So I just purchased a 99 Sunfire 'Vert the other day and I want to give it a good shakedown before a trip to AZ. P.O. gave me all the receipts for recent maintenance that was done and everything seems fine with the car. I just wanted to know your thoughts on anything that I should really look at prior to driving 2000+ miles with it.

It's an 2.4L Auto with 169,000 miles, just had the trans filter/fluid changed (shift VERY smooth), tires are good, fresh oil change. Autozone scanned it yesterday for the CEL light. The cat had gone bad so the P.O.'s mechanic had a straight pipe put in to replace the cat. It's throwing a #1 Rich code and an evap code. Not 100% if that is cat removal related or not. It also has a slight "clunk" when turning either direction. Wheel bearings were recently replaced by a shop.

I don't plan on doing any mods to it (at least in the near future) except for repairing some body damage that is on it.


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Rich code is not from the cat, but what was the code it had? Might be able to help more if we know the code.



FU Tuning

The Autozone guy didn't give me the code. Just told me what it was throwing. I'll have to go on my lunch hour and get the actual codes.


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Here's the codes:

P0171 Fuel Trim System Lean Bank 1
P0440 Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System
P0480 Cooling Fan Relay 1 Control Circuit


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Bump for assistance.



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Anyone? Should I be looking at the MAF or the IAC? I've got less than a week before the trip.



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Ok clunk when turning the wheel is either tie rods probably inners,rack or the connection going from the steering column to the rack has play. Most common to least also. Not sure what would cause those codes but i'm sure the cat didn't do it.

Cept for one thing the evap and lean code might be caused by a vaccum leak not to sure. But a stopped up cat might cause the lean code. Did the clear the codes after the gutted the cat? I know you will throw a code for a gutted cat but i believe it is bank 2 instead of bank1.

Our cars don't half mafs only a iat sensor,map,iac. The iac i wouldn't bother with if not throwing a code,shifting hard if auto,or not wanting to idle.

Lean could be a dying fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter. I've had both...

EVAP could be a faulty gas cap... but it could also be any number of leaks in the EVAP system.

Blown:
It seems the "clunking" is coming from some bad struts/shocks up front. They seem to be sticking (I've heard the same sounds on aircraft I worked on as the struts settled after servicing. I'm still trying to find any leaks in the EVAP system. The right front fender is a bit mangled from a tire/ball joint failure. IIRC from my old Cav, the evap canister is in that area. So I'll pull the inner fender well and take a look.

Lenko: I really hope it's not a pump issue.





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I hope for your sake it's the filter over the pump... but I've had the unfortunate experience of having to do BOTH on my DD....

For 99 models, the EVAP canister moved to the rear by the fuel tank... there's only one line from the fuel filler to the tank on 99+.

Damnit Lenko! I just got done screwing around with the front of my car and didn't see the EVAP can. I was figuring that was it. Well, looks like I'll be swapping the filter tomorrow.



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