Another charcoal canister question

[mgmann]

The lines leading to my charcoal canister in my 88 GW are rotting out big time. There’s no way I can get at the ones that run down behind the engine and I don’t even know if the lines that are in place are going where they should.

That being said, I live in a state with no emissions requirements and I’ve also read all the posts that talk about getting a gas smell if you remove the canister.

What if I were to remove the canister, plug the lines and replace the stock gas cap with a vented one. Would that work or would I be opening another can of worms?

[Tripwire]

i removed mine, did not even plug them, only very occasionally do i have a slight gas smell

steve

[acct21]

You have to vent the tank. If you can live with the smell, just vent the cap. The lines behind the engine are hard lines; you can reach them with the rubber lines from the engine bay. The ones from the tank can't really be done without dropping the tank.

[ZackN920]

to add to the above about the tank...
If ya think about it, the soft lines on the tank should be replaced too due to age. I'd keep it and replace the lines. If ya wait, you could (eventually)develop a fuel leak like my 87 dodge has up at the top of the tank. Pulling it this week to replace the soft lines on it.

Mine under the hood are getting real deteriorated looking too. Plenty of cracks if the lines are squeezed or bent with my hands. It wont be easy, but I'm pretty sure I can replace them while laying on the engine. Its not easy working on stuff back there, but it can be done. I'll do that when I do valve cover gaskets (because I'll have to get it all out of the way anyways...)

[johnsonic]

Both of the Wagoneers I've had came with the canister detached and the rubber hose just venting to the engine compartment. I did smell a tiny bit of gas on the last one, but this one not so much.

There's probably a better / safer place to vent gas fumes than the engine compartment though.

[mgmann]

I'm real close to trying this.....

I'm getting real tired of dealing with all those leaky vacuum lines and think I'm going to remove the canister and everything that goes with it.


Has anyone tried using an older style vented cap rather than having the lines vent into the engine compartment?

[babywag]

Lot more work to remove it all than just replace the hoses.

If you yank it the carb bowl, PCV, and distributor vacuum is all routed to canister.
Be sure to adjust the hose routing accordingly.

[acct21]

Tony's right -- it isn't that difficult to replace the lines, and they serve a good purpose. I had an insane fuel leak from the vents plugging on top of my tank -- replaced them, along with 100% of the soft lines from the tank to the hard lines, and from the hard lines to the canister. Now everything works just like it's supposed to, and I don't have to smell gas in my garage.

[tgreese]

Tony's right -- it isn't that difficult to replace the lines, and they serve a good purpose. I had an insane fuel leak from the vents plugging on top of my tank -- replaced them, along with 100% of the soft lines from the tank to the hard lines, and from the hard lines to the canister. Now everything works just like it's supposed to