P0171, P0411, P0440 1996 VR6 GLX Passat

[wildcard]

So, Let me start this off by saying I genuinely hate this car... Not all Volks, just this sad sorry excuse for a DD. Lets just say the car has been a lemon since I bought it. But that is a long story that I wish I didnt know. But on to the problem.

So I've been driving to Portland, which from my city is about an hour away going 60 (45 or less for me) however, I've been fighting the P0440 code for some time. But only now has it come in this trio, and with this trio comes what I can seem to guess is a loss of mileage and a little bit of a rougher ride, but nothing to horrible. I've bought a new gas cap and I've checked my hoses really quickly to check for some leaks. But i can't find a dam thing wrong. I've done my own repairs to this dam thing from the start. Clutch, Brakes, Tune-ups, you name it... But this evap **** is gonna be something new. So mind my noobish. I have lurked the forums for each of these codes but never found one of them together. but from what I can gather I have a set of prioritized repairs. If I am looking at this wrong please step in. I will also need help in ideas for locating and cleaning these. Thanks for the help.

Possible solutions:
-Do a more thorough check on the hoses for a leak.
-Check the MAF ( where is this)
-Check my PVC valve (from what I can tell its under my airbox. wrong?)
-Check the fuses above the battery
-Get the car to 2nd gear, drop a brick on the accelerator, jump out and watch with glee as I watch my stress careen off a cliff into a big fiery ball of joy (I need no help with this one)

[VrFiend]

The PCV (not pvc) valve is located just behind the motor on the left side- see image below.

The MAF is in the intake piping off the airbox- again see pic below.

Barrowed image, please anyone correct me if Im wrong about the maf location. Also, as you can see the pcv valve in this picture is broken. Mine is the same way and it runs fine.

Modified by b4glx at 8:56 AM 10-10-2009

[SilentDawn]

P0440 - Usually your purge valve is clogged up, or a hose going to it is clogged, pinched or broken. It sits on the airbox, or under it. I cannot remember. Its got 2 hoses and one 2 wire connector going to it. Take it out, make sure its clear from crust and if you want, hook 12V to it to make sure it clicks and it lets air flow through it and shuts off airflow properly.

P0411 is almost always the vacuum line going under the manifold to the Kombi valve (secondary air injection valve) This hose is easily missed and not often replaced because its so hard to get to. It does have a natural pinch point over the air pump bracket...and its common to wear through. This hose goes from the "T" fitting from the R/H side of the manifold (looking AFT at the engine from the front of the car) and goes under the intake manifold to the valve which is located to the right of the oil dipstick, under the manifold. This hose is NOT easy to replace, but it is VERY, VERY likely the culprit.

Lean condition code seems to be more and more common now...and each seems to have a different solution. so you may be on your own from there.

[wildcard]

Thanks for the help guys, something i'll have to look into tomorrow, with some daylight hopefully I will find something. B4glx, I meant to type PCV, seems my fingers got a little crossed. But thank you very much for the image, it should give me a good idea of what to look for. However, I fear SilentDawn may have something here. If I read his message right, this hose travels under or near under the battery. I had a battery blow in the compartment not long before these codes began to surface together. I worry that maybe the acid may have eaten its way through the hose. I hope not, seeing as this sound like such a tough thing to replace. I will check tomorrow. Cross your fingers in the hopes that it is not this hose.

[VrFiend]

The hoses on these cars are very old.. so its a very good possibility. Ive found holes in my coolant hoses. Ive typed the pcv wrong before as well. Sometimes its just easier to type the other way, but I wouldnt worry about it throwing those codes. They really dont effect much when broken. The maf would be something more to keep an eye one, but I agree, silentdawn may have the right answer for you. Hope you get it fixed soon!

[Doze13]

I'm throwing the same codes and SilentDawn suggested the same to me. I'm in the process right now of resolving this so I'll make sure to keep you updated on what I did to resolve these. Please do the same.

[izzo]

Quote, originally posted by wildcard »

So, Let me start this off by saying I genuinely hate this car... Not all Volks, just this sad sorry excuse for a DD. . . . . . -Get the car to 2nd gear, drop a brick on the accelerator, jump out and watch with glee as I watch my stress careen off a cliff into a big fiery ball of joy (I need no help with this one)

Just curious, exactly how do you expect the forum members, most all of them Volkswagen enthusiasts, to react on that?

Anyhow. Here is my .02, you can search for any DTC/P-code:
http://sites.google.com/site/s...ation
Ctrl+F in your browser, of type/paste it in the search box at the top right.

[SilentDawn]

No, the hoses I'm referring to do not go near the battery. The only vac hoses that are near the battery are for the cruise control. The vac pump for the cruise control is mounted in the driverside fender, beside the battery. Having one of those hoses fail would not throw a code, just your cruise control wouldn't work properly.

The hose I am talking about wearing through is the one that tee's off from the vacuum line going to the fuel pressure regulator. Its the hose that comes off the Tee and completely disappears underneath the intake manifold, lol.

If you haven't replaced all of the vacuum lines in your entire car, its time to. There aren't really all that many. But even if they "look" good, they rot from the inside out...and if they are the "fabric" covered ones...you have a hidden vac leak in every one of the lines. Just give one a tug and watch it come apart on ya. If they are the new rubber looking ones, without the fabric crap on the outside...they have been replaced already and should be okay.


Modified by SilentDawn at 9:38 PM 10-12-2009