Well here is what I have got and done so far. I have a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2L Ecotec automatic transmission. Car has 102,000 miles on it. The car has had a oil change with synthetic oil every 2500 miles since I have had it. Also have already done all preventive maintenance fuel filter, plugs and transmission service and filter and new fluid. Car has been a good running driving car. Just dumb issues with it like the gauge cluster and the fuel pump. Now I have got a gross evap leak issue on going for close to a year now. I have changed both solenoids for the evap system the one under the hood and the one under the car near the gas tank. I just recently installed a new fuel filler neck because the code came back yet again after almost a year. The neck was pretty rusty. I cleared the code about close to 150 miles ago and the readiness monitors aren't ready yet? I went to get the car inspected this morning and she would not pass NYS inspection. How long should it take for these readiness monitors to do there thing and throw the check engine like or not?
I made a mistake buying this car so close to the end of its life. It had 53,000 miles on it when I bought it almost four years ago. I know GM was just throwing the Cavaliers down the line at this time because the Cobalt was in the works.
What irritates me is this code has no bearing upon how the car runs. The Car runs awesome always has. Transmission has always been good. I am just hoping that the leak or the problem is not on top of the gas tank where the sending unit goes in. I know there is a pressure sensor up there. I should have changed it when I had the tank down. I don't think that it is likely that the evap leak is coming from the top of the gas tank where the sending unit and the tank come together? I know I took special pains to make sure that sending unit was in the top of the tank correctly and the oring was right and not pinched or out of place. That is my next task if the code comes back again. Drop tank replace pressure sensor and put a new o ring on the sending unit again.
Any help would be well appreciated.
Did you new fuel filler neck come with a new gas cap? I've seen that seal on the gas cap break quite a few times, especially on cars where it gets cold in the winter . Make sure you get a GM cap if you do buy one, aftermarket ones will give a leak code right off the bat since one cap covers so many models, as opposed to AC Delco where one cap only covers a few vehicles.
What happened with your cluster by the way. I just ordered a new one today, speedometer doesnt work a lot of the time
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
The issue that I had with my gauge cluster was this. I was driving it all normal on day and the Temp gauge went off the charts and was trying to do a three sixty. First thing I did was stop check to make sure the car wasn't overheating, which it wasn't. I went directly to my friendly GM dealer and bought a coolant temp sensor. Replaced the sensor and the wires, problem was still there. So I went on EBAY and bought a used one with a 90 day warente that was three years ago. It has been working great ever since.
Update on emission code. Third day and the check engine light has come back on. It is the same code again Gross EVAP leak. Here is what I did this am before work. I crawler under the car and replaced all the screw style clamps on the rubber hoses around the gas tank. Also checked to make sure none of the hoses were cracked or brittle. I also inspected the spring style clamps which all seemed to have plenty of clamping power. I didn't have my voltmeter handy to check the wires for the purge solenoid. I visually inspected them and check to make sure the pins weren't bent over or corroded in any way. As well as checking the female side of the plug to make sure the connectors weren't in bad shape. All was well, all I can do now is a continuity test and smoke test. I went to my friendly GM dealership and bought me a thirty dollar GM gas cap today. I am going to reset and check the code with my scanner when I get home. Will take another three days to find out if the gas cap fixes it or not. If not next step is to take the gas tank down and check the o-ring on the sending unit to make sure it isn't damaged and the sending unit is in the top of the tank correctly. Also I am going to replace the pressure sensor that is on top of the sending unit if I have to take the tank down.
I am going to make myself something to do my own smoke test this weekend if the light comes back on. I know if the solenoids were bad they would spit out a different code than what I am getting.
Not trying to sound like an ass so forgive me in advance, you seem to be spending a decent amount of money in parts, why not get a smoke test done at a shop for like $70, find out what is leaking and replace that part yourself
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
I asked the place where I bought the gas cap today. They will charge 70 bucks for the test and whatever for labor probably a hour is what the service manager told me.... at 80.00 a hour 150.00 for test. Not to mention more parts. I just cleared the code again after installing the new gas cap. I bet I have a pin hole in one of the lines? I hope the gas cap fixes it. Won't know for about three days. I got a good deal on the new filler neck cost me 80 shipping was free. So have less then the smoke test into it so far. But the smoke test will happen soon because inspection is due in just couple of weeks. Along with the payment on the car..... FUN FUN FUN.
Dislike emission systems very much.
Put a 1969 chevelle on a sniffer with mufflers and a carb and what was comming out of Chevelle was cleaner than what was comming out of my Cavalier before this check engine light stuff went on? Chevelle was not a mild engine either.
Another update. The gas cap from gm didn't fix problem. I talked to a GM tech today about the smoke test. He said unless the leak is like a hole or something drastic you are not going to find the issue with a smoke test. He told me to check the white wire that is underneath the car that goes to the purge solenoid. Which I am going to do saturday. I just gotta keep working at it I will eventually find a cracked hose or broken wire or something simple. Going to do lots of hose tracing this weekend. Fun FUN FUN.
Victor Mandy Jr wrote:Another update. The gas cap from gm didn't fix problem. I talked to a GM tech today about the smoke test. He said unless the leak is like a hole or something drastic you are not going to find the issue with a smoke test. He told me to check the white wire that is underneath the car that goes to the purge solenoid. Which I am going to do saturday. I just gotta keep working at it I will eventually find a cracked hose or broken wire or something simple. Going to do lots of hose tracing this weekend. Fun FUN FUN.
Just a heads up, the cars that are 2001 and newer can detect a hole about 1/40 or an inch, just so you know how small of a hole you are looking for.
What he said isnt correct, you will find a leak using the smoke machine if you know what you are doing, it doesnt have to be a large hole either.
Pretty simple you command the vent valve closed, and fill the system with white smoke,and look at the hoses for a leak.
If the wire going to the purge solenoid was broken you would get a code for it, something like, purge solenoid voltage low as an example.
So you have replaced both EVAP solenoids, fuel filler neck and now a gas cap, and now replace all the hoses, because a leak isnt going to be visibile to the naked eye.
Best to get a smoke test done for like $80, thats what most shops charge
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Check all your hoses and also vacuum lines. GM likes using that semi ridgid plastic pipe a lot and it does NOT withstand the test of time. The little pipes break off at connection points, looking like they are good but they aren't.
Rubber hoses crack, especially if they are near heat.
Be really careful when plugging and unplugging any wire or pipe on the car, sadly, FRAGILE comes into play here.......go figure.
Best of luck
Dave
Yeah that fragile part is no joke. At least I will be in a heated garage.I am dreading taking the gas tank out again. Reason being my exhaust is in rough shape and I am short on cash to buy new cat back oem exhaust at the presant time. I have heard from a lot of people that the wite wire back around the purge solenoid can cause that code? I am not sure will explore all avenues.
Thanks for the help.
I think dynamite may be better to solve this problem LOL
I also have had this EVAP leak for about a year now. Garage told me $50 for the smoke test which seems like a deal from what I have read. I'm still getting 30mph highway to work so I will just deal with the check engine light being on 24/7. My car is also a 04 with 400K miles showing
2004 LS Cavy - everyday driver
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/snakecharmer
www.myspace.com/streetdreamscarclub
