P1444 / P0325 - Evap cannister and valve ???

[fueler]

Hawairish, have you fixed your P1444 code yet? If so, how long has it been since you cleared this code??

[Hawairish]

@kennyp: No problem! (Lol, look what you started!)

BTW, I just crawled under my R50, and if the 98 canister is mounted like mine:
1) You'll need to relocate the pressure sensor. It will be in the way of the canister vent valve. The sensor is on a bracket, and you can use a longer hose to put the bracket somewhere else.
2) It looks like you'll have slack for the vent valve wiring harness.
3) You'll need to replace/extend the vent valve tube maybe 3-4" to connect to the water separator, though you might be able to run it under the canister (it currently runs along it). The hose is formed, so it might be better to just buy something more flexible.
4) The tube coming off the vent valve might rest against the back of the wheel well liner. Because the current tube is preformed, you might be able to cut off the "L" part of the tube and use tube coupler with new (longer) tube to the water separator.
5) You should have clearance if you run the aforementioned ~3/4" spacers on the rear tabs. (The solution I'm using are simple nylon spacers, available at a hardware store...good time to pick up longer M10x1.5 bolts, too.)

In my case (again, Frontier), I needed to use 1/2" spacers because anything longer and it would contact a crossmember. The vent valve output also comes a little bit closer to a part of the truck, so I had to reroute the tube to the water separator. I had to reroute the vent valve harness.

@fueler: Yeah, I didn't want to go too brutal on it, though.

The solenoid is kept together by four sets of little tabs. I used a pair of small pliers to straighten the tabs, then pulled it apart. A little spring fell out, but the small plug that does the actual valving had fine granules of charcoal wedging it in there tight. I used a needle to scrape them loose, then the plug fell out. Cleaned everything, put a little synthetic grease on the o-ring, and re-assembled it. Once reassembled, I passed 12V across it and confirmed it was operational.

Like Kenny, I also put a clear fuel filter right off the canister to avoid having to deal with this again, even if it's not to occur for another 19 years. It was a pain clearing those lines, so consider yourself lucky if you didn't have to deal with it. F^*^#!@ charcoal everywhere, and it just crumbles to dust at the slightest touch (imagine having to work under it to remove hoses with it flying everywhere...wear eye protection!).

I didn't reset the code until Thursday night, when the last of my emissions-related parts arrived (I broke the tee on the vapor line that goes to the pressure sensor and waited for an OEM replacement), and only took it for a short drive around the block. It did not throw the code. I'm still waiting for a replacement intake tube before taking it on a full drive cycle to fulfill all the readiness tests, but I've also started it up a few times since to confirm it's not in pending, which my scanner detects.

[fueler]

For someone who hasn't even confirmed that their P1444 is gone, you sure give some crazy advice.

Driving around a block isn't enough for EVAP readiness.

[Buzzman]

Driving around a block isn't enough for EVAP readiness.

Funny you mention that.
I've had evap codes for years and refuse to spend time and money chasing them down.
Here in Ontario we have to do emissions testing every two years in order to get our plates renewed.
Emissions testing is now done through the OBDII port, and not with an actual exhaust analyzer stuck into the tale pipe.
Heaven forbid they should actually measure what's coming out of the exhaust.
Anyway, when I take it in for it's test, I erase the codes with my $30.00 tester in the parking lot just before driving it into the shop.
Passes emissions with no problems. No pending codes. 24 hours later, the check engine light is on again. Don't care. Runs fine.

[fueler]

Driving around a block isn't enough for EVAP readiness.

Funny you mention that.
I've had evap codes for years and refuse to spend time and money chasing them down.
Here in Ontario we have to do emissions testing every two years in order to get our plates renewed.
Emissions testing is now done through the OBDII port, and not with an actual exhaust analyzer stuck into the tale pipe.
Heaven forbid they should actually measure what's coming out of the exhaust.
Anyway, when I take it in for it's test, I erase the codes with my $30.00 tester in the parking lot just before driving it into the shop.
Passes emissions with no problems. No pending codes. 24 hours later, the check engine light is on again. Don't care. Runs fine.

Here in CA, the monitors need to show "ready" or else you will fail

Reset the OBD2 before smog and you will fail due to non-ready monitors

[Hawairish]

For someone who hasn't even confirmed that their P1444 is gone, you sure give some crazy advice. Driving around a block isn't enough for EVAP readiness.

For someone who assumes I don't know how to make-ready the emission system or test for a DTC, my crazy advice is to re-read what I wrote:

I'm still waiting for a replacement intake tube before taking it on a full drive cycle to fulfill all the readiness tests, but I've also started it up a few times since to confirm it's not in pending, which my scanner detects.

P1444 is a two-trip DTC; the 1st trip puts it in pending without the MIL, and the 2nd consecutive trip stores it and triggers the MIL. My scanner detects both states. You do not need to go on a literal "trip" to throw this code, or many others. You just start it up, wait, shut it off, repeat. Furthermore, you can absolutely throw a code before the emissions systems tests are passed. So yeah, it's confirmed cleared. If you don't believe me, pull the harness on your solenoid, clear your codes, start the truck a couple times, and let us know what happens.

Speaking of which...the R50 uses the exact same solenoid, so I swapped them on Saturday. The R50 has been driven daily since and has not thrown a code with the "problematic" solenoid. The Frontier, with known-working solenoid, has also not thrown a code. Not sure what more proof I can provide for you.

The FSM describes the driving pattern to pass all the readiness tests. I'm quite familiar with it, and it takes me about an hour to do. My scanner also tells me the readiness status of each test. I haven't done it yet because UPS thinks NJ is between TX and AZ, so my package is apparently on the wrong coast.

And like CA, you can't pass emissions in AZ when the monitors aren't ready, which indeed occurs every time the codes are cleared. No penalty here, you just need to come back later once it's ready.

[yeldogt]

Hawairish .... I understand.


Also -- in the USA if the OBD port is used to monitor vs tailpipe .. the system must be in "ready" mode ... using a code reader to eliminate (erase) the codes will not work for a hard failure .. if you do an erase just prior to taking it for the test. The emission system needs to run a full check prior to going to the "ready" mode .... it will list some functions as "not ready". "not ready" will get you a fail in all the states I own cars. My old MB wagon can take days and 100's of miles to do the full check (even with everything working). I have had to take it in 3-4 even 5 times over a month... to get it to pass. If it's an intermittent problem ... you may get lucky where the systems will go through a check -- report all well .. and pass. Any open circuits -- like the O2 sensor heaters or any valve coil will get you the CEL ..