# who fixed their small evap leak?



## JCB (Aug 12, 1999)

Looks like my search skills with the new layout isn't as good. Any suggestions for finding the evap leak? What are the culprits, N80 valve, charcoal canister, mystery tube?


I pulled this code:

1 Fault Found:
001090 - : Small Leak 
 P0442 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - MIL ON


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

JCB said:


> Looks like my search skills with the new layout isn't as good. Any suggestions for finding the evap leak? What are the culprits, N80 valve, charcoal canister, mystery tube?
> 
> 
> I pulled this code:
> ...


 try gas cap first


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## jerseyrat325 (Oct 1, 2007)

yeah, I got that code on my explorer and it was the gas cap. Clear the code and make sure the gas cap is tight.


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## JCB (Aug 12, 1999)

Gas cap appears fine plus it gets clicked multiple times when being closed.

The code has been lingering and reappearded about 3 times in the last year. Each time the code was cleared.


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## VWAddict (Jun 12, 1999)

Clicking 'multiple times' doesn't do any good, and weakens the mechanism, which -after all- is only made of plastic.

Click ONCE, and the mechanism lasts longer, ensuring a more accurate seal.

I don't know if it's connected to your issue or not, but it's good advice either way. -I cringe every time I see someone putting their gas cap on, and I hear them ratcheting the cap... last week someone gave it THREE COMPLETE TWISTS after it was already on!

RRRRRRRRRRR-T!

RRRRRRRRRRR-T!

RRRRRRRRRRR-T!

-It made me squirm, just hearing it from 50 feet away!!!



...I'll get my coat.



-Keith


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## Krieger (May 5, 2009)

meh, the evap systems on these cars suck... ive already fixed my evap system like 3 times in a bit over a year. the last time, we replaced basically everything.

i then got a CEL for a "small leak". now i have a "massive leak". its awesome. :laugh:


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## scandalous_cynce (Oct 29, 2007)

I was throwing a CEL - I dont have the exact code - but the guy said it was for a small evap leak. Culprit was my charcoal canister. Accidently screwed into it when I was mounting my relays for the the air suspension. :laugh:

Dropped the rear subframe - removed canister - applied apoxy to holes - VOILA! Fixed


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## tdotA3mike (Feb 5, 2009)

scandalous_cynce said:


> I was throwing a CEL - I dont have the exact code - but the guy said it was for a small evap leak. Culprit was my charcoal canister. Accidently screwed into it when I was mounting my relays for the the air suspension. :laugh:
> 
> Dropped the rear subframe - removed canister - applied apoxy to holes - VOILA! Fixed



Charcoal canister? i thought that was EURO only?

also i had this small leak come up about 4 months ago, but just like the cam shaft sensor soft code they went away and have yet to come back :what:


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## scandalous_cynce (Oct 29, 2007)

tdotA3mike said:


> Charcoal canister? i thought that was EURO only?


Nope! I was unaware of it too. It's circular in shape and located under the spare tire well. :thumbup:


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## seph (May 31, 2004)

my 2c.

I had this problem earlier this year, and had a persistently intermittent CEL.

I have a EU spec car (in Oz), which is equipped with a charcoal canister, turns out the charcoal canister has a foam barrier at the top which failed, and the little pellets were being sucked up.

replaced, and cleaned out, and been fine since.

Oh but my canister is in the engine bay.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

Currently having the same issue with my '06. Had the codes cleared twice, and yet again, after I put some gas in (no i did not fill the tank), CEL came back on. Can anyone confirm what will actually fix this problem? 

At the moment, I figure I'd replace the n80 valve+hose. But what about the LDP? Can this be the main culprit? 

Any help would be great!


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## rockfan4 (Oct 26, 2003)

I get the same thing - full tank, hit the brakes coming off an off ramp, and it will light up like the gas cap is off. That will go away, but then I get a CEL for a small leak until I get to about 5/8 tank, then it goes out and I'm good until I refill again. 

Was the gas tank recall for quattros only? Mine is FWD but it sure sounds like the same problem.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

rockfan4 said:


> I get the same thing - full tank, hit the brakes coming off an off ramp, and it will light up like the gas cap is off. That will go away, but then I get a CEL for a small leak until I get to about 5/8 tank, then it goes out and I'm good until I refill again.
> 
> Was the gas tank recall for quattros only? Mine is FWD but it sure sounds like the same problem.


 Do you hear a clicking in the back? That's another thing I seem to be hearing... and I'm assuming its the charcoal canister. I probably broke it when I overfilled the gas tank. I'll probably do this as well just to be proactive.


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## rockfan4 (Oct 26, 2003)

everfresh59 said:


> Do you hear a clicking in the back?


No clicking that I can recall, I have to refill again tomorrow so I can check this weekend.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

rockfan4 said:


> No clicking that I can recall, I have to refill again tomorrow so I can check this weekend.


I just placed an order for a new n80 valve with hose, so I'm gonna give that a try first before anything else. I'll post an update when I get it done.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

*Just and update: *So I changed my gas cap, and eurka! cel is gone. Looked at both my old and new cap, didn't see any significant difference, but I could certainly feel it when tightening the cap. 

Will probably change the n80 valve and the hose anyway, since I already received it. 

And Yes, ONE CLICK tighten like VWAddict says, is all your gas cap should need, anything more than that is not only useless, but might also mean you should consider gettin a new cap, because an evap leak will more than likely happen in the near future.


