So I've been getting an intermittent Check Engine light on my 2002 PT
Cruiser for the past few months. Usually it would go away after a few
days; this time, it stayed on for good.

Running the Ignition on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on sequence gave me
the error code P0456, which translates into "Evap Leak Monitor Small
(0.020) Leak Detected."

I was hoping it would go away, but it didn't. I noticed fuel economy
had gotten a bit worse. I checked the gas cap was tight, though it's
my understanding that a loose cap would set code 455, for a "Gross
leak," not the small leak that was indicated here.

Dammit, now I have to pay a professional to find the problem; I don't
have the skill or equipment for this one. They hooked up the computer,
got the same code. So they did a smoke test, and found a moderate leak
around the gas cap and filler neck area.

It wasn't a loose gas cap, it was a BAD gas cap -- the seal apparently
had just worn out or something. New cap, reset the computer, and all
is well. They re-did the smoke test, and it was fine.

So if anybody runs into that code, it might be worth trying the $12.00
gas cap *before* the $75 in diagnostics. But overall, I was surprised
at how cheap I got out the door at around $90, and got two recalls
fixed while I was there. Nice.

--
Garner R. Miller
Manchester, CT =USA=

Garner Miller <garner (AT) netstreet (DOT) net> wrote:



Considering that you can buy an 8-function calculator for a buck at
Wal-Mart or a portable CD player for $10 at the same place, 12 dollars for
a plastic gas cap might seem a bit excessive, but what the hell. The
auto-parts and aftermarket businesses have never been bargains.

I think congratulations are in order if you got out of the dealer's door
for only $90, though. That's pretty rare.

doc

In article <20040819200323.219$lF (AT) newsreader (DOT) com>, doc
<docfarquar (AT) yahooNOSPAM (DOT) com> wrote:

Yes, it is -- I was really surprised, since I was expecting the smoke
test to be labor on top of the $74 hook-up-the-computer charge, but
they did all the diagnostics, including the follow-up to make sure the
leaks were all gone, for that one charge.

Kudos to Scully motors in Windsor, CT -- that's the shop that did it,
and though I did have to leave it overnight (they were swamped),
they've definitely earned my return business. They even washed it for
me, which was a nice touch.

--
Garner R. Miller
Manchester, CT =USA=