Pending code issue - looking for help....

[dorqus]

I'm so frustrated with the NY State inspection system.

Last week I dropped off my 2011 stock (except for cat back) Caprice at the local station for an inspection.
Car has no codes on it, only time it's even thrown a code was when I had a fuel injector stop working, and once I replaced it the code went away - that was almost a year ago.

A few hours later I call and they tell me that "the ECU was showing not ready so they can't inspect it"
Picked up the car, had to pay the $37 even though they didn't do anything - they told me that just for plugging it in to the machine they charge you (the state).

I spent all of last weekend driving it, trying to get the pending code to clear or to throw a permanent code which I could fix. My cheap $20 odb2 scan tool didn't tell me anything just shows "EV not ready" b/c it's blinking and the light is yellow and not green. Had a friend come by w/one of those Bluetooth OBD2 scan tools and it showed all OK (so not so helpful).

I went to AutoZone and their scan tool just showed "not ready" but didn't tell me anything I don't already know.

Luckily the guy who lives across the street from me has an "Autel" OBD2 scanner which is serious, I clicked around and figured that I had a pending P0442 code, which is a "small EVAC leak" (there are diff codes for large and medium EVAC leaks it seems)

Most common cause is a loose of bad gas cap, so I ordered a replacement AC Delco one and it came on Monday(?) Replaced it, drive the car, pending code is still there.

Another common cause is a bad/leaking evac purge solenoid, so yesterday AM I went to AutoZone and picked up a replacement, reset the ECU and put like 150 miles on the car but it's still showing pending.

I'm so frustrated... (my inspection expired at the end of June)

At this point might just take it to a shop and let them have at it, I don't trust the shop we used to use as they didn't do such good work on our CX-9 last time they worked on it so I am done with them.

Any suggestions on what else to try/check for? I thought about the vapor canister but from what I've read it's next tot he fuel tank and it's quite the process to replace it?

Thanks!

[JoeR]

For a P0452 I'd suspect the Vent Valve before I suspected the Purge Valve. Gas caps rarely fail, but for some reason everyone tries one of those first, making it the most common repair for EVAP Leak codes.
The P0452 means that the system was able to develop vacuum, but it leaked off. If you don't have the diagnostic equipment to figure it out, then you are going to have to take it somewhere that does, or use the Parts Dartboard, like you've been doing.

It's not a purge valve, because if the purge valve was stuck open, it'd set a P1440, meaning the system have vacuum in it even though the purge valve is not commanded on.
If it was stuck off, it would set a P0455, Gross Leak Code, because no vacuum developed in the system when the purge valve was supposed to be on.

The other thing you have working against you at the moment, is that the EVAP Monitor won't run when it's really hot out, and you may have high temps there at the moment.

My advice to you at the moment is to toss a Vent Valve on it, and then have your neighbor with the Autel to run an EVAP Service Bay Test with his scanner. It forces the monitor to run, and it it passes, it matures the monitor to "Ready". If that doesn't work, you're gonna need that Autel and a Smoke Machine to figure it out.

Here's how the EVAP System works on your car:

Joe

[dorqus]

Yeah thanks, it's a P0442
It's been really hot here in NY lately, so like you said that's working against me.

Looks like the vent valve requires dropping the rear end (unless I'm looking at the wrong part?) That's "above my pay grade" as they say - so off to the shop it goes.

[elc32955]

When I had my P0442 I changed both the gas cap & purge valve solenoid and that pre-emptive strike cured it. The seal on the gas cap looked good, although the car at that point had like 130K on it. I picked a brand new solenoid in the box on Ebay for $12 shipped, the gas cap I think was also $10 shipped, same source. So if you attacked both of those it will take time & cycles to clear. Don't get too impatient, mine took like a week to drop off the warning. If it doesn't clear after that time period, might be time for a deeper dive....

Of course my car is an LFX, so your experience may vary.

Good luck!
Eric

[dorqus]

Ok thanks. I’ll keep driving it and hope for the best!!

[smwalker]

So I think you are not giving it enough time to run the monitor. once you make a fix are you clearing the codes and letting the monitor run?

You wont know it's fixed till the monitor runs and with EVAP that can take a while.

[smwalker]

How many monitors were not ready when you tested?

NY allows one not ready.
How Many Monitors Have to be Ready?
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines allow up to two monitors to be in a "not ready" state for model year 1996 through 2000 vehicles and one monitor "not ready" for 2001 or newer model year vehicles.

from: https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/what-do-you ... -not-ready

[JoeR]

Yeah thanks, it's a P0442

LOL. That's what i meant, a P0442. I'm an idiot. All other advice still stands.
Joe

[dorqus]

All good! Thanks for the information

[dorqus]

It is possible that I'm not driving it enough, but how long is long enough?
I last reset the codes about 100 miles ago (maybe a little less?)
Right now my cheap-o OBD2 scan tool shows one pending code for "EV" (that's all it shows).

When I dropped it off they said it was reporting two subsystems as not ready - sadly I can't find the sheet of paper that had the info on it but it's my understanding that all systems must be showing ready in order to get the inspection done.

Not sure exactly how many pending codes I have, I'll need to borrow my neighbors Autel to check. There is test in there somewhere to see if the car is "inspection ready" or something like that.

The issue is that my inspection expired on June 30th, so I can get a ticket just for having it on the road with an expired inspection. Of course I'll tell the police that I had to replace some parts to pass and I'm waiting for the computer to reset, but....
So I need to be careful when and where i drive it, can't park it on the street, etc.

*sigh* it's always something!