How To: Replace a non-replaceable EVAP hose

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:16 pm

So, there I was, finally taking pictures of my ACR in all it's dirty splendor. Most women do not like having their picture taken when they look less than perfect, and my Chtear is one of them. Warming up my car to go home, then on comes the CEL. Next morning I bring her into the shop, hook up the DRBIII, and pull this code...

P0456 = EVAP small leak

Now this is interesting, because I had a feeling that was going to be it. Why? Because over the past 3 months I have had 2 different repair shops ask me for this part...

The reason for the leak (and all 3 have been in the same place) is this...

This is the upper part of the hose going to the plastic line. Well, it sucks to be you because according to Chrysler, you cannot get this hose...it is sold with the GAS TANK ONLY!

Ok, take a deep breath...we are better than this. There must be a solution. Of course there is! Well, the hose pulls off the canister, and comes off the plastic line after carefully slicing the hose to loosen it (do not cut too deep, you do not want to cut the plastic, then you will by a tank!). The hose sticks to the line after many years, so don't try to force it.

Ok, when it's off it looks like this...

So what to do? You could use a piece of 3/8" fuel line (which fits well at the line, but is tight at the canister) but getting the bend at the canister is doable, but is easily kinked. Fear not, for I did a LOT of hunting and came up with this...

This is a PCV breather hose from a PT Cruiser...part #4884246AA MSRP $12.25. The differences are minor...

Once the hose is attached to the canister...

the upper part can be put into place with no kinking...

The lower part fits perfectly, but the upper where it attaches to the line felt a little loose to me, so I shoved it on a little farther than the original (1/4" maybe) and cleared the code. Guess what? No more CEL!!! If for some reason the hose won't hold a vacuum when the EVAP system does it's check, just put a hose clamp on the upper part and tighten LIGHTLY. Mine has not leaked, so I doubt you will have to do this.

Hope someone finds this useful

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:17 pm

Dude that's badass...I really need this hose

So fuel line will not work at all? How about with some clamps?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:27 pm

No, not saying fuel line wont work, just that this hose has the critical bends pre-made so you don't have to worry about the hose kinking off the canister.

I will have the # for you tomorrow morning

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:45 pm

What goes through those lines? Gasoline?

I'm asking because I have some extra fuel line...I think. But dont' want to risk it if gas is flowing through there.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:57 am

Nope, no liquid, just gas vapor. The hoses can't have any cracks in them because the system tests itself by regularly pulling a vacuum on the system and checks to make sure it can hold it. So fuel line is fine, so long as the walls are somewhat thick (wont collapse)

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:09 am

Edit...Part # and price added!

latief · Post by **latief** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:17 am

Nice write up, can you take an overall picture of the area where this is located? i am a bit confused.....

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:05 am

Might be tough since I pulled it out of the shop, but the system is located just in front of the right rear (front) control arm. Your right inner sway bar clamp shares a bolt with the evap bracket. I will get another pic though...

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:18 pm

Danteneon wrote:long as the walls are somewhat thick (wont collapse)

That's what she said

I'm willing to spend the $12 for the PT part if it works properly...does it look as though it's going to work for a while? I think fuel like is like $1 a foot and i'm cheap

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:31 pm

I think it will last just as long as the original, maybe longer since the breather hose is made to stand up to more heat (no heat where this repair takes place). And since that hose is a little more than 8" long if it were straight, you can still be cheap

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:05 pm

Well i'm going to try some fuel line today because i'm a stubborn ass and i'll let you know what happens

thank you very much for the write up danteneon!

it completely got rid of the codes?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:11 pm

Good deal, let me know how it works. Word of caution...be sure not to let the hose be kinked when you make that bend. The system has to have flow through that hose.

And yes, it has been almost a week, and even with driving like a madman down to livid's place and back....no codes!

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:13 pm

Does it need to bend a whole lot that it will kink? I thought fuel line was pretty good at not kinking.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:17 pm

If you look at the pic of the replacement hose, you will get an idea of the kind of bend needed. Here is a trick I learned years ago...

If you get the hose in place and it starts to collapse on the inside radius of the bend, put a hose clamp on that part and tighten it down just enough so it rounds the hose again. You can leave it like that, or after the clamp has been on there for a while (and the hose has heated up and cooled down a few times) pull the clamp off and it will stay in that shape! This trick works great for making your own molded heater hoses

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:46 am

You win.

The damn fuel line would not go on the canister.

I'll order the hose tomorrow hahah

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:45 pm

This hose seems to be the trigger of my P0456 code as well. I noticed quite a few small splits where the hose attaches to the canister.

