EVAP cel

[Leadfoot281]

I'm heading to St. Paul tomorrow for the Car Craft show and I had a cel come on today. I got it read and it's for the EVAP system. Apparently there's a leak somewhere.

The mechanic told me he usually just re-sets these and won't touch the car until it goes off again.

Is this anything I should be real concerned with? I'm going to be 200 miles from home with 3 other people in my car on a Sunday and that's not when I need to deal with a break down.

The car runs fine btw. Any thought on this?

[B.C. Bake]

Just curious, How hot is it there, and were did you get your read from. Or what system do you use to read from, shop or from home > BTW sorry don't know about the EVAP syt. But, do know out here, asphalt temps in the 132 degree fahrenheit to 140 today and folks have all kind of vapor problems "smell gas" Because of pressure release. So far not in the MM. :bows:

[Leadfoot281]

It's an unseasonably cool 60 degrees today. I had a friend read it at his shop with a large hand held scanner but forgot to ask what the exact code was.

[RF Overlord]

I have had a recurring CEL on my work van, an '02 GMC Safari for over a year now. It points to the canister purge solenoid. I clear it and it comes back in sometimes 2 days, sometimes 2 weeks. It's been on now for the last couple of months because I got tired of clearing it.

What I'm trying to say, John, is that if you're sure it's an evap code, don't worry about making your trip.

[B.C. Bake]

I have had a recurring CEL on my work van, an '02 GMC Safari for over a year now. It points to the canister purge solenoid. I clear it and it comes back in sometimes 2 days, sometimes 2 weeks. It's been on now for the last couple of months because I got tired of clearing it.

What I'm trying to say, John, is that if you're sure it's an evap code, don't worry about making your trip.

+1 emission's problem. Or am I'm wrong? Plesease correct me if not.:)

[Leadfoot281]

Thanks Bob. Heck with it! I'm going! There's only 65k miles on it now and this is just the second issue I've had with it so far. One coil went bad 3 years ago and that's been it.

This is just the sort of thing that annoys me about new cars. I swear sometimes I'd rather drive a rusty $300 Fairmont cross country than one of these. Sure, the Fairmont will certainly break down, but I can fix that.

[JBeezy]

I know this is a old thread, but has anyone found a real solution to this common problem? My car runs fine, but I cant stand the CEL light shining in my face and its kind of embarrasing as well when my car looks so good, smells new on the inside, but has a CEL light on shining like the dome light.

[Zack]

The simplest fix is a leaking gas cap. Try there 1st

[JBeezy]

The simplest fix is a leaking gas cap. Try there 1st

There must b some truth to the leaking gas cap fix. I discovered that the rubber bib thingy was caught in the cap when I tighten it down. I made sure it was clear and cleared the code.

Yesterday I drove my car on the interstate, 330 something miles round trip and no CEL. I'll wait to see if it comes on anytime soon and post back here if it does

[YankeeMarauder]

Hey for what its worth, my son and I had the evap code on both our cars (2003 MM and 1998 F150) and in BOTH cases, it was a wire that wore bare by the evap tray by the tank grounding out. In both cases, we had a tech chase the short and that was it. Maybe drop the tray in the back under the trunk and visually inspect. Thats where mine was!

[B.C. Bake]

There must b some truth to the leaking gas cap fix. I discovered that the rubber bib thingy was caught in the cap when I tighten it down. I made sure it was clear and cleared the code.

Yesterday I drove my car on the interstate, 330 something miles round trip and no CEL. I'll wait to see if it comes on anytime soon and post back here if it does

Don't we all have a gas cap "check light" The CEL light shouldn't come on, if it is the cap? Just wondering:confused:

[JBeezy]

That is true. I just believe this had something to do with mine. Usually it will come on when on the hwy. It didn't this time. I'm not ruling out something else is going on but it just surprised me when it didn't after I discovered the bib in the cap

[EMAS]

Don't we all have a gas cap "check light" The CEL light shouldn't come on, if it is the cap? Just wondering:confused:

The check gas cap will only go off with a huge EVAP leak but a small leak caused by a cap gasket that is going bad will set off the same small EVAP leak code as any other small leak.

[JBeezy]

The check gas cap will only go off with a huge EVAP leak but a small leak caused by a cap gasket that is going bad will set off the same small EVAP leak code as any other small leak.

Probably what I was experiencing. I'm hoping