EVAP issues solved

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adamh
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:00 am

EVAP issues solved

Post by adamh »

Hi Vibers, proud new owner of a '05 Vibe (Base, manual FWD)! The only problem is: It's throwing a P0453 code...

These are the things I've been able to test:
  • The PWM/VSV/purge solenoid in the engine bay with a 9v battery. Healthy click - all good
  • The volts going to above valve. 12V - all good.
  • I've managed to wiggle some probes and 9v battery around in the power socket (there are 8 male pins) for the charcoal canister, near the muffler, and the pump runs.
  • I measured the volts going to the charcoal canister and there is 5v, 12v, and 5-10 variable volts on three pins, 0v on the rest. I think there are nine female sockets in the plug.
  • All hoses and lines look healthy.
  • If I clear the code, it comes back instantly.
- I'd really like to test the vent valve but I can't find it.

- The diagram under the hood says there is another valve in the engine bay (as well as the purge valve) but I can't find that either.


So, would anybody be able to help with:
  • The location of the vent valve
  • The location of the mystery extra valve in the engine bay
  • The voltages I should be expecting on the plug going to the charcoal canister?
I've consulted the Haynes manual, and some other resources but there seems to be a lot of variance in the EVAP systems, between years.

Cheers in advance!
Last edited by adamh on Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
zbyers
Posts: 1767
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 6:12 pm
Location: Sheffield, Pennsylvania

Re: EVAP issues...

Post by zbyers »

The purge valve/vent valve is under the car on or near the charcoal cansiter.
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adamh
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:00 am

Re: EVAP issues...

Post by adamh »

SOLVED - Damaged harness under the spare wheel, by the left rear strut. Had to remove a lot of plastic for access!

This video brilliantly explains the evap canisister and system used in the Pontiac Vibe base manual 2005: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xubgil8NeYI

To summarise:

-The vent valve, fuel pressure sensor and vacuum pump are mounted on the charcoal canister.
-The purge valve is in the engine bay.
-The purge valve will click when tested with a 9volt battery but the vent valve will not, due to design.
-The fuel pressure sensor doesn't actually measure fuel pressure.
-There are various different names for all the components, which is confusing.
radioarno
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2016 7:07 pm

Re: EVAP issues solved

Post by radioarno »

adamh: so the evap code was from a harness? Whart kind of harness is that? Can you tell us more about the fix, and what the diagnosis was?
adamh
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:00 am

Re: EVAP issues solved

Post by adamh »

Well, the code was triggered because the computer couldn't communicate with the EVAP canister, due to the harness being sliced in half. (The harness carries the power, ground, and signal wires for the various components on the EVAP canister.

A good analogy is spending a few days trying to figure out why your bedside lamp isn't switching on, only to find out that mice had chewed through the power cable.

Fix was solder and heat shrink. I also added a bit of protection around the harness to prevent it happening again.
radioarno
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2016 7:07 pm

Re: EVAP issues solved

Post by radioarno »

interesting. Good on you for finding it. That could have been super frustrating. So you found that you couldn't test the vent valve on the canister?
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