P1441 "Blowing out system"

[Wildo83]

I took my car to a dealership (I know.. bad Idea if you want answers) Anyways! They said "Vapor canister broke blah blah blah I need 5K to fix it" And it also said that "The system needs blown out" to clean... What all is involved in that? I've got the canister off, and a new one, but I didn't want to put it on, and risk blowing up 100 bucks..

So finaly, we get to my question. Can the system be blown out w/ just an air compressor, and is it as easy as I think it is, just unhooking all the piping, and blowing air through it?

THanks.

Sorry if it's a noob question, but I've never even heard of a vapor canister until yesterday. LOL

[Injuneer]

P1441 indicates the vacuum switch in the purge line from the canister in the rear fender is detecting a vacuum, when the EVAP purge solenoid is supposed to be closed. One possible problem is carbon particles from the canister clogging the EVAP purge solenoid and holding it open. That's one possibility, and it can possibly be solved by taking the EVAP purge solenoid off, applying 12V to the connector to open it, and blowing the dirt out of the solenoid with compressed air. At the same time, compressed air is blown through the purge line, from the canister in the rear fender to the purge solenoid, to insure all the carbon is blown out.

If the canister is putting carbon in the line, there's a good possibility the carbon in the canister has deteriorated and is powdering and being pulled into the purge line. That would require the canister to be replaced. I hope by "need 5K to fix it" you aren't suggesting that it the cost. You could actually do the work yourself for the cost of a new canister from a discount GM parts dealer.

Keep in mind.... the solenoid could be stuck open for reasons other than being plugged with carbon, so the solenoid may need to be replaced as well. Or the problem may not be the solenoid at all, but instead the vacuum detection switch could be defective, or the vacuum lines on the purge solenoid could be reversed, both of which would set the same code.

[Wildo83]

Yeah, I pulled the canister, and it was putting out little.. bb sized chunks, so I went and bought a new one, and Violla! no bbs... the thing is, I don't know if any got into anywhere else, I would assume so, because I took out the Solenoid (Spelling) and tapped it on a paper towel, and the bb ish (carbon?) or (Charcoal?) fell out... So I know there's stuff in the lines, but I dont' know where all it might be, so I'll pull out that solenoid, and open it like you said, and blow it out, but air seems to flow through the purge valve fine, and through the whole piping under the car..

So thanks for that, and I'll try the other tomorrow.. Once all of that is taken care of, will the SES light turn off, or will I have to take it somewhere and get the codes flashed? Is there anything I can do to clear the SES light by my self, or do I need the OBD2 tester thingy?

Again, Thanks for the help!

[Injuneer]

Once you fix the problem, the SES light will go out. The code will remain stored in the PCM until the engine completes a predetermined number of "drive cycles" without the problem coming back. You could clear the code from the PCM by pulling the "PCM BAT" fuse for 30 seconds.

For the line, just pull the end of the line off the canister, and off the u-shaped tube that it connects to on the driver's side of the intake manifold and blow some low pressure air through there. Then apply the pressure to clear the line from the U-shaped tube to the connection for the solenoid. Hopefully the carbon hasn't plugged up the vacuum detector switch.

[Wildo83]

Awesome. Thanks alot!!!

[Wildo83]

Now the round part, farther toward the back of th engine, is that Normaly open? I can blow right through it..

[Wildo83]

Also, if it helps, the codes my car was throwing were P0144, P1441, And P1655. I think I need to replace my purge solenoid, now right? I r'placed the Vapor canister...

[Wildo83]

And now i've replaced the purge solenoid, and still nothing.... I"m stuck.