"Check Engine Light" decoding?

Posted by: burdell1

"Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 14:49

A few weeks ago my 'Check Engine' light came on in my 1997 Pontiac Sunfire GT. A friend of mine who owns a transmission shop offered to check the code for free and it said "P1441 - Evap System Flow During Non-Purge." Has anyone else had this same problem? What might be causing it? I know it is not something simple like the gas cap not being tight cause I checked that.....
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 15:58

Quote:
This deals with the purge solenoid, vent solenoid, charcoal canister, all the vacuum lines in this system, as well as the gas cap. Any one of these components may contribute to this code being set. All the wiring should be tested including the connectors for any problems. Vacuum lines should be checked for cracks or loose connections. The canister may be damaged or not working properly.

reference

Quote:
Most likely the canister purge valve or vacum valve is stuck open allowing engine vacum into the fuel tank.
Also if you have had any work done and the vacum lines were installed backwards, this will also cause your problem.

reference
Posted by: tfabris

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 16:04

Yeah, I've had the gas cap code come on at times when I was sure I'd done the three clicks.

I'm now at the point where I don't trust "three clicks", I slowly and firmly turn the cap so that it strains against the clicking mechanism, so that it's tighter than the "three clicks" rule would normally account for, and the gas-cap codes went away.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 16:09

Sounds like you need a new gas cap.
Posted by: tfabris

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 16:49

The car and the gas cap were brand new. I took it to the dealership multiple times (they were the ones reading the code and telling me it was a gas cap code), and they kept insisting that they checked it and there was nothing wrong with the gas cap and it did not need to be replaced.
Posted by: g_attrill

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 17:06

Put tape over the check engine light. Seriously, I've done that a couple of times. Somebody removed all the emissions stuff from my Camaro and the light would always come on after about 20-30 mins driving flat out on the motorway. At night this would be very bright so on the odd occasion I was driving that late the tape worked fine!

edit: I forgot that this was of course Homer Simpson's idea in #AABF04

Gareth
Posted by: JeffS

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 17:15

Quote:
Put tape over the check engine light.
Also works for blinking 12:00 on VCRs.
Posted by: lastdan

Re: "Check Engine Light" decoding? - 11/03/2005 18:14

I don't think it's the gas cap. that would give a 'leakage' code in the evap system.
I have seen a number of cases where vacuum was allowed to reach the fuel tank when it's not meant to. the result is that the fuel tank collapses, destroying the fuel pump and tank sender.
my point is that this may not be a case where 'tape over the light' is such a good idea.
check purge valves, check for shorts to solenoids.