What's the best/easiest way to get to the other end of the hose? I can't figure out a way to reach my hands up in the small openings, does the canister have to be removed? The small bolts on the inner most side are rusted to s#$@%, I hope I don't have to remove them!

Thanks.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:54 pm

I didn't have to remove the canister. I have big hands, so I understand the problem with getting to it. I carefully cut a slit in the upper hose and used needle nosed pliers to get it off. Putting it on wasn't too hard. The PT hose has a larger ID than the stock hose, so it goes on easily. Just make sure you push it on a good distance up the plastic line.

I put my sway bars on last night and checked to see how the hose is holding up. It looks just the same as when I installed it.

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:05 pm

Sweet, thanks for the info.
Man, the dealers around here (Milwaukee) are rapists! One place wants $16 + tax, another wants $18 + tax!
I'm finding the part online for $8-$10, but then add $8 -$10 shipping, screwed either way!
Thanks again for the info and the excellent How-to!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:14 pm

Yeah, finding a dealer willing to sell you the hose for MSRP will be hard. Most dealers won't sell low priced items for that.

Glad to help

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:16 pm

AH HA! I found one that's a few miles further away selling it for MSRP! It's not far outt amay way to work, so I'll be picking it up tonight and istalling it tomorrow (weather willing). Thanks again!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:39 pm

Sweet! It pays to call around

neonxrt · Post by **neonxrt** » Sun May 04, 2008 5:49 pm

Once you replaced the hose and reset the CEL did you ever take your car for emission testing? If so, did it pass or did you have to have someone with a "machine" reset the ECU so there was no history of you resetting it/the time lapse in it? Hope that made sense....

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:58 pm

In VA we have to do yearly emission tests. I didn't have any problems with the code after it was cleared. The next emissions test was done a while after the repair (since I had been tested not long before the light came on) and I couldn't stand to see a CEL on her (it was the first and only time it has ever come on).

If you clear the code, and have a certain # of key cycles since the repair, you should be fine. I don't know how many cycles are required (it may differ from state to state) but if for some reason they require you to have more cycles on it before they pass you, you should be able to bring it back at a later date (again, varies) to have it rechecked (usually for no charge).

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon May 05, 2008 11:13 am

I think alot depends on how the code is cleared. If the battery is diconnected the PCM has to reset the monitors which can take a while. Emmisions testing will fail it if the "monitors" aren't set. I would think if it is done with a scan tool, the pcm doesn't have to go through the process, since the only thing that was cleadred is the code, not all the parameters. I think that is one advantage to having a cheap scan tool that has the ability to clear codes. I'm not 100% sure that codes are really kept in memory once their cleared. I know when I took my cherokee in, they had a fit because I had just installed a new battery, and they had nothing to go from. I was like, well the battery was dead, so what would have you gotten anyway?

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:04 am

I'm throwing

0442
0140
0455
0456

I know one of them is for my o2 sensor from my hi flow cat....but I think i have more leaks than just that one hose that's being switched out here?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:01 am

The biggest problem with the emission codes is that they can be thrown for many reasons. Gross leaks can be a gas cap, leaking canister, etc, while small leaks tend to be a hose.

I didn't look to see if your codes were on this chart, but it is a good reference anyway...

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=365

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:06 pm

Thank you for this thread with that part number! I got that same code the day after I fixed all of the suspension parts; of course, and while I was under the car the other day to recheck the torque, I happened to notice that same hose cracked to all hell. Thankfully I remembered seeing this thread!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:21 pm

Good deal! It does pop up every now and again.

Hmmm, me thinks a sticky is in order here

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:05 pm

I ended up fixing the hose myself (ghetto-rigged I suppose), but there isn't going to be anything leaking out of it anytime soon! Still good to know that one hose was most likely the problem! No light thus far...

kcinuc · Post by **kcinuc** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:56 pm

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

I have an '03 SXT and the P0456 has been an issue for many years. I purchase this car new late 2002. This little car has been VERY good to me and has been a most reliable commuter. Its got over 176k miles on it now, and still running strong.

After many hours of searching online I ran into this post. I looked under the car and sure enough the hose on there was seriously cracked in many places. I just purchased the part you recommended from Dublin, CA Dodge and installed today.

Finally no more trouble codes!!

Thank you so much!

Kenneth in Union City, CA

2GN.ORG

How To: Replace a non-replaceable EVAP hose

How To: Replace a non-replaceable EVAP hose

Re: How To: Replace a non-replaceable EVAP hose