P0440 Fixed!

[RumHam26]

Thanks for this very helpful post.

I have the same code and faint gas smell on the drivers side...usually after I get out but sometimes with the windows down at a stoplight. I just received my overfill check valve and plan to replace it soon.

Did you replace any of the hoses for the EVAP system? I have some pretty nasty looking connections up there (between the tank and the canister) and I am having a hard time finding out the size and type of hose to use to replace them.

 

[fourfive]

I didn't replace any hoses because I wasn't sure how many hoses there were & what went where. I also didn't have any part numbers for the hoses but luckily they all seemed to be intact.

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

In reference to the Homemade smoke machine... a fog machine with a reducer attached to the end and some air pressure does amazing job ...

 

[fourfive]

I thought about it after seeing a YouTube video on it and was trying to decide between the 2 but after seeing another video of a diy smoke machine using a built in flow meter which also helps to detect leaks I went that route.

 

[Slowpotato]

Just want to say thanks for the write up! Didn't think to check the check valve until I read your post. Ending up being cracked.

 

[01thunder]

i just did this last week. replaced check valve and other components on tank. valve was cracked on 2 spots on top circle area. gasket wasn't that good either. all good now.

 

[FiXXXerX]

Just grabbed a new gas cap that should be here today or tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure its the check valve.

How bad is dropping the tank on a 2WD? Also, does it need to be completely empty or close to it?

 

[01thunder]

Just grabbed a new gas cap that should be here today or tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure its the check valve.

How bad is dropping the tank on a 2WD? Also, does it need to be completely empty or close to it?

16 year old truck. you should replace cap anyway. guaranteed it's the valve. do you smell fuel through the wheel well? i dropped mine by myself. i did it when the fuel light came on. when i drained some fuel, it was about 2-3 gallons. i replaced the check valve and grommet, fuel pump gasket and filler neck hose. i forgot about the cutoff valve gasket. might as well do all of it while it's off. come on out to brandon and give me a few bucks and i'll help you with it.

 

[01thunder]

check the carbon tracking on the sending unit as well. remove the cover where the float is and you can see the carbon track.

 

[FiXXXerX]

16 year old truck. you should replace cap anyway. guaranteed it's the valve. do you smell fuel through the wheel well? i dropped mine by myself. i did it when the fuel light came on. when i drained some fuel, it was about 2-3 gallons. i replaced the check valve and grommet, fuel pump gasket and filler neck hose. i forgot about the cutoff valve gasket. might as well do all of it while it's off. come on out to brandon and give me a few bucks and i'll help you with it.

I do indeed smell gas from time to time when I get out of the truck, always just kinda thought it was someone else's car, lol.

I may take you up on that offer, but I'm gonna give it a shot here first! Thank you for the invite :high5:

 

[fourfive]

Just grabbed a new gas cap that should be here today or tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure its the check valve.

How bad is dropping the tank on a 2WD? Also, does it need to be completely empty or close to it?

Wouldn't hurt to replace the gas cap. I did that as my first fix attempt & wanted a new cap anyway. Not saying I want to drop the gas tank again but it was easier then I thought. My friend was around just in case but was able to do everything myself. Having it "gas light" empty will make it light enough, no need to have it completely empty. As long as you're not dealing with rust, trying to disconnect the lines without damaging anything might be the only other tedious part.

Couple reminders:
1. Make sure to fully depressurize the fuel lines so you don't get spayed with gas.
2. Take some pics or make some marks on the lines/hoses so you don't waste time trying to figure out which hose goes where during reassembly.

I do indeed smell gas from time to time when I get out of the truck, always just kinda thought it was someone else's car, lol.

That's funny, I thought the same thing when I initially noticed the faint smell of gas. I was briefly in denial then tried talking myself into thinking that it was normal for an old car but after replacing the check valve gasket no more gas smell.

 

[FiXXXerX]

Wouldn't hurt to replace the gas cap. I did that as my first fix attempt & wanted a new cap anyway. Not saying I want to drop the gas tank again but it was easier then I thought. My friend was around just in case but was able to do everything myself. Having it "gas light" empty will make it light enough, no need to have it completely empty. As long as you're not dealing with rust, trying to disconnect the lines without damaging anything might be the only other tedious part.

Couple reminders:
1. Make sure to fully depressurize the fuel lines so you don't get spayed with gas.
2. Take some pics or make some marks on the lines/hoses so you don't waste time trying to figure out which hose goes where during reassembly.

I'll absolutely have a second set of hands when I go to do this (Like, not coming out of me or anything, but, attached to someone else willing to help).

There isn't a spot of rust on the car thank god, so I shouldn't have to deal with that.

I appreciate the heads up

That's funny, I thought the same thing when I initially noticed the faint smell of gas. I was briefly in denial then tried talking myself into thinking that it was normal for an old car but after replacing the check valve gasket no more gas smell.

I went through step 2 as well in thinking it was just because it was an old car 'whatever'. But when I started looking up the code that was thrown I found this thread and started to realize that it is more than likely an issue so... I'll just fix it.

