[mikemillerhome]

Does anyone have direct experience disconnecting the fuel neck vent tube connector. It is a strange bird.

I am guessing it's the type you need a special tool that kind of fits around the smaller end and inserts up into the body of the connector.

Of course I don't have that special tool, if that is indeed how you do it. Any advice for me?

I thought about just cutting either the metal pipe or plastic tube more likely and getting some fuel-rated tubing and hose clamps to put it back together after I'm done, rather than mess around with a mysterious connector I can't get apart without knowing the secret trick.

By the way, my issue is fuel won't vent so it's extremely slow to add gas to the tank, and of course it's throwing codes.

I would have ripped out the charcoal canister by now and put in a new one but... mine is inconveniently located on top of the tank.

So I thought... if the tube won't vent anymore then it's clogged, why don't I try disconnecting the vent tube and blowing compressed air through it?

I figured it couldn't hurt and I might get lucky for a while anyway before the root cause comes along and clogs it again.

Love to hear advice from someone who has been here before. On any part of the job in front of me.

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Thanks inmatj that's what I thought. I'm going to try and use the tool rather than cut the plastic line. By the way, people, sorry I mentioned the nutty idea of cutting the metal line, imagine if that were done with a dremel. Boom.

Anybody want to weigh in on accessing the charcoal canister atop the fuel tank? Option 1 raise the bed, Option 2, drop the tank, Option 3 write a big check.

 

[mikemillerhome]

Finally got around to using the Harbor Freight fuel line disconnect tool to disconnect the filler neck vent tube. Had fuel cap off for the following. Used compressed air to blow the metal side towards filler neck just in case of unlikely clog there. Hissed just fine. Then blew compressed air into the plastic tube going towards the EVAP system, and encouragingly, heard gurgling noises like air was going into the fuel tank. Left it disconnected and imagined that, with the vent line disconnected, I could pump gas in and it would vent to outside air. Wrong, same problem exists, fuel tank is not venting to allow gas in.

At this point I'm extremely interested in the idea of accessing the EVAP system from the front of the left-rear tire. About to give it a try.

 

[mikemillerhome]

Well, yes, the EVAP canister is now accessible. If you're the size of a leprechaun.
Here's a wide angle picture showing the space (circled is separated filler neck vent tube).

When I stick my phone camera in there past the filler tube, here's the view. Yes it looks like a canister.

I just learned that the NVLD Pump is the knobby thing sticking out of the canister nearest to me. Am I aiming to replace both these parts and hope for the best (remember the original issue, fuel won't vent making it near-impossible to fill tank).

 

[mikemillerhome]

I can't find any YouTube videos of this kind of canister location removal and wouldn't know where to begin. My searching led me to replace the EVAP Solenoid Purge Valve because it was so cheap and easy, located by the brake vacuum booster. 40 bucks, cleared the CEL codes, drove it a few miles and to my surprise, CEL stayed off. So I then tried to pump gas in but oops, the fuel vent problem is still there. Since the CEL light was still off and my Georgia County, Gwinnett County, had graciously given me 30 days to fix the failed inspection, I did the inspection today. I arrived at the inspection station with CEL off, the dude connected his machine, did the test (miraculously passed), and when I started the thing up was greeted with the CEL light on. Truly miraculous but I have a piece of paper saying the truck passed emissions. Codes were P0452 and P1603.

Did my air compressor blast help me? Was it the new purge valve? Was it just my lucky day? There's no way to tell. At least I eliminated the cheap-and-easy part, the purge valve.

My guess is still either the NVLD pump is bad or the canister or both or bad hoses somewhere. I think the key here for me is the fuel venting issue. Screams of charcoal canister, duzzent it? I bet you a hundred bucks if I fix the venting issue, I fix the whole shebang.

 

[mikemillerhome]

I took the truck into a my indie guy "Jeff"'s shop. They decided to drop the tank. The charcoal canister was full of water. Which led me to remember a couple of episodes on a boat ramp where I backed the truck's rear end into the water pretty deep, maybe bumper deep, but the cab floorboards were still dry. I guess probably something sucked water into the evap system. So, they put in a new canister and along the way broke the fuel pump accidentally so now I have a new fuel pump. I don't know about the NVLD if I got a new one of those or not. They put it all back together expecting the "can't pump gas in" problem to be cured BUT...

It still won't accept fuel properly after all that.

Jeff's theory is that the Purge Valve isn't getting voltage and he's pursuing that. He was making conversation like "I hope it's not the PCM computer". Well the previous owner 2 years ago put in a new PCM computer and my experience is, it does "wig out" once in a while and turn on a bunch of random dashboard lights which I ignore a bs and pretty soon it cures itself. So I conclude my PCM situation is flaky but only rarely.

What else could cause it to not accept fuel? Somebody said there is a plastic piece inside the filler neck assembly that can break off and descend towards the tank. I can ask Jeff about that. But what else?

 

[mikemillerhome]

Good news, while trying to determine why the "purge valve" did not seem to be getting voltage they checked aspects of the PCM and... found a bent pin on a connector going to the PCM. After manipulating the bent pin back in place, that fixed the "can't fill with gas" issue. If I'm a very lucky duck, my PCM weirdness will be a thing of the past too. We shall see. My shop owner Jeff treated me very well and didn't throw a new PCM computer at it, which I'm thankful for. Jeff treated me very well and I'm happy but out 1500 for NLVD, canister, fuel pump, and labor. I believe Jeff when he told me they have more hours in it than they charged me for. Now... no more dipping the tailgate into Lake Lanier.