emissions but also a potential safety threat.
Fuel filler pipe replacement is a common repairs on many vehicles. On most cars and light trucks this steel tube assembly lives in a hostile environment exposed to water, dirt and road salt. Protective covers keep most of these corrosive evils out but overtime things seep in and given enough time rust holes develop.
This Mustang is a particularly nice car as it is a convertible and despite the odometer closing in on 200,000 km the car still drives and looks like new. These are fairly reliable cars and when the weather is good, fun to drive.
For more about vehicle emission system click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_emissions_control
For more about the Ford Mustang click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang
