I was wondering if anyone has removed the purge control solenoid without any deleterious effects? The lower nipple on the solenoid broke off with the hose when I was trying to remove it, and now I'm wondering if I can just eliminate the system altogether? Maybe just block off the hose coming from the catch tank and clean the tank out from time to time?

 

.. just noticed that the turbo control solenoid looks almost the same. anyone know if these are interchangable?

 

Look at the part number, if the part numbers are the same, yes.

 

The turbo control solenoid is NOT the same as the purge control Solenoid. The Turbo Control solenoid is vented. If used in place of the purge control solenoid, it will vent gasoline funes into your engine compartment. Most people would consider this to be a bad thing.
It might be possible to plug the vent on a Turbo Control Solenoid and use it, bu that strikes me as cheap hack. IMHO, FDs shouldn't be subjected to cheap hacks.

If you take out your purge control solenoid and run the hose striaght from the catch tank to the check valve, you are allowing gas fumes to collect in your intake manifold while your car is sitting. I'm tempted to say this probably won't hurt anything, but gas fumes are nothing to gamble with. If I broke my purge control solenoid, I would not be driving my FD until I replace it.

The common scenerio is this. You fill your tank with cold gas from an underground tank. It's a hot day and the gas and air in our tank expand. It's considered enviromentally bad to vent gas fumes into the air, so there is a charcoal canister to soak up the gas fumes. When the car is started, the purge control opens and allows gas fumes to be pulled out of the canister and burned.

 

ALSO the two solenoids have different length mounting studs, the turbo solenoid is 3 way and the purge solenoid is 1 way. They are not to interchange .

 

purge is for emissions and fumes.nothing from keeping it running.