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  #1  
Old 05-26-2021, 10:55 PM
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Purge Valve code 44, P0444, sort of

2001 X5 3.0i, almost 200k miles, running perfectly other than this

Need to get a California smog check in the next couple of weeks.

I think there is something wrong with my OBDII communications, probably on the ECU end. I've tested voltages at the port ( https://xoutpost.com/1202265-post2.html ), and the port seems fine, but I have reduced functionality with my Foxwell, and have had zero functionality with my PA Soft BMW Scanner 1.4 for the past year or so (which worked fine before that).

On the Foxwell, I now need to enter the VIN manually vs. automatic reading, which used to work. And it appears to only successfully run 4 of the 20 or so groups when doing an auto scan. It looks like it tries to run all 20, but they must fail to run, it times out, and skips to the next one without showing any reported results, pass or fail.

I have no CELs of any type (e.g., Service Engine Soon). But when doing the Foxwell auto scan, I get one fault, which is in the DME group:
44: DME: Activation, solenoid valve; tank ventilation


I believe this maps to the P0444 code, which usually is related to the gas cap or the purge valve. Gas cap is good. Checking the purge valve itself, it measures about 28 Ohms, as it should; clicks clearly when 12V is applied; I did not remove it to check if the valve actually opens to allow air flow.

I first noticed that a couple of hundred miles ago, reset it with the Foxwell, and it came back. I don't want to reset it again as that may cause smog check failure.

Any advice on other debugging I can do here? Short term, I just want to get past this smog check.

Any advice on the likelihood of success with the CA smog check? On one hand, I'm thinking that if I have partial OBDII communication issues, the test may not even start, let alone pass. But lots of things out here don't exactly make sense, and I'm thinking to give it a shot.

With no CEL, but a DME: 44 code, will that give certain failure?

Again, car runs perfectly, no warning lights on the dash. There is nothing custom or crazy going on with the wiring in this car. Nothing aftermarket. 2001-era BMW GPS is as good as it never was.
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Old 05-27-2021, 08:10 AM
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You are likely not getting all pins connected with scanner.

Try to insert the plug farther and also to pull out slightly. My new thinkdiag won't see ecm unless I push it in quite firmly.

Check the inside of foxwell plug for bent pins also.

No way passes with the error it's part of emission monitor.

Foxwell obd section has a section for readiness monitoring and will tell you readiness state of each monitor. You can test the purge valve with the foxwell ( in the BMW section of course)
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Old 05-27-2021, 01:57 PM
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I had the same code on my 2001 3.0 after I changed the headgasket.
I went to the self serve junk yard and came home with 3 purge valves all for $20. It's not hard to take these out. I made a power source from a 12v calculator transformer and a couple alligator clips and was able to put voltage to the two pins and hear a click. I blew a couple PSI into the valve and activated it and found I had a couple that worked including my original. I used brake cleaner to clean them just for fun. Put the original back in and still got the code. I looked at the connectors on the wiring look under the intake and discovered I had mixed up the only two that could be interchanged. One had only one wire and I had this connected to my purge valve. The configuration of the two connectors were different, one was straight and the other was 90 degrees. My suggestion would be to test the purge valve as I did or if you also had the intake loom off at a recent point, verify the connectors didn't get switched. As a final effort, check for cracks in the vacuum line between the purge valve and the back of the intake manifold to be sure everything is connected.
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Old 07-27-2021, 05:07 PM
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I wanted to update this with the solution.

I bench tested the original (date code 2001) purge valve every which way possible (solenoid resistance, Foxwell active testing, confirming the valve was opening and closing), and it seemed perfect.

But I had read other cases on other BMW forums about this situation and it seemed that the smart money was on replacing with only a Genuine BMW part. I went with that, 13-90-1-433-603 , and the code never came back.

Maybe an aftermarket part for 1/3 the price would have worked, but considering already existing uncertainty about a bench-tested part still throwing a code, I did not want to take a chance.

I also found some weird non-synchronization with the BMW DME-44 code, OBD2 P0444 code, and SES light. The BMW code would show up with neither the OBD2 code nor the SES light. And then the OBD2 code would come along to join the BMW 44 code, but still no SES light. And then eventually the SES light would come on as well. That was a surprise to me. I expected them to all be there or none of them.

Passed CA smog earlier today.
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