If your system is under enough pressure with smoke it will show you where the leak is. You did not get any smoke which leads me to believe you did not charge the system correctly with smoke. Do this. Apply pressure to the system and use a spray bottle with simple green to locate the bubbles.

Carfixer007, I just wanted to apologize for my comment yesterday. I was having a bad day and this evap problem is driving me crazy. hope there's no hard feelings and thanks again for your helping me.

No problem. I have bad days too. If you can use your tire pump to pressurize the system you can find leaks with the simple green. Make sure you spray the canister as they will crack.
Either way this will find a large leak. Don't put more than 5 or 6 psi. You can spray as someone charges it.

I meant both. The evaporative and fuel systems are closely connected. The evap system controls evaporating fuel like at the top of the fuel tank, and the gas cap, and the cannister. Pressurize one part and you're pressurizing pretty much all of it, give or take small sections behind a non-leaky valve etc.

Good news. I used a spray bottle yesterday and found a leak. It's where the plastic hose that comes from the canister connects with the metal pipe that goes to the purge valve. I was able to test everything except the filler neck. I'm gonna try to check that tonight. I hope this is it. I'm about to loose my mind. my plates are expired and this is the only thing stopping me from getting them. it failed emissions just because the I/M monitor for evap wasn't ready. then I had to drive it 400 miles before it finally did it's thing and gave me the P044 code for large leak.
as always I'll keep you all updated. thanks again!

sorry, i meant P0440.

Repair that and check it again after just to be sure. Did you spray down the can?
BTW I think there's info on how to get the system to run the evap test without doing all that driving.

I did sprayed down the canister. no bubbles. I checked the filler pipe also and no bubbles.
can you or anyone tell me how to repair this vapor line? I can't find a replacement and the repair kits I've seen I'm not sure of.
what size is the line? 5/16? or what, I can't find it in the service manual. they tell how to replace it but not the size.
the pic shows where the bubbles came out. right above the rubber cover.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...bef94ffe5b.jpg

saw on another forum my evap lines should be 5/16 of an inch.
I ordered a new filler neck and fuel line hose and clamps to repair the lines. I'll let you know when I'm done what I come up with.

That'll likely fix it.