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    EVAP Nightmare

    Alright.. back again to sound like the noob I am, but I can't seem to gather the input I need.

    California e30, 325e body with a 1990 325i engine. Needed to smog this year and the smog emissions test was passed with flying colors, however, EVAP did not. Based on the fact this car has had EVAP in the past, every shop I've been to will not test the car without EVAP and BAR has confirmed via phone that I need EVAP based on the car's history. I have been told by shops to go to the BAR Ref but I'm don't want to do this because based on the forums there are too many variances on how they operate.The PO gave me a smog receipt from 2017 when I purchased the car reporting the E30 passed EVAP. I took about the backseat and looked for leaks on the top of the tank at the fuel pump. There is no sign of a leak. The fuel level sending unit does not work but I have not heard of this causing an EVAP Fail. The fuel pump was replaced approximately 5 years ago, I'm unsure of the gasket but again no physical signs of a fuel leak. I do not have a check engine light.

    I did not have the equipment for a smoke test, so I had a shop do the smoke test. They found no leak. I ensured that the canister is working properly, that the hose was pinched during the test and that the EVAP testing cap used fit my vehicle properly. The tech I consulted for a second opinion was really thorough. He did a visual inspection which revealed nothing, however, he told me based on the EVAP that I have a major leak somewhere because the machine picked up a failure in about 2 minutes when usually it would take at least 5 minutes. Will an E30 pass EVAP if the test is performed properly and if there is no leak?
    What are the chances I have a major leak given the results of the smoke test?

    I am thinking I will need to check the vapor storage tank although I'm not sure how that could have been missed in the smoke test. If that appears fine would dropping the tank make sense?

    Please help.

    #2
    Easiest solution? Move to a different state.

    Comment


      #3
      I had no idea CA tested for Evap, how do they perform the test? There are a lot of lines in that system and that tank behind the passenger rear wheel. I would start checking all the lines and replacing ones that look suspect, they are probably all 35+ years old and falling apart.
      e30sport.net
      '15 Porsche GT3 - 7-speed PDK - Daily Driver
      '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
      '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual

      Comment


        #4
        Apparently, some smog shops test for EVAP on older vehicles (that are not smog exempt) and others do not. I wish I would have been more careful to figure that out ahead of time. BAR told me that once EVAP is tested on a car (during the relevant smog period) you are required to pass EVAP to get registration. One shop told me that if the previous years were passed without EVAP they could call BAR to request EVAP be waived (being it had already failed EVAP), however, the shop told me that BAR told them that my particular e30 had been tested for and passed EVAP over the majority of it's lifetime smog tests so they said I had to pass it.

        As far as the test goes, after attempting to locate the issue for far too long I got a second opinion on the smoke test and the shop found the filler neck was the culprit, so filler neck has been replaced and the car passed smog and EVAP with flying colors.

        Comment


          #5
          Apparently, some smog shops test for EVAP on older vehicles (that are not smog exempt) and others do not. I wish I would have been more careful to figure that out ahead of time. BAR told me that once EVAP is tested on a car (during the relevant smog period) you are required to pass EVAP to get registration. One shop told me that if the previous years were passed without EVAP they could call BAR to request EVAP be waived (being it had already failed EVAP), however, the shop told me that BAR told them that my particular e30 had been tested for and passed EVAP over the majority of it's lifetime smog tests so they said I had to pass it.

          As far as the test goes, after attempting to locate the issue for far too long I got a second opinion on the smoke test and the shop found the filler neck was the culprit, so filler neck has been replaced and the car passed smog and EVAP with flying colors.

          Comment


            #6
            Apparently, some smog shops test for EVAP on older vehicles (that are not smog exempt) and others do not. I wish I would have been more careful to figure that out ahead of time. In order to do the EVAP they are supposed to kink the line to the EVAP cannister in the engine bay and then they replace the gas cap with a test cap that is attached to their machinery then and pressurize the system.


            As far as the test went, after attempting to locate the issue for far too long I got a second opinion on the smoke test and the shop found the filler neck was the culprit, so filler neck has been replaced and the car passed smog and EVAP with flying colors.

            Comment


              #7
              Apparently, some smog shops test for EVAP on older vehicles (that are not smog exempt) and others do not. I wish I would have been more careful to figure that out ahead of time. In order to do the EVAP they are supposed to kink the line to the EVAP cannister in the engine bay and then they replace the gas cap with a test cap that is attached to their machinery then and pressurize the system.


              As far as the test went, after attempting to locate the issue for far too long I got a second opinion on the smoke test and the shop found the filler neck was the culprit, so filler neck has been replaced and the car passed smog and EVAP with flying colors.

              Comment


                #8
                Just more hoops to jump through until they get all ICE (especially old) cars off the road.
                "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

                85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
                88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
                89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
                91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER

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