- Feb 27, 2015
- 577
So I randomly decided to run a scan with my code reader, been living with a perpetual P0420 code for years, it went away when I bolted in a spare CAT I had laying around from another project (original CAT had been removed and a pipe welded in place before I bought the truck) but once I got that CAT welded in it came back, so my check engine light is always on, i'm planning to order a new CAT in this RockAuto order i'm putting together based on all of you guys's input to address that, but to my surprise I had 2 codes, one for the cat and a P0440 was also in there, I went ahead and cleared the codes to see if it comes back.
In the mean time I pulled both the solenoids (one below the PCM and the one at the back of the gas tank) and bench tested them to see if the solenoids where working, they both tested good in that sense. I doubt it's a Gas Cap issue, a few years back I was getting gas one night after work and the gas cap wouldn't screw back on (the ratcheting thing broke) so the gas cap is only a few years old and the rubber seal is in perfect condition, but I went ahead and reseated it after inspection, even then I'm paranoid about the gas cap triggering codes (happened on the drive home from buying my old firebird) so I always treat every gas cap like it's an old one and put them on with a good bit of force every time.
There have been maybe 2-3 times in the last several years where it had trouble with the pump clicking off too soon, but thats out of several dozen fill ups on the same pump and none in the last several months at least, so pretty sure that was a pump issue and not the truck. The only other input I can put out there is after a quick crank to move the truck on or off the ramps (so I could get underneath it) and shutdown I notice a fuel odor that appears to be coming from somewhere around the rear seat door on the drivers side, it is NOT noticeable behind the rear wheel but is noticeable in front of the rear wheel and fades after a few minutes.
What part would you guys try replacing first? Do you think I should still do the solenoids and if so are the cheaper brands OK to use or is this like the spark plugs where you should use the OEM part? I just put like $2,500 into this thing this month between tires, coil packs and the Brake System (Hit a chunk of semi truck tire on my trip to florida at the beginning of the month and it bent either the caliper or caliper mounting bracket and so i did the full PowerStop KC2062-36 cross drilled/slotted rotors and everything since I needed new front calipers and rotors) and so I need to start curtailing some of my spending on these "non-mission critical" parts if it's safe to.
In the mean time I pulled both the solenoids (one below the PCM and the one at the back of the gas tank) and bench tested them to see if the solenoids where working, they both tested good in that sense. I doubt it's a Gas Cap issue, a few years back I was getting gas one night after work and the gas cap wouldn't screw back on (the ratcheting thing broke) so the gas cap is only a few years old and the rubber seal is in perfect condition, but I went ahead and reseated it after inspection, even then I'm paranoid about the gas cap triggering codes (happened on the drive home from buying my old firebird) so I always treat every gas cap like it's an old one and put them on with a good bit of force every time.
There have been maybe 2-3 times in the last several years where it had trouble with the pump clicking off too soon, but thats out of several dozen fill ups on the same pump and none in the last several months at least, so pretty sure that was a pump issue and not the truck. The only other input I can put out there is after a quick crank to move the truck on or off the ramps (so I could get underneath it) and shutdown I notice a fuel odor that appears to be coming from somewhere around the rear seat door on the drivers side, it is NOT noticeable behind the rear wheel but is noticeable in front of the rear wheel and fades after a few minutes.
What part would you guys try replacing first? Do you think I should still do the solenoids and if so are the cheaper brands OK to use or is this like the spark plugs where you should use the OEM part? I just put like $2,500 into this thing this month between tires, coil packs and the Brake System (Hit a chunk of semi truck tire on my trip to florida at the beginning of the month and it bent either the caliper or caliper mounting bracket and so i did the full PowerStop KC2062-36 cross drilled/slotted rotors and everything since I needed new front calipers and rotors) and so I need to start curtailing some of my spending on these "non-mission critical" parts if it's safe to.