EVAP system Engine light started flashing?

Tiny
RWALBROEHL
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 CHEVROLET S-10
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 71,000 MILES
Long time battle. Engine light for awhile and then started flashing months ago and code came up for purge solenoid valve which I changed. Truck was not getting past 4000rpm in park and would hang at 45 with no acceleration. Checked for water in fuel and was ok. Changed fuel filter anyway. No help.I did have a cat, evap and O2 sensor fault which I put a fuel additive in the engine with high test gas. Light reset and did not come back. Still no acceleration past 45 mph. Exhaust has a smell. Went to do my weekly run around the block and engine started missing violently with the check light and now code po300. Reset everything and erased code. Ran it again with bad missing at idle and engine light came back on with po303 which is cylinder 3 misfire. I'm wondering if the evap system caused excessive fuel to the engine. Also I cannot fuel truck without the pump clicking off immediately. What can I do to check the evap system. The fuel pressure meter back then was about 60psi which appears good. Someone said to check for blocked vent valve at fuel canister. I am providing a picture of that area with hoses. Should I disconnect some and check for a blockage. If so which ones. Im totally lost with chevy crap. Thanks Bob
Saturday, March 7th, 2026 AT 12:28 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 913 POSTS
Hello, these and many other Chevrolets are bad about the carbon canister sending chunks of carbon throughout the EVAP system, and it will prevent you from filling up at the pump. You will very likely need to replace the carbon canister, and any other solenoids you have in your system, and try to blow out all of the EVAP lines while they are disconnected. If you can't clean them out then you will need EVAP lines too. Hope this helps!

William
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Sunday, March 8th, 2026 AT 7:38 AM
Tiny
RWALBROEHL
  • MEMBER
  • 127 POSTS
So how would the give me a po303 code. Cylinder #3 misfire and what do I do about that. Thanks
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Sunday, March 8th, 2026 AT 9:53 AM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 913 POSTS
A clogged EVAP system can cause some weird things to happen, but you also mentioned a catalytic converter issue / o2 sensor issue. Both problems can cause sluggish performance but only the EVAP issue will cause the issue at fill-up. With the age of that truck and how strict they were with the emissions at that time, I would just do the catalytic converters with new O2 sensors and be done with it.

William
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Sunday, March 8th, 2026 AT 10:01 AM
Tiny
RWALBROEHL
  • MEMBER
  • 127 POSTS
Tried one more thing and again things changed. Cleared codes and disconnected the battery for 2 hours. Reconnected it. Started truck again and was missing again but kept it running. Slowly get up to 2000rpm and became pretty smooth. I let it run there for about 7 minute and then slowly brought it black top idle and it intermittently miss again. So Im going to wait till it gets dark and run its and see if any ignition is arcing in the dark. If not I may need to run its a few more times until the code comes back as it did not come up on the last run. What's your thoughts.
Thanks Mr. Williams
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Sunday, March 8th, 2026 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 913 POSTS
Let me know if you can see anything. The EVAP codes and emissions codes will usually take 2 to 3 trips before they come back on. If you have a vacuum gauge, you can hook it to the intake and put the engine at wide-open throttle to see if the vacuum goes down or not. This would pinpoint whether you have an exhaust restriction or not.

William
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Sunday, March 8th, 2026 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
RWALBROEHL
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  • 127 POSTS
Saw no arcing in the dark. Service engine light came back on with po303 cylinder 3 misfire. What would you do next. Thanks Bob
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Monday, March 9th, 2026 AT 5:01 AM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
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Pull the wire off the plug and see if the engine responds. If not then replace the wire(s). I would pull the plug and check the condition also.

William
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Monday, March 9th, 2026 AT 6:50 AM
Tiny
RWALBROEHL
  • MEMBER
  • 127 POSTS
Ok thanks
Ill let ya know. Probably time to change wires and plugs anyway
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Monday, March 9th, 2026 AT 10:31 AM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
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Just let us know, we'll be here.

William
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Monday, March 9th, 2026 AT 10:45 AM

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