0442 code and vacuum leak

[rkvons]

Originally Posted by rxl650

Johnny R and rkvons-

Did either of you solve your problem? I'm also getting the dreaded P0442 code after 177k (2003 Malibu). I've reset the code twice and the code stays off for a couple of weeks then comes back. I've replaced the gas cap but no fix after 300 miles. It looks like others have had issues with the EVAP purge solenoid and Vent solenoids. Any ideas?

Thanks
RXL650

No, still have not resolved it. Took it to a shop and the first thing they did was check the gas cap and it was loose. From their point of view, they were done. I wanted to strangle my son's girlfriend, who put gas in it last. We had to have some training on how to put a gas cap on. It only took about 20 minutes. Not a big deal. Had to wait a while for the code to come back on. They looked at it again and said the charcoal canister was saturated with gas, so I provided another one and they installed it for me for free. They also said that they did not trust the gas cap unless it was a genuine GM. I went and bought one from the dealer and put that on. This was Saturday. I am now waiting to see if the code comes back. The shop said the next time they will have to drop the tank. They acknowledged that they did not have a smoke machine. I was disappointed to hear that.

[rkvons]

Well I solved my version of this problem. I stumbled across a video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwXW778JyV4
So I went to the junk yard and found a like-new filler neck off of a 2003 Malibu. There's a rubber hose that connects the filler neck with the fuel tank. The connection between the filler neck and the rubber hose was rusty, even with a hose clamp on it. So I took the rubber hose completely off of the vehicle and cleaned the inside. There were pieces of rusty metal stuck on the inside surface. I used some GM solvent to wipe it carefully with a shop rag. Then I put it back together with the newer filler neck and the code never came back. The car was tested at a vehicle emission test facility and passed! It is a pretty easy fix.

[Johnny R]

Originally Posted by rkvons

....Then I put it back together with the newer filler neck and the code never came back.

How long ago did you replace the filler neck?

[rkvons]

Originally Posted by Johnny R

How long ago did you replace the filler neck?

11 days ago. I did use a code reader to verify that the EVAP monitor was satisfied. After that, the car was tested at an emission testing facility and passed.

[Johnny R]

Thanks. Eleven days sounds like a pretty good fix.

[rxl650]

Here is an update on my 0442 code issue. I checked all the vacuum lines and anything else that looked bad, but could not find anything wrong. I drove the car for a couple thousand more miles and no problems until the air temperature got warm. Started the car and it was running rough but wouldn't trip a code. After rolling down the driveway a couple of feet the motor was smooth. No problem driving that day. Next morning, same rough start but it would clear after putting it in drive. Still no check engine light tripped. After a couple days, I noticed that it would only idle rough when the air temp was warm and the motor cold. Finally took it to a shop I trusted. They hooked it up to their computer after sitting for 12 hours and saw a cylinder one misfire that cleared after a couple of seconds. Pressurized the cooling system, pulled plug 1 and put a scope down it. They saw wetness and guessed that either the head gasket was going or a lower intake manifold gasket was going. Since the car had 179, 319 miles, needed new tires (108,247 miles on them) and had the start of a cooling leak it was time for it to be traded in. Dealer gave me $1,200 in trade.