Codes, Codes, everywhere there's Codes

[Neen]

So I have CEL on a new (used) 2003 PT Cruiser I picked up this weekend. I ran OBDII and came up with p0440 and p0300 which are Evap System (general) and engine misfire (general) respectively. I would assume that these two codes could and probably are related. Has anyone pulled these two codes together and have an idea what exactly is going on with the PT?
The car runs great under acceleration but is idling VERY bad even stalling sometime. I have put new plugs and wires in so I can remove those problems. I am thinking it could be a plugged PCV but I don't know if that would affect the PT on start up as drastically as it seems. The car has 130,000 miles.

Any ideas?

[slartyblarfast]

The p0440 is Evap general failure. 99.9 perecnt of the time it's the Natural Vacuum Leak detection pump. It's on the side of the gas tank on the charcoal cannister. Not hard to replace but difficult if you don't have a lift. The p0300 is a random missfire. It's seeing missfires on all cylinders fairly evenly. Most likely you just need plugs and wires. I would also recommend a timing blet and water pump due to miles.

[Neen]

Well, I have already changed the plugs and wires and the timing belt was replaced in the last 30K miles so I wouldn't think those would be the issue. I will definetly look into the Natural Vacuum Leak pump and replace taht if needed. Can you clean the Natural Vacuum pump or is there s rubber seal that goes bad in them?
Also, yesterday I went to install a pvc valve adn when I went to unscrew the exisitng valve the damn thing broke off at the valve cover!!! So now I have to take the whole valve cover off adn hone that sucker out of there.

[slartyblarfast]

Pcv breaking is not uncommon. It's a pain. Is the engine running rough? With out laying hands on it I can't really do a good job of diagnosing.

[Mean Green]

Do you top off your gas tank all of the time?

[Neen]

Well I got the PCV valve out after much cursing and some creative drilling techniques. The car still is idling a bit off yet it isn't as bad as it was before. With a general misfire code 0300...is there a possibility the coil pack is bad and if so how do you diagnose that?

Mean Green, I always fill to to one click but I just recently purchased this car so I am unaware what the PO did. Does that affect something?

[CREWZIN]

Neen, welcome to the forum. What MG is referring to is yo have to make sure you click the cap tight after filling (about 3 clicks) or the computer might throw a code.

About your coil pack, it's about the last thing to go bad.