2011 fiesta CEL
 

Little glowing engine light says a I have an OBD2 fault code. I run down to Advance and get the code read, very slight vacuum leak in the vapor recovery system. Hmmmm looks like I might have to have it smoke tested.

It has a capless fuel fill system, so a new gas cap (or gasket cleaning) was not an option. I used the special gas tube that comes with the car (so you can fill it from a gas can in an emergency) to open the access flap, held it open with a old Mosin Nagant bayonet and wiped off the valve and it's sealing surface, after a shot of WD40. The I used the emergency fill tube to open and close the flap about 60 times rapidly.

Light still on grrrrr, looks like a hit in the wallet. I told the wife it needs an inspection in about 6 weeks and it won't pass with the CEL on. Some web info said it would only come on if the fuel level was down below 1/3 tank or so.
My ever brilliant wife says "just fill the tank and get it inspected".

Next day I drive the Fiesta down to Wally World and fill the tank, light still on, double grrrrrrrrr. Stopped at another store and when I left the light was out. I read that it takes a while for it to reset, so many cycles on and off, hoping I got lucky and my flap cleaning is fairly permanent.

No manufacturer warranty on salvage vehicles, but they will still do recalls. Ford has been sending me notices of a recall to reprogram the passengers side airbag to work when there is no passenger in the front seat. I haven't bothered since I took the back seat out. There are no connections that would involve the airbag. I guess they would just make the bag blow whether there was someone in the front passengers seat or not, since there is no circuit to determine if there is someone in the rear seat.

48.75 MPG, maybe the corn-puter thinks it is running on air.:eek:

regards
Mech

Interesting have wondered about how robust that capless system is. Going to file this away in the gray matter file probably need it sooner or later. Hope thats all it was and remains fixed.

Capless?!?!?!? Is that the gas cap with the hole in it for the nozzle?

Nah, it's the $600 filler neck assembly :eek:.

regards
Mech

Oh, ok. Thought you were one of those guys who drives off with the filler cap rolling off the roof of your car or something. ;)

Hehe, I leave the key in the motorcycle gas cap and cant get it out until I put the cap on so I can turn the key and remove it. Set it on top of the gas pump.

The Ranger has a plastic strap so you can't drive away without it.

I like the capless setup, the filler door has a seal to keep dirt out. No more light so far, but we will see when the fuel level drops below 1/3.

regards
Mech

When the gen 2 insight came out it was pretty common for a loose gas cap cel for no reason after the first few fill ups. I since interrupted a tank full of fuel to top off, add injector cleaner or a few gallons of e85 and am unable to get another loose gas cap cel. :confused:

You actually have two eavp system codes, one is for a slight leak, a hole under .020 thousandths, the other is for a gross leak, which is what you get when the gas cap is loose or missing.

regards
Mech

A freind of mine had his Honda CRV (bought new) bought back by Honda, because they could not get rid of the same obd2 code. He used the lemon law to make them take it back (in Va). When he got another CRV they had the time to finally get it fixed, which took something like $6000 plus in warranty work.

My brothers huge turbo diesel GMC truck ate a piece of a glow plug and shredded the top of the piston and cylinder head. They told him they were going to repair that engine. I told him to tell them if they did that and he had to come back two times for follow up problems, they would eat the truck. They pulled the cab off and replaced the engine with a new one.

I've seen a turbo diesel Mercedes toss a rod out the side of the block with 600 miles from brand new. Benz air freighted a brand new engine with every thing that was installed on the engine when it was put in the car on the assembly line, in a steel cage that was padlocked from the plant in Germany to the airport in Houston Texas.

regards
Mech