So the first time I fired up the 4Runner after the frame swap, I was driving home and after about 30 miles I was getting engine sputter and intermittent power surges, like I was running out of gas, even though I had a half tank.
I pulled over and saw this:
It’s raw gasoline pouring/dripping out from behind the engine bay near the steering gear. Not good.
I traced the gas leak to the EVAP vent hose, which I pulled up and out in this photo:
This vent hose usually attaches to the frame and vents inside the frame via a small plastic fitting. Here are a couple photos of the broken fitting from my old frame:
(If anyone knows the part number for this fitting, please let me know.)
My donor frame didn’t have this fitting attached and my old one was broken, so this vent hose was just more or less dangling freely, which actually made it much easier to find the leak. If it had been venting inside the frame, the gasoline would have likely been leaking further back (if at all) which would have thrown me off.
So I found the leak; that’s good. But why?! Why is there gasoline pouring out of my EVAP vent hose?!
Turns out two fuel lines were switched. Here’s a photo of the switched fuel lines, taken in front of the gas tank looking back:
I switched these two lines back to their correct places, crossed my fingers, and turned the key.
Everything started up and sounded good. I let it idle for a while to watch that EVAP vent hose and make sure no additional gasoline was leaking. After about 10 minutes, with everything looking good, I continue the drive home.
After another few miles I get a check engine light. I read the code and it’s a P0450:
I’m not surprised I get a EVAP-related code: gasoline was just pouring out of the charcoal canister! I clear the code and carry on.
Now it’s been maybe a hundred miles, and everything is running fine (other than a little valve lifter noise — a topic for another day…).
But this code keeps coming back about every 25 miles.
I don’t really know much about our EVAP systems. So, my questions:
1. Are there any negative side-effects or consequences by ignoring this code? (I’m in a no-inspection state, I’m really only asking about vehicle health.)
2. Is my charcoal canister ruined? Or will it eventually dry out?
3. Should I replace my canister? Pressure sensor? Both? Neither?
Thanks all. This forum is the best!!