i read Tooter's situation and appreciate the info. i need to check my fuel lines. Here are some great videos on locating a SMALL evap system leak.

Part 1:

Part 2:

The mechanic that did these videos located an issue with the purge valve. My system apparently still has a small leak; however i have completely sealed up my fuel filler neck; and then still had the code show up with failure - small evap leak. I did the vacuum test as this mechanic showed in part 2. But my purge valve held strong (no movement on the vacuum gage, so that is not my problem.

btw, my friend and i did our own smoke test. light a cigar inside of a sealed container with a hole cut into the container so a hand pump can attach and force pressure, which in turn forces the smoke out of the container. (we used a Tupperware bowl with lid & just know ahead of time if you use same thing you will likely burn a hole through the plastic after a few minutes). Attach a tube from sealed container to your intake for the evap system (near the purge valve if i remember correctly). then start lookin for leaks. my system is NOT showing any results with a smoke test. not sure why yet, or what my root cause is. When i get more time, i'll try look at fuel lines, etc.

but i know the smoke was flowing through the system because i took one of the lines of the charcoal canister under back of car & smoke blasted out of it into my face i put that line back on, then we kept looking, can't locate any smoke, so i'm pretty certain that my filler neck is good to go since it was showing a smoke leak prior to me sealing it with bondo. i'll try post back soon if i find what's wrong with mine, but i dont' get much time to work on this.

 

you might have a good ideal there. but what you just said you have some bondo laying around . that bad. i had a body shop and you dont use bondo for any surface with a hole in it. bondo is corse and will suck all water or any thing behine it,with in 2-3 weeks you will see a big lump. you can not use bondo for this but you are on the right track. you could use chopped glass you can buy it in qy or gal, or something better . now this will work great and will set like cement, you might have to check out to make sure that gas will not effect this.

 

James, thanks for the heads up on the glass crystals. if i find that a leak is where my filler neck is, i will give that a shot. working on other stuff on car today.