yea thta's the thing, I need that light off so I can use my remote start. I live in New Hampshire, winter is coming. =( I had also heard that my car *might* run in reduced mode and have bad mileage when the light comes on. I don't think that is true, but I do seem to have reduced mileage. Could be in my head, though.

 

Well then that points to a vapor leak from the cap, your gas is evaporating away leading to less miles per tank.

 

ok. Just to make sure, I should see a silver metal "flap" blocking a direct entry into my fuel system from the gas cap right? It should not be an open hole?

 

I am not sure on that one, maybe someone else here can verify that for you, mine has that, but its not a monte carlo.

You have to do the proper tests to make sure that it is the cap first, it may be something entirely different, codes dont always point directly to the problem.

 

From some research I don't think it should be like this. As you said gas would evaporate. However there needs to be a one way valve so the tank can balance pressure as it gets lower on gas but not vent intot he atmosphere, so unless the valve is in the tube or it is just going straight to the charcoal canister...

What is the part called that encompases the entire section and not just the cap? Having slight difficulties finding a replacement part without knowing what it is called. I want to check my solenoids and the charcoal canister but I do not know where they are located. Do I need to drop my gas tank for that part?

 

If I am thinking correctly that peice your talking about is basically a splash guard and is not air tight, the cap seals the fill spout air tight & only lets air in when the tank needs it.

Here is a pic of mine and its not a valve, just a splash guard if I were to turn hard to the right.

 

Yea mine has no flap there just an open tube straight down. That flap is the valve you were talking about?

 

The actual valve is in the gas cap, that copper looking flap in the fill spout is just a splash guard not a seal of any kind.

 

i think that you should have a one way check valve both on the evap and your fuel return line usually located on top of the tank by the pump its shuts doen and keeps your fuel line pressureized for starting other wise it would bleed down into the tank and you would be crankiing for a while till the line got up to press enough to activate the injectors and whats a gas cap cost ! i think i picked up a locking gas cap for 10.00 and i believe the regular standard twist ons are 5 to 7 bucks just make sure you get the one sprcific to your car i think chevy had 3 choices ! it dont get cheaper than thatand good luck testing it yourself they test it with a machine that it screws into a chamber they pressurize the cap and fitting to a certian pressure the machine stops and goes ointo the true test which is a leak down test it measures the amount of air that escapes in a given amount of time and the reson you dont have that splash gaurde is because its a plug as well that resricts cars after a certian year to only use unleaded gas if you look at the gas pump regular gas has a larger nozzle that will not pass that plug but the unleaded ones being smaller do ! so somebody pulled the plug so the could use the less expennsive regular gas . it has no effect or purpose than what i discribed ! get the cap 5 bucks i can pick up in soda cans at a walmrt hahaoh ya they might have them cheaper there a whole parking lot full ! strike that i meant inside cheaper

 

the patience of a saint you have! st. mike it is then