small evap leak?

So my check engine light came on about a week and a half ago. I took it to autozone to get a free diagnostic test and the result was a small evap leak. I figured it was the gas cap. Since then I have gassed up several times and I always turn the cap five clicks. My light is still on. What can I do to get my light off? What else can cause a small evap leak?

2001 Cherokee
4.0L
4x4

Lots of possibilities.

I'd start with REPLACING the gas cap. As there have been a few people having trouble with certain (not all) aftermarket gas caps, I'd buy this directly from Jeep.

If you have ruled out the gas cap, start by performing an inspection around all the evap. hardware under the hood near the charcoal canister, evap. solenoid, etc. Pay special attention to VACUUM hoses which deteriorate with time and heat.

I had a brand new gas cap and was getting the same code. I just ignored it. I don't care enough about the emissions BS to spend any time or money at all on it.

I would ignore it but I'm worried I won't pass emissions when its time to get my tags.

listen to birchlake. then go from there

My 01 XJ leak was in the evap line that goes down the firewall on the drivers side... the line goes from hard plastic to rubber hose back to hard plastic... the rubber hose drys up and cracks. Inspect all the lines inch by inch starting at the evap purge solenoid that is mounted on the firewall passenger side, tracing them back all the way to the gas tank. Don't forget to inspect/replace your gas cap.

If memory serves, the charcoal canister is on the drivers side near the gas tank. like McQue said, check the rubber hoses. I had to rig up something at the canister on mine. I think they had an elbow with different sizes on each end. Bigger to fit on the plastic hard line, smaller on the side that fit the canister. Rumor has it Jeep only sells the stupid dual sized elbows as part of a 'kit' , which includes the plastic hard line, which you most likely don't need.

Fixing it is definitely better. If it was cheap and easy, I'd fix mine too.

ahhh the lovely EVAP system. About 6 months after buying my '99 I got a small and large evap leak code. I started with the gas cap, not it, replaced some of the rubber hoses that looked bad, fixed it temporarily, then moved on to replacing the EVAP pump. That took care of it...for about 6 months then the codes returned. I'm now about 3 years into owning this XJ and I've resorted to a square of electrical tape over the CEL. It comes and goes all the time. It is getting worse though. Just last week it went off for the first time in months. My inspection was up at the end of September so I ran down to the shop and it passed. The NEXT day the CEL came back on! This is the game I've played for the last three years. It isn't fun.

Yes Jeep only sells a complete kit which is so dumb and it isn't cheap. If they came out with a kit with only the rubber bits I would buy it.

Good luck!

Though rare, my evap issue arose out of crack in the filler neck, where it connects to the gas tank. Fortunately for me, I was only 2 weeks into new ownership of my XJ when the dealer found the problem, and replaced the gas tank under warranty....

I just got done with this on my 99 spent like 8 hour crawling over and under the jeep. I was so angary. by the time i was done i wanted to burn the jeep. :flame: Knock on wood the Cell has been off for about week.

If you have a "smoke machine" you can find the leak the same way the dealership does - blow in lightly pressurized smoke/vapor and see where it comes out.

I could rig one of those up. I'm picturing some oil burning in a pan and my air compressor being involved.