Another EVAP thread.. Code P0441 help

[E36 Em Tree]

So short story, drove the car 300+ miles to get i/m systems ready for CA smog. Only one that isn't read is evap (which is fine cause 99 and older is allowed one incomplete momitor)monitor. Today, I go to the smog/star shop and dude has a device on the car keeping the RPMs at 1500-2000 for probably about 20 min cause he was on the phone. He also opened the gas cap for some reason during the smog check. Anyways he turned it on/off and CEL came on and he tried to proceed. I told him whatre you doing.. you see the car has a CEL and you're still gonna test it.. I tell him nope and to stop. I had my obd2 scanner there and it gave me P0441 which I know could sometimes be a loose gas cap (which he did check). The car was also idling for 45+ min without driving with any issues until he touched it.

Anyways could this also be an issue with the GAS PURGE VALVE that's under the intake? I only tested the vacuum when the car was on and idling but it was able to suck my finger when I placed it over the valve. I then disconnected the solenoid and tube and tried it again and i could still feel the vacuum..

Should the purge valve always remain open with no power? I don't have a meter to test rn. I'm gonna try this again on a cold state tomorrow and see if it's closed after a cold soak but during warm idle there was pressure.

Livid at the way the dude did the testing too. Anyways any help with P0441 issue would help.. thats constructive. I already wiped the gas cap and filler tube down and made sure the cap was on tight. Did a few starts and the CEL didn't come back but still wondering about the purge valve before i replace it.

I was also wondering if thats why my car hasn't had evap ready for over 400 miles due to a bad purge valve.

If you're confused about my post just lmk and ask questions haha this is already a lot to type

[craigjimc]

For an EVAP leak I always check the 6-mm fitting at the top of the vapor recovery tank behind the right rear fender shield. It often cracks leading to "Small Evap Leak" fault at first depending on the size of the failure.

[E36 Em Tree]

I tried to replicate the conditions , minus the gas cap being loose, and was unable to get p0441 again. I'm thinking it was the the dude who took off my gas cap and didn't completely put it back on. I took off the solenoid and the breather hose for the gas purge valve under the intake and I got a p0443 code so im.assuming that piece works. If it doesn't then I would have got the purge valve code during the emissions test. I'm thinking the dude was a scam and didn't put the cap on right. He also still tried to run my smog test even though he saw the CEL on and I was like wth are you doing.

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For an EVAP leak I always check the 6-mm fitting at the top of the vapor recovery tank behind the right rear fender shield. It often cracks leading to "Small Evap Leak" fault at first depending on the size of the failure.

I'll check this out too