:help: I'm another one cursed by the glowing CEL beast with a P0446 code, this one accompanied by P1128 and P1130. I've read all the posts in the various threads on a P0446 search and now my 2000 986
base is also stalling and hard starting. The current symptoms were proceeded by some unusual behavior that's grown worse over the last 6 months.
History: It started with an annoying whistle (like blowing across the top of a bottle) coming from the EVAP vent under the gas filler door. It was suggested that I stuff a small piece of open-cell foam into the opening to damp the resonance and that worked like a charm for the last couple of years with No CELs. Thanks to the board! :notworthy: But all changed one day after restarting the car after a trip through a high blast "touchless" car wash. But I've done this many times before. This one threw the CEL but the car was still running fine. That is till the first gas fill-up! I never top and always pump my own but after my standard fill of Sunoco Ultra my box won't start for the first time in the 4 years that I've owned her. :huh: Eventually, in a panic, I held the gas peddle to the floor (like in the older flooded carb days) and cranked and cranked and cranked till it finally caught with much jazzing the throttle to keep it alive for a minute or two. Then absolutely no more issues with starting or driving till the next fill-up and there I have to go through the floor it and crank routine. We read and interpreted the codes (above), then read through all the related posts and narrowed the fault to maybe a vacuum leak (full disclosure: I did change out the coolant recovery tank a few hundred miles ago) or one of the three solenoid controlled valves in the EVAP system. After scouring the lines for leaks, finding none, a call to Sunset (a board sponsor) confirmed my suspicion that the culprit was most likely the purge control valve located under the left intake manifold. They mentioned they were selling many of these compared to the other two (under the right front inner wheel well). The responses from the much appreciated, experienced, and learned folk on this board have found this valve to a common failure point evidenced by these symptoms and codes.
Sunset sent me a replacement (996 110 129 06) and I set about to swapping this out. Now here's my current dilemma. The attached pipe to this valve is pinned to the underside of the intake manifold with a metal strap/rubber bushing combo with a screw or bolt which appears to be unremovable without removing the intake manifold! Boy did this job balloon by several orders of magnitude. That job isn't even covered in Bentley's. Am I wrong about this? I could just cut the pipe and see if I can route the new one around this clamp. But I also read JFP in PA's response which suggested just a "pffft" of compressed air through the line should take care of things. Really? I assumed the air blast should come from the manifold end (reverse the normal flow direction) but with the under-car end open or closed? I don't want to pull that intake if I don't have to and any help will certainly be appreciated.
Alan