The funnier part is, I bought this vehicle to be a daily driver because my GTI's dash is a Christmas tree and needs all sorts of work (That requires the car to be down to repair), so I was hoping the CEL would stay off on the 4runner. Worse yet, my wife was driving me back home from the ER (May have almost cut my toe in half trying to clean the house) when it went off, bad news on bad news, lol

 

[Miranthis]

That's funny, I thought the same thing when I initially noticed the faint smell of gas. I was briefly in denial then tried talking myself into thinking that it was normal for an old car but after replacing the check valve gasket no more gas smell.

Hey, as the OP on this, when you did the FSM checks on the VSV purge and vent switches did you find the VSV held vacuum both ways? I am tracking a P0456-455-440 issue in my 2008 V6 and when I use the vac pump to check the purge VSV i get good hold (25 in. Hg) when testing from the manifold side, but from the to-the-tank side I cant pull more than 15 in. Hg and it slowly drops to 10 or less (i posted video of that in Link to video. I assumed that meant the VSV was bad, but then I pulled the purge vsv from my 2012 camry I4 and it is exhibiting the same pattern (but it has never thrown a code. Don't want to buy the VSV if that is not it.

Curios about your fix an whether your VSVs had the same pattern.

Thanks.

 

[Rock_Rat]

Hey [MENTION=116877]fourfive[/MENTION] nice complete thorough post. I'm a big fan of folks posting the before and after results and steps taken to troubleshoot and fix the problem. I don't have the code, but as we all know it's just a matter of time for all of us as these rigs get older. I saved this thread in my "T4R CEL Codes" folder for future reference.

 

[fourfive]

Hey, as the OP on this, when you did the FSM checks on the VSV purge and vent switches did you find the VSV held vacuum both ways? I am tracking a P0456-455-440 issue in my 2008 V6 and when I use the vac pump to check the purge VSV i get good hold (25 in. Hg) when testing from the manifold side, but from the to-the-tank side I cant pull more than 15 in. Hg and it slowly drops to 10 or less (i posted video of that in Link to video. I assumed that meant the VSV was bad, but then I pulled the purge vsv from my 2012 camry I4 and it is exhibiting the same pattern (but it has never thrown a code. Don't want to buy the VSV if that is not it.

Curios about your fix an whether your VSVs had the same pattern.

Thanks.

I'm not sure if testing the VSV for an 02 & 08 4runner are different but I just tested it by pumping/blowing air through the vsv port in the direction the FSM stated. Without battery voltage to the VSV terminals, air did not flow through & with voltage air flowed through the VSV ports. For the most part I followed the FSM step by step because I didn't know any better. Does the 08 FSM say it should hold pressure from the 2 sides you tested? My recommendation, if you are following the FSM and the VSV possibly failed a test but your suspicious about the results, just make a mental note of it for something to revisit if everything else passes with more confidence. But, if another part of your evap system has a more obvious fail, then address that first. That way you limit the chances of replacing/fixing a properly functioning part.

 

[Miranthis]

[snip]Does the 08 FSM say it should hold pressure from the 2 sides you tested? [snip]

I can no longer access the FSM through TIS as it does not play well with anything but IE and I cannot use IE (our tech services policy). I use Chrome and can access Firefox, but neither is supported. I called TIS tech support and if i had an active account i could use either to view, but you cannot re-up or pay for a new account with anything by IE My last 2 day subscription was in 2015.....I am FSM starved. :-(

I need to see if i can borrow someone's computer and IE and reactivate my TIS account....

 

[fourfive]

I can no longer access the FSM through TIS as it does not play well with anything but IE and I cannot use IE (our tech services policy). I use Chrome and can access Firefox, but neither is supported. I called TIS tech support and if i had an active account i could use either to view, but you cannot re-up or pay for a new account with anything by IE My last 2 day subscription was in 2015.....I am FSM starved. :-(

I need to see if i can borrow someone's computer and IE and reactivate my TIS account....

Ah, I hate that. If you usually do your own work and plan on keeping your 4runner around a while, I'd definitely recommend saving up some dough to pick up a hard copy FSM. It's not cheap but well worth it and has saved me a lot of time with troubleshooting, maintenance, money, etc.

 

[USMC_Spike]

Ah, I I'd definitely recommend saving up some dough to pick up a hard copy FSM.

Where can someone find copy. My dealership doesn't have one for sale,
neither does Toyota. The claim the Helm has them, when I called
to order the Factory Service Manual, they don't have one either.

Now what?

 

[fourfive]

Where can someone find copy. My dealership doesn't have one for sale,
neither does Toyota. The claim the Helm has them, when I called
to order the Factory Service Manual, they don't have one either.

I bought mine off ebay for $200 shipped. It included volume 1 & 2 and the wiring diagram. Here's the PDF link, it takes a little longer to navigate through but it's still nice to have an electronic version to be able to pull up on my phone.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4...4NjUtYjk1Y2ZiNjMxMTFk/view?hl=en&pref=2&pli=1

 

[Markad007]

Thanks so much for writing about this in such detail. I've got the P0440 and P0420 codes that just won't go away. They haunted my brother-n-law for years and he finally just gave me his 2002 4Runner. He was so done with codes and the Christmas tree lights on his dash board all the time... and the unable to smog issues. Now... I'm behind the eight ball on these. I've narrowed down the P0420 code... I need to replace the cat. Now I need to figure out the P0440 code. I'm going to tackle the charcoal canister this coming Thursday night. So frustrating.