new member with a few issues

[whitehoe01]

Hey all, my name is james.... new to the forum and hope some of you can help me out.
(And yes i used the search function

ok for starters, i currently own a 2001 tahoe ls... high miles (206k)
i bought it at 77k and drove it to hell and back lol
but i havent had any issues out of this truck besides the tranny which i replaced at 160k.

currently i have a P0440 code coming up and my mil is on.
(using the search i found that others that had this code also had a msg that said tighten gas cap, i dont have this msg. and i noticed that ppl couldnt fill their gas tanks and i have no issues at all filling up.)

i was gonna replace the fuel cap but im thinking its something larger than that.
i keep the truck's maintenance up, sea foam every few thousand miles (5-6k) new pcv valve, wires, plugs,air filter, fuel filter, etc...

i sea foamed yesterday half through the brake booster line and half in the gas tank and while she was smoking i noticed there was smoke under the hood... it look like it was coming from the exhaust on the passenger side of the engine. wasnt a hole bunch but im thinking i could maybe have a moderate leak causing the p0440 code... hopefully its not but something isnt right unless it was just a lot of carbon.

i also notice i dont have the same power that i once had and maybe i havent paid attention but i think my mpg has been dropping. when my floater went out on my oem fuel pump i looked at the mileage to maintain gas and i was getting about 15mpg... now i seem to be getting 11-12
but power wise i use to punch it from a stop light and the tires would spin with ease and gain speed. now i press the gas and it doesnt react...2-3 sec after pressing the gas hard then i'll get an erratic jump in rpms and oil pressure then finally take off... i was thinking maybe it could be the cat as its oem but i dont know.... b/c literally everything else about the truck has been maintained very well

and im sorry to add one more question in this post but i'd rather cover all basis in one thread vs making 2-3 of them....
but my last thing for the moment.... like i said i have 206k miles on my hoe and she's not going anywhere anytime soon.
i was thinking if the engine itself could be having issues just simply replace it when i get my tax check around the corner.

1- putting a new"ER" 5.3 in the truck... i found a 2004 tahoe's engine with only 39k miles on it for $800... is that a good deal? i figured it was b/c the low miles..
also would everything work right b/c i know the computer and speedo are different than the 01.


2-found a 2003 escalade 6.0 for $1200... what would i have to do to put that engine in the tahoe? and how would i go about emissions if i had that engine? i use to work as emissions tester and i know for a fact in the computers tahoes only show up with 4.8 and 5.3 engines...

 

[PUGLIA]

Checked around and found this info, hope it helps.

A code P0440 could mean one or more of the following has happened:

The gas cap is not installed or working properly
The purge solenoid has failed
The canister is plugged and not working properly

Possible Solutions

With a P0440 OBD-II trouble code, diagnosis can be tricky at times. Here are some things to try:

Remove and reinstall the gas cap, clear the code, and drive for a day and see if the codes come back.
Inspect the EVAP system for cuts/holes in tubes/hoses
Inspect for damaged or disconnected hoses around the Evap purge solenoid
Check and/or replace the sensor
Check and/or replace the purge valve

About the engine go with the 6.0! As for emissions I am guessing you live in California, If it causes a stink couldn't you just get a cat converter from an escalade. What does it matter if the engine didn't come with the vehicle?

 

[DaRosa218]

Checked around and found this info, hope it helps.
About the engine go with the 6.0! As for emissions I am guessing you live in California, If it causes a stink couldn't you just get a cat converter from an escalade. What does it matter if the engine didn't come with the vehicle?

In California it matters a lot from my understanding. If I remember a lot, you would have to take the truck to a bar or referee station to have it smogged as opposed to your everyday street corner smog shop.

Here is the California BAR website with all the regulations for California:
http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/05_Legislative/RegulatoryActions/BAR_Laws_and_Regulations.pdf

If it were up to me, I would stay with the 5.3L and spend the $400 saved on a BB tune, CAI, and a muffler swap with a Spintech or Magnaflow.

Just my .02

 

[whitehoe01]

hey joe, thanks for the info. i actually found it on the obd-codes website but im sure its not the gas cap for the fact i had the gas cap tested at a jiffy lube i use to work at as a emissions tester and the gas cap passed its test with ease.
so it must be a leak or hose as you said... my only issue is i dont know where the hose's are to follow them and check for holes... hose's dont cost much and id have no issue replacing any or all of them for the fact they're oem and the truck is now 10 years old.
is there a diagram or pics that i can see so i can trace my steps? im not the most savy person under the hood but im sure i can read directions lol
but i disconnected the battery for 20 minutes before, it cleared the code and within 20 minutes of doing 70-75 on the highway the mil popped right back up so there's a real issues somewhere....

perhaps i should clean the egr valve and put a new seal on it....
cleaned the throttle body and maf about an hour ago.
o and btw, im not in cali.. im in atlanta

reason i asked about the 6.0 is in the emissions machine/computer while doing emissions you have to put in the vehicle info... scan the vin number and it'll come up as a tahoe. then you select 4x2 or 4x4 and 4.8 or 5.3. it doesnt give 6.0 as an option. i dont remember if you can manually put what type of engine or not but i guess having connections if i was to get the 6.0 in i'd have to get the emissions ran as a denali or escalade since they have 6.0's.... i'll call my partner at jiffy lube and see if the engine type can be put in manually.

as for the cat, i'll end up putting a magnaflow high flow cat and magnaflow muffler on the hoe in the next few weeks... dont know if its a 2.5in or 3in though... perhaps you guys can help me.


Mike, ive been looking into the BB tune or just getting my own programmer. is there any advantage in using the bb tune vs a hand programmer or laptop programmer?
Cai i plan to do, advanced auto has spectra's for $130.
muffler wise which has a better tone that doesnt drone? i know flowmasters usually drone and ive never heard of or heard a Spintech. thats why i was gonna stick to the magnaflow especially since its only like $75... i heard its good to get the y pipe cut off as well when swapping mufflers.. is this true or is it for tone??

 

[dwmmatt23]

muffler wise which has a better tone that doesnt drone? i know flowmasters usually drone and ive never heard of or heard a Spintech. thats why i was gonna stick to the magnaflow especially since its only like $75... i heard its good to get the y pipe cut off as well when swapping mufflers.. is this true or is it for tone??

I just started looking into these spintech mufflers, to me from the youtube vids ive seen and research they seem to give the same kind of deep throaty sound you get from the corsa sport, someone please correct me if i am wrong because i wanted to get the corsa but dont have the cash flow for them and what ive been looking for soundwise these seem to have for a fraction of the cost. however I love my magnaflow i currently have on but im looking for a more loud throatier sound

 

[tjr5150]

I've had that code. I just tighten my gas cap till it clicks 5-6 times..