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Evaporative Monitor:



Pre-requisite: No codes present, fuel level between 50 and 75%, IAT and ECT between 40 and 95 degrees F, altitude below 7801 ft, 8-hour cold soak



- Release pressure in fuel tank by removing and replacing gas cap before start up



- Idle engine until ECT is 167 degrees F or more



- Raise engine speed to 3000 rpm for 10 sec.



- Idle engine with AC on for 15-50 minutes (if no AC, turn on rear defroster and headlamps).



I believe these are the necessary conditions for my evap monitor to run. This morning, having read the above, and having met the pre-requisite conditions, I removed and replaced the cap, (no pressure was present) then started the car and drove about 2 miles to the local McDonalds. While waiting in line at the drive-up idling in drive for maybe five minutes total, I put the car in neutral and revved the engine to 3000 rpm for a slow count of 10. I then turned the AC on and drove two miles home and let the car idle in the driveway (AC still on). I was gonna let it sit for the specified 15 minutes, but the windows in the house were open and I didn't want the fumes coming in, so with the car running, I plugged in my code reader - green light! No more flashing ev icon. The evap monitor had run.



The above procedure could explain why the evap monitor had not run previously - I had filled the tank shortly after clearing the codes. And, after having driven ~140 miles the previous two days, this morning the tank was just at the 3/4 mark. I cannot be certain that these conditions will work everytime, but I thought I would document them for the next poor schmuck who needs to pass a smog test and has just cleared his codes.