P0440 Code

[JamesDew]

Okay, this may be lengthy.

 

1998 Subaru Legacy, 2.2L, 170,000 miles. I've owned it 2 years.

 

When I purchased it (144,000 miles on it then), the P0440 code was activated, and the CEL was on, obviously. I found the fuel neck was severely rotted. I was able to locate a used one, in great shape, and put it in. Now it wasn't the exact one, as the original had the little box on the neck that the vent lines hooked to. My replacement part didn't have that. I was able to loop those two vent lines together, the CEL went off, and I happily drove the next 20,000 miles with NO CEL.

 

Now here I am with the CEL on. The p0440 code is back. No other codes. I checked the vent and vacuum lines I could locate near the tank and fill tube, and all were tight. For good measure, I replaced a few suspect ones and put on new clamps.

 

I then pulled the charcoal canister (passenger side rear), and pressure tested it, and it is fine too. Now, to my question.

 

Above the canister is a solenoid of some sort. Maybe its the solenoid purge valve? I'm not sure. When I turn the ignition on, it doesn't click. When I start the car, it doesn't click. When I remove the solenoid and put 12 volts to it from a spare battery I have, it clicks away. It opens and closes. I checked for voltage at the connector, but there doesn't seem to be any. But then again, I don't know when there SHOULD be voltage to it. I'm not sure when the ECM decides to pressurize the system to test it.

 

Can anyone help me out here? Is there another valve elsewhere closer to the engine I should be checking too? I've looked elsewhere and can't seem to find specifically if there is one or where it is located.

 

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. It's a great little car and I want to keep it going, but I can't pass emissions with the CEL on.

 

My thanks,

 

Jim

[Scruffy]

P0440 is Evap emissions. 9 times out of ten it's the filler neck with a pin hole in it.

 

Check here http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/official-rusted-fuel-filler-neck-thread-124713.html

 

and here after http://www.obd-codes.com/p0440

[snederhiser]

Hello;

Also known as the gas cap code. Check for rotting and splitting. Also check the lines to see if they hold vacuum. The solenoid purge valve is not activated all of the time. Steven.

[twisty]

i got this code when my son leaned over the canister and broke one of the nipples off

[JamesDew]

I had it smoke tested. A local shop did it for FREE. It took all of 5 minutes to find smoke pouring out by the back bumper. Since he was doing it for nothing, he didn't take it apart to look. I was glad to have a good lead.

 

I removed the charcoal cannister, which I tested and it was fine. Then I took off the purge valve, plugged on side with my thumb and blew in the other side, and VOILA....... It was leaking. And rusted like no other.

 

So $67 bucks later and a trip to NAPA, and I think I've got it. I will wait a few hundred miles and see if the light comes back on.

 

If it does, I'll go back to the guy and pay him for a test. He was very nice to do what he did. I didn't ask him to do it for free, he just did.

 

If the light stays off, I'll have him do my oil changes. I just have to reward a good deed with some business.....