Man, dealing with this car is like playing high-stakes Whack-A-Mole. You fix one thing, another pops up and you burn another couple hundred dollars.

Quick backstory. All monitors set except EVAP. That's OK because here in the People's Republic of Kalifornia cars of this age are allowed EVAP monitor exemption. But I couldn't leave well enough alone. After several scans with various scanners, I found a code for the solenoid gizmo at the back of the car, the one adjacent to the right-side charcoal canister. I don't have the code handy. I replaced it and the error never returned. So I drove it around for a while, and on the second tank of gas I got the CEL and dreaded P0455. ProDemand said that the most common fix was replacing the gas cap, so I did. Another 1.5 tanksful later and bam, same code and CEL. Further Google research gave me a couple of Jag TSBs about this code on my year of car, and fuel smell from convertibles. When starting the car in the mornings I do often get a fuel smell come in through the vents.

The upshot is that the TSBs point to replacing the purge control valve at the left front fender.

So, for all the gurus out there, is this the next step? Replace the valve? Or is there something I'm missing, some other thing I should check first?

Thanks for all your advice.

 

The canister purge valve is usually the culprit of the in-cabin fuel smell as well as the MIL. That is absolutely the next step. Frankly it should've been the first.

 

More than likely the CCV.

 

please keep in mind: if there is a problem with valve at the canister (the one you replaced) that there is a „remake“ with a new part number. only important if you put in a new used one..

the second thing: the fault code and system-check comes only at about 30% tank filling.
if you always drive with a full tank you wont see a code.
not sure if the front left valve works after the same scheme.

 

The initial code was P0447. Mistakenly or no, that lead me to replace the CCV. And that's when, after a tank of gas, the P0455 error started coming up.

 

I replaced it with P/N LJC1525AC. I think it does work on the same scheme. The P0455 error comes up between 1/2 and 3/4 of a tank, closer to 1/2. And it's been pretty consistent since replacing the CCV.

 

Thanks. That's the next order of business.

Just to add insult to injury, I noticed the other night that the bulb seems to have burnt out on the RH side of the instrument cluster. The fuel and temp gauges now have no backlight. Grrrrrrr.

 

My car had the same fault code, and I also changed the fuel cap and thought it was all good - for a while.
For the system to take a leak test it has to be below 3/4 tank of gas, and it has to fail twice before the CEL comes on.
I never had a fuel smell in the cabin, but for my car the fault was a leaking o-ring at the left canister.

 

NorXKR is correct.

The EVAP test will ONLY happen when the fuel level is between 20% and 80%. No test if over or under.
Keep the tank FULL or nearly empty and the EVAP readiness test will NEVER be performed.(will never show COMPLETE)

 

Yes, I've been chasing that elusive P1111 code!

That's exactly were the code seems to pop up. I tend to fill up, then drive until close to empty, and fill up again. On the 2nd tank, after clearing the code, is when it pops up.

 

OK. I ordered a LJB1515AB for the low, low, price of $129 Yankee Dollars. If it isn't pouring rain I may get a chance to install it this weekend.

 

Quick question: I have the new valve. The old P/N has been superseded. The new unit has a nipple on the top where the old one does not. According to the Jag TB 303-63, I am to run a hose from that nipple, through the grommet in the fender, behind the brake booster, and attach it to what is essentially an old-school clear fuel filter.

The question is, has anybody done this? Or do you just leave it open and send it?

Thanks!

 

I got the window regulator fixed and will update that thread.

I was able to drive today and, sure enough, the P0455 came back. At this point I've replaced the CCV at the back of the car, the purge valve (or whatever it's called) at the left front of the car, and the filler cap. I notice that I no longer have the gas smell coming from the front upon startup like I used to. So, that's a nice thing.

Can somebody assist with instructions on how to perform a smoke test correctly on this thing? I really want this problem behind me, and it seems this would be the next step. Unless, of course, I'm overlooking something.

TIA

 

Just to clarify, I have a scan tool that will close the CCV at the back. I tried it yesterday and can hear the click of the solenoid opening and closing. My question is where is the best place to connect the smoke machine?

 

There should be a fitting or port on the 'purge-valve'.
Usually a green cap covers the fitting but older cars do not have a fitting.

Back in the late 1990s/early 2000s we were issued a fuel tank cap with adapter hose to fill the EVAP SYSTEM with the dealer issued 'smoke machine'.

WDS has a feature to close the CCV for up to 30 minutes.

That is the way we checked the EVAP before the Purge Valve fitting.

 

Thanks!

There was no green cap on either one of the valves I replaced.




But I do think I can connect the smoke machine to the fuel filler. It has a large conical adapter. The Snap-On scan tool that I have access to will close the valve for 30 minutes, too. I tested operation yesterday.

I read somewhere that the smoke machine pressure should be very low, because too much pressure might damage something in the EVAP system. Any truth to that?

 

The newer purge valve seems to be fitted to 2001 MY and later.
The tag on the green cap states 1 PSI MAX pressure.

 

A bit of progress

Friday I obtained the use of a variable pressure smoke machine and smoke tested the system. It took a couple of tries, because the machine could be adjusted to where virtually no smoke came out. It was trial and error until I found enough pressure to test the system without breaking anything.

Long story short, there was a large crack in the bottom seam of the RH vapor canister. I must have cracked it when I removed it to change out the adjacent valve that was causing P0477 codes. Also, the combination hose connected to the LH canister was leaking just a tiny bit.





You can barely see a wisp of smoke in the last pic. I took a video, which showed how much was streaming out, but I can't upload those files.

Anyway, I made up a gob of JB Weld and slathered it all over the seam split. I also found an o-ring that seems to have sealed up the tiny leak in the LH unit. I then smoke tested again and this time I was able to build significant pressure in the system and when I removed the hose from the gas cap adapter loads of smoke came streaming out, unlike earlier.

So, I'm driving it around for a few days to see what happens...

 

We're stuck in Whack-a Mole Hell.

OK. I drove around for a while and the EVAP monitor set up right away. YAAAYYYYY. EVAP system finally fixed.

But the CAT monitor won't set up now. I've driven lots and went through about 1.5 tanks of gas and still nothing. It's never done this before. But I guess everything works until it doesn't.

Today I got a transient code and I'll start another thread.

 

Good luck and keep us posted....