QuestionQUESTION: After my Grand Voyager w/ 3.0l warms up, there is a strong fule odor outside of the vehicle. It does not appear to be coming from the engine compartment, but I have not been able to exactly pinpoint it. There are no visible leaks, and I had a mechanic check it out. They checked filler neck, etc and all lines and hoses and found nothing. It is definitely only after warmup and seems somewhat intermittent. I know it has a charcoal canister, but do not know how to check if it's the source of my problem, or if it is easily replaceable by a DIY'er.
ANSWER: Hi Steve,
I think you may have put your finger on the system that is causing the odor. In fact there is a self-diagnostic set up for the evap recovery system. You might get a self-readout for a fault code by turning the ignition key:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less. Then watch the odometer window to see if the mileage reading changes to show a 4-digit number. The codes for this system are 441,442,443,455,456. It is located mainly under the van where there is leak detection pump, and of course the underhood sticker should show you all the vacuum lines to be checking out. If you don't get a readout that way, then go to a shop where they will plug in a code reader and maybe for under $40 do a readout. I can xerox the pages about that system and postal mail them to you if you find such a code. I believe that the system doesn't come into play until the engine warms and goes into "closed loop" so that is consistent with your observation.
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland- Thanks for the amazingly fast respone. My biggest puzzle is that no check engine light is on. When I turned used the ignition swith, nothing came up on the odometer. The "service engine soon" light blinks a 12 (I had a water pump installed recently and I'm sure they disconnected the battery cable) and a 55. Don't think either of these applies to my problem. I visually inspected the canister/ hoses/ (duty cycle) purge solenoid valve and see no obvious issues. Autozone here has a code reader which they will do for free, but they told me w/ no lights on they can't see anything. Still have a real strong fuel smell that comes and goes but only with warm engine. It does not appear to be coming directly from the engine compartment or gas cap.
I found a salvage yard that will sell me canister, hoses and solenoid valve for $50-60. But I am probably clsoe to taking to a professional for diagnosis.
AnswerHi Steve,
What is strange to me is that your '98 van is giving you an OBD-I code, which was replaced by the OBD-II codes in '96-7. I have not yet heard of a '98 that still used those codes or had a readout via the check engine light. Is it possible that you have an engine controller from an earlier year than '98 in which case it wouldn't be set up to check out all the aspects of the evap control system that you would have in the van, thus no codes for that possible problem area? Other than sniffing around some more I can't come up with another idea of where to look, except maybe a gas cap that isn't sealing any longer.
Roland
