Chrysler Repair: Dodge Neon 95 single 2.0L stalling when idle, purge valve, vacuum leak

Question
My wife's 95 Neon keeps stalling at idle, runs ok when you give it some gas...I'm thinking maybe its a vacuum leak or a bad purge control solenoid, or maybe a failed pcm

did the code test with the 3 key cycles and got 12, 25, and 65...
it was suggested to me that 12 was more or less a nuisance code, and not relevant....
25 indicates an issue with the TPS or maybe the Idle Air Port...checked TPS with volt meter, seems ok, Idle Air Port is clean as a whistle
I futzed with the purge control valve because the hose was worn, noticed that when I took the hose off the purge control valve, engine runs fine, doesn't stall...I'm getting vacuum all the way to the purge control solenoid, I'm thinking its bad or maybe the cannister is bad

code 65 suggests some issue with the PCM, so maybe its that (or maybe its a short going back to it)

(do I have these code definitions right?)

my question is this: can I get by for a while just bypassing the purge control solenoid?  how bad is it to just leave that purge control hose off?  is it dangerous and/or stupid? am I venting fuel vapor into the car or something?  I really know very little about cars, I've just been nosing through a Haynes manual and the internet for a couple of days...

any guidance you could give me would be appreciated

thanks
DAN


Answer
Hi Dan,
The 25 is correctly defined, the 65 in my '97 manual speaks of the power steering switch (which is applicable to a 2.5L engine only so it is probably just a false reading). Your attention to the "purge valve" by which I assume you mean the vapor system valve is a good one. It would be a poor choice for air pollution to defeat that system so I would not recommend disabling it. I would check through all the hoses of that system and whatever the Haynes says, and then check for a 31 code which says there is something wrong with that system. The 25 code could also mean a vacuum leak and that may have been due to the hose leak that you found. The other items I would suggest that you examine are the pcv valve and its hoses, and finally check the egr valve to be sure that it is closing tightly. The stem of the valve has a slot that you can insert the tip of a screwdriver into and move the stem back and forth, against spring action in one direction which tries to close it. Make sure the stem moves freely and that the spring brings it to a hard stop (closed position) as if it remains ajar that can wreck the idle too. Spray some WD-40 on the stem where it enters the valve body to free up its action.
Try those and look for a vacuum leak around the intake manifold with small spurts of starter fluid (caution against fire) while it is idling to note any modification of the idle after each spurt.
Roland