3.6 traverse hard to start after getting gas

[nozzleman]

It starts normally except when I take the gas cap off to get gas. It acts like flooding. I have to push the accelerator pedal to the floor. I have to keep the rpm’s up or it will die again. At take off, it is pedal sensitive…fast. Then it settles down till I get gas again. If I leave it running while gassing up it is fine.
Clues?

 

[christo829]

Do you have any codes? When a similar thing was happening to my girlfriend's sister's Traverse, it was the purge valve failing, but it threw a code when it acted up. It would hard start (or if it did start, it would stall) after fill up, though if you left it sit for maybe 30 minutes, it would then start normally.

It threw the purge valve code (don't remember off hand what that was), and I pulled the old one off, hooked it to a power source, and while the solenoid would activate, the valve itself was non-functional.

It's been awhile since I worked on that vehicle, so I don't have all the details of what else I did diagnostically, but ultimately a new purge valve cured it.

Cheers-

Chris

 

[movietvet]

Yes, like @christo829 indicates, sounds like an evap system problem. You did not say if had a code or has a CEL.

 

[nozzleman]

Do you have any codes? When a similar thing was happening to my girlfriend's sister's Traverse, it was the purge valve failing, but it threw a code when it acted up. It would hard start (or if it did start, it would stall) after fill up, though if you left it sit for maybe 30 minutes, it would then start normally.

It threw the purge valve code (don't remember off hand what that was), and I pulled the old one off, hooked it to a power source, and while the solenoid would activate, the valve itself was non-functional.

It's been awhile since I worked on that vehicle, so I don't have all the details of what else I did diagnostically, but ultimately a new purge valve cured it.

Cheers-

Chris

Thanks, I’ll recheck the code. Where is the purge valve located?

 

[TollKeeper]

Depends on the year. There are 3 or 4 generations of that platform.

 

[TollKeeper]

Also, there is a TSB on the purge valve for specific years, and a extended warranty for those years on that part. I know this applies to the 2019 for sure, but likely there are other years.