Maintaining a vehicle often comes down to ensuring the simplest things are done on a regular basis. Other times, especially with older vehicles, maintenance comes down to doing simple but odd things. When I got the LS430, the check engine light (CEL) kept coming on because it was firing P0440, P0441 and P0446 codes. All of these codes have to do with emissions.
Suspiciously related to emissions CEL codes was the fact that when I parked and walked to the back of the car past the fuel door, I could smell gasoline vapor strongly, especially when the air was still, say, like inside a parking garage. Additionally, when I filled up the car with gas, it would be very difficult to start right after being filled, taking several sessions of cranking during which it would sputter to life and then die, before I could get it to stay running… and this behavior only happened right after fueling the car.
Among the odd simple things to replace on an old vehicle is the fuel filler cap. It’s not really a maintenance item… until it ages. The fuel filler cap is actually a critical part of the emissions control system because it regulates pressure and vapor flow in the fuel tank assembly. So, I replaced the fuel filler cap.
Next, I replaced the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve and the vapor canister purge solenoid. The purge solenoid’s failure is typically what causes difficulty starting after a fill-up. Replacing these items fixed the CEL codes and allowed the vehicle to start normally after fill-up.
I then turned my attention to a couple of the very simple things that probably needed to be done; the engine air filter and while I was at it the cabin air filter. It is clear from the pictures below that, especially in the case of the cabin air filter, the vehicle is a victim of some neglect. The cabin air filter should not have what looks like mulching leaves in it, needless to say.
All of these maintenance items, including the vapor canister solenoid, are easy to do and relatively inexpensive. The most expensive part was the solenoid at about $35. The solenoid is directly under the engine’s plastic cover and disconnects with a single bolt and two hose clamps. This is a good time to change the PCV and solenoid’s vapor hoses if they are in bad shape. The list of parts for this were:
- Fuel filler cap
- PCV valve
- Vapor canister solenoid valve
- WIX brand engine air filter
- WIX brand cabin air filter
Given the savings on parts and good prices where I buy auto parts, I find going with premium filters such as WIX brand – even for the cabin air filter – is a nice bonus to saving money by doing work myself. Less labor costs, the sense of satisfaction in doing the job myself, and putting those savings into the vehicle by buying premium consumables such as full synthetic oils and premium filters.
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