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## cldub (Jul 2, 2010)

everfresh59 said:


> *Just and update: *So I changed my gas cap, and eurka! cel is gone. Looked at both my old and new cap, didn't see any significant difference, but I could certainly feel it when tightening the cap.
> 
> Will probably change the n80 valve and the hose anyway, since I already received it.
> 
> And Yes, ONE CLICK tighten like VWAddict says, is all your gas cap should need, anything more than that is not only useless, but might also mean you should consider gettin a new cap, because an evap leak will more than likely happen in the near future.


 I tried this one click thing, and it immediately through a cell and came up on my screen saying to close my gas cap.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

cldub said:


> I tried this one click thing, and it immediately through a cell and came up on my screen saying to close my gas cap.


 I figure it's probably in the best interest to replace the gas cap if it's been the same one since day 1. I installed my cap last night, drove about 50-60 miles last night and cel was still on. Drove her to work this morning, and cel is now gone. I let the cap click once, and even before that, it already seemed pretty tight (twss!). 

$30 for a new gas cap is probably the best preventive measure to avoid that evap leak and risk screwing up the n80 valve. 

Again, both my old and new cap looked the same, but I'm sure if I were to check again, the thread is probably thinner on my old one, which is why the seal feels more solid.


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## cldub (Jul 2, 2010)

everfresh59 said:


> I figure it's probably in the best interest to replace the gas cap if it's been the same one since day 1. I installed my cap last night, drove about 50-60 miles last night and cel was still on. Drove her to work this morning, and cel is now gone. I let the cap click once, and even before that, it already seemed pretty tight (twss!).
> 
> $30 for a new gas cap is probably the best preventive measure to avoid that evap leak and risk screwing up the n80 valve.
> 
> Again, both my old and new cap looked the same, but I'm sure if I were to check again, the thread is probably thinner on my old one, which is why the seal feels more solid.


 Where did you buy from?


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

cldub said:


> Where did you buy from?


 Local dealer...


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## mkim (Jun 17, 2008)

everfresh59 said:


> Do you hear a clicking in the back? That's another thing I seem to be hearing... and I'm assuming its the charcoal canister. I probably broke it when I overfilled the gas tank. I'll probably do this as well just to be proactive.


 i hear clicking on my new used car 2008.5 tsi 
my shop did accidentally drilled through the fuel air filter @ under rear spare tire above the rear sub frame as well. Did get the fuel cap and cel error but was fixed after a little epoxy to the hole they drilled. 

However i still do have the clicking i hear at idle (before and after air suspension job) rear right. did getting new cap help? i have to bring my car for service will ask about that


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## vwlippy (Jul 17, 2001)

Solved my EVAP leak with the Purge valve. Cheap and easy fix. 

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-A3-FWD-2.0T/Engine/Emission/Valve/ES281033/


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

mkim said:


> i hear clicking on my new used car 2008.5 tsi
> my shop did accidentally drilled through the fuel air filter @ under rear spare tire above the rear sub frame as well. Did get the fuel cap and cel error but was fixed after a little epoxy to the hole they drilled.
> 
> However i still do have the clicking i hear at idle (before and after air suspension job) rear right. did getting new cap help? i have to bring my car for service will ask about that


 After some googling, I've stumbled on two possible scenarios... 

1. Fuel line rattle 

2. Rear pump re-pressurizing fuel system and checking for leaks. Seems to be more louder and audible in cold weather, or when the car has been sitting for long periods. Which would more than likely explain the small evap leak CEL.


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## cldub (Jul 2, 2010)

everfresh59 said:


> After some googling, I've stumbled on two possible scenarios...
> 
> 1. Fuel line rattle
> 
> 2. Rear pump re-pressurizing fuel system and checking for leaks. Seems to be more louder and audible in cold weather, or when the car has been sitting for long periods. Which would more than likely explain the small evap leak CEL.


 Fuel line rattle, you should hear that at idle only from around underneath your front passenger area. When mine rattled, I found out it's barely audible from outside of the car, but loud as heck inside. It's an easy fix


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## allinthefamily (Jan 12, 2011)

cldub: "it's an easy fix"

Would you mind elaborating on how to fix? I have a ton of codes relating to EVAP. Have already replaced gas cap but it did not fix the issue. I hear the loud panging noise coming from the rear passenger area as well. It seems to get louder and louder as the days go on. I can only hear it when first driving the car in the morning when coming to a stop. 

Any thoughts on this?

Getting the following codes:

P1093 - Bank 1; Fuel Measuring System 2: Malfunction
P2187 - Bank 1; System too Lean at Idle
P0455 - EVAP System: Large Leak Detected
P0300 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0301 - Cylinder 1: Misfire Detected
P0302 - Cylinder 2: Misfire Detected
P0441 - EVAP Emission Control Sys: Incorrect Flow
P0420 - Catalyst System; Bank 1: Efficiency Below Threshold

P0455 Large EVAP leak is the most disheartening...


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## cldub (Jul 2, 2010)

allinthefamily said:


> cldub: "it's an easy fix"
> 
> Would you mind elaborating on how to fix? I have a ton of codes relating to EVAP. Have already replaced gas cap but it did not fix the issue. I hear the loud panging noise coming from the rear passenger area as well. It seems to get louder and louder as the days go on. I can only hear it when first driving the car in the morning when coming to a stop.
> 
> ...


Well the fuel line rattle won't throw any codes, so it won't fix any of that. It's more of an annoyance. Underneath the car where you have the plastic running boards... if you remove the passenger side one you'll see where the fuel lines pass through a channeled metal area. I just stuffed that area with a bunch of bubble wrap to keep the line from smacking into things, thus creating the rattle. 

Check out this thread for reference

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18277

Also, for the EVAP leaks, try changing out your N80 valve


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## illogik (Apr 8, 2009)

Purge valve for me. Replace it and it's been fine since (1+ year...)


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