Hi, have 2004 Saturn Vue redline. Having check engine light go on, code0455. Took it into a mechanic who told me evap lines are very rusted, need smoke test and to most likely be replaced. He told me he will probably have to fabricate replacements. Any thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Lol Help me out! Thanks

 

Well, a P0455 is a large (gross) leak in the evap system, and a smoke test is a quick and pretty certain way to find the leak in the hands of a qualified mechanic. The leak could also be in other components, like the purge valve or vent valve or even the charcoal canister, but your mechanic is the one who was looking at it. I'd go ahead and have him do the smoke test, and tell you what he found before he replaces anything. You'll have to pay for the smoke test, but you'll have a much better estimate of the cost to fix it. Don't know what shape the rest of the car is in; only you can determine if it's worth it to have it fixed.

 

Check the seal on your gas cap. If it is loose, it will throw a p0455 or other EVAP code for a leak. Most often if the solenoids IE purge valve solenoid and vent valve solenoid are not functioning properly, the car will throw codes specific to those as well but not always.

In many vehicles, some of the EVAP lines are rubber and some of the lines are metal tubing, with the material alternating from one to the other depending on how the line needs to be routed to get from the back of the car to the front . I sincerely doubt that all of your evap lines would need to be replaced. That is the brute Force don't know what I'm doing approach that theoretically solves the problem by replacing everything along with whatever the problem was. Easy for the mechanic because he doesn't even have to find the problem.

My guess is he will tell you it is leaking in multiple spots and that all of it needs to be replaced.

If this code suddenly popped on and you did not have a small leak EVAP code before it, it is even that much more unlikely to be leaking from multiple places all of a sudden.

Can't hurt to order an OEM GM replacements for the cap by yourself and install it, then make sure the gas tank is between three quarter and one quarter full and drive around for a while and see if the light goes off.

I can almost guarantee that he will include replacement of the gas cap along with anything else being replaced. Which means it may be only leaking at the gas cap but you will never know the truth as to whether it was leaking elsewhere or not.

I hate to be so critical of other people and so suspect of their motives. Majority of mechanics are upstanding honest people. But making over generalizations about a vehicle's issues in the particular way that he did sounds like he is setting you up for the worst possible outcome which happens to be the most expensive outcome for you and the most profitable for him.

People traditionally use smoke tests to locate much harder to find smaller leaks in the EVAP system. Things like rust pinholes in the metal lines or in fittings that you cannot see when connected.

Again, if the car is in your possession, You may wish to replace the gas cap first on your own especially if it is the original one still on the vehicle.

Please stop back and let us know how this all shakes out..