Son suffered a mental lapse and thought the 97 RS MT was good for offroading. It wasn't. Right front dropped in a ditch and hit something under the front passenger side just behind the headlight and in front of the wheel. There are some round flat plastic parts with tubes attached that are dangling. One appears to have a red diaphragm on the underside of the "lid". Is this something to do with emissions? The dangling parts seem to have come from behind a large rectangular black plastic box (which seems intact). Doesn't show up in the Haynes manual. What is it and can he drive the car until he finds replacement parts? Thanks for any help/advice (except about his driving, I've already given him plenty of advice on that).

I bet he knocked off the evap canister...or it's components.

Can you take a pic of the damage so I can asses?

I just finished the rebuild of my evap system and I'm a pro. Let me know like always if you need any help.

Oh yeah and there's plenty of pics in the CAPS section here on 2gnt.

Originally posted by eclipsed08
I bet he knocked off the evap canister...or it's components. Can you take a pic of the damage so I can asses? I just finished the rebuild of my evap system and I'm a pro. Let me know like always if you need any help. Oh yeah and there's plenty of pics in the CAPS section here on 2gnt.

Thanks. I checked CAPS and diagram 13-020 shows what should be the evap cannister. I think son's is gone. Looks like just the cap and lines left. Bet the cannister is sitting in that ditch somewhere. I'll try to set up pics if I can find time. Any guesses about driving without the cannister? He needs to get to school tomorrow (about 25 miles roundtrip).

Ok the canister is just a charcoal canister for the left over gas fumes to go threw.

I bet he also has a Check Engine Light as well right?? It's not a problem running the car without the system in, I did it for five years.

The only issue is passing inspections. Let me know if you can't find the parts I have everything you will need to rebuild the system.

What year is his car again?

Ps the only thing he may notice is a faint smell of gas vapors, nothing to worry about...HE CAN'T BLOW UP!!!

Originally posted by eclipsed08
...HE CAN'T BLOW UP!!!

Heh heh, I beg to differ. After seeing those pics and hearing the story, I bet he CAN get it to blow up ;-)

Dad you better just give it to me for safe keeping.

Pics can be found here (I hope):




Do the green arrows show where the original mounting bracket broke off, or is this for something else?

Looks as though your canister is gone and the purge valve is smashed..

That is exactly what I hjust had to replace..that whole system.

Those parts are CRAZY dollars at the dealer...let me know if you can't find them I have it ALL...just let me know the year.

That is not the damn purge solinoid....do you guys ever take a look at your cars?

The canister is the large square looking thing there and just by the picture it looks ok but you would have to vacuum test it. The part that is smashed is the Leak Detection pump or LDP for short. Very east to find in a junkyard since all late model chryslers used them. Usually always in the fenderwell. I have a few spares if you need one. Dont price it from the dealer.....its not cheap to say the least.

The LDP bolts to the bracket that the Canister sits on

Terry

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
That is not the damn purge solinoid....do you guys ever take a look at your cars? The canister is the large square looking thing there and just by the picture it looks ok but you would have to vacuum test it. The part that is smashed is the Leak Detection pump or LDP for short. Very east to find in a junkyard since all late model chryslers used them. Usually always in the fenderwell. I have a few spares if you need one. Dont price it from the dealer.....its not cheap to say the least. The LDP bolts to the bracket that the Canister sits on Terry

Actually, I look at this car more than I'd like, usually because something is broken (and it's not even my car). Son has the bright idea to go 4wheeling and bends the car, then I get to help figure out what he f'd up. Anyway, I realized that the square cannister was just bent back and pushed it into a vertical position again to keep it away from the tire. Is the LDP the part that in my pictures has an orange diaphragm showing? Also, after further inspection it appears that something in the suspension is also bent. Looks like a larger gap between the tire and front of the fender than tire and back of fender well (wheel got pushed back). Nothing looks too obviously bent to me. What's the most likely thing to bend and cause that? I'm a little frustrated, but do appreciate the info. Thanks.

No its not you, everyone else in this thread has been here long enough that thye should be able to identify a vapor canister. The part broken is the LDP. Guarenteed!

If the wheel has been pushed back you looking at the compression arm which I also recommend you buy from a junkyard. New one is 230.00 from dealer last time i checked.

Terry

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
No its not you, everyone else in this thread has been here long enough that thye should be able to identify a vapor canister. The part broken is the LDP. Guarenteed! If the wheel has been pushed back you looking at the compression arm which I also recommend you buy from a junkyard. New one is 230.00 from dealer last time i checked. Terry

Thanks for the feedback. Fortunately, we have a (mostly complete) 98 RS parts car that we can take parts from. With the front fender off, I see a small round translucent cannister (similar to a clutch or break fluid reservoir) right in front of the large square evap cannister. Is that the LDP? I can't really tell from the CAPS diagram. As for the compression arm, I hate to sound stupid, but I don't see anything by that name in the CAPS diagrams. Does it go by some other name or could you possibly check the part number for me in CAPS? I can post pics of the damaged side with the wheel off if that would help.

Pics of damaged side. Can you tell what's bent from these? I'm not sure of the terminology, but looking at the lower suspension, the trailing arm (the curved piece)may be bent because it is so close to the dampening fork on the rear of the shock (pics 3&4). If that's the compression arm, now I know why it's called that.

Originally posted by 2G_Dad
Pics of damaged side. Can you tell what's bent from these? I'm not sure of the terminology, but looking at the lower suspension, the trailing arm (the curved piece)may be bent because it is so close to the dampening fork on the rear of the shock (pics 3&4). If that's the compression arm, now I know why it's called that.

Yes, there is more curve than should be there. Everything else that has moved rearward can take some movement in that direction and survive. There is a good chance other parts will move back in place and be okay once you relace that compression arm.

Great. We have a spare, so should be able to swap it out quickly and see how things look. Have new tie rods to put in anyway, so will plan on replacing those too and getting alignment done to verify things are back to normal. Thanks for the help.

Might I recommend a severe flogging for the boy once this is done? If he did this on purpose, it shows a deep lack of respect for the work you've done to keep him in that car.

:shrug Just saying...

$20 says 2G Dad doesn't really have a son, and this is all his own doing.

"I need some advice, for a friend, er uh, son..."

LOL

Originally posted by ez
$20 says 2G Dad doesn't really have a son, and this is all his own doing. "I need some advice, for a friend, er uh, son..." LOL

Nice. You know, I'll bet he would be glad to check out YOUR ride for you free of charge. Just let me know the address. ;)

Originally posted by DarkOne
Might I recommend a severe flogging for the boy once this is done? If he did this on purpose, it shows a deep lack of respect for the work you've done to keep him in that car. :shrug Just saying...

Good recommendation. Appreciate the thought. Small consolation, but he will do all the wrenching on this repair. If he's old enough to break it, he's old enough to fix it (and pay for it). I plan to be the supervisor on this job.

;)

Originally posted by DR1665
;)

Wow! I didn't realize that it was approved. Hmmm....imagine the possibilities?

your 98 parts car might have a different emmisions setup. Lat models in 98 got the 99 setup where the ldp was relocated to the back by the gas tank. To my knowledge its not interchangeable but what the hell, try it. The white solinoid you see is the purge solinoid and not the same as the one on the car your kid drives. LDP is always black and larger than the purge solinoid.

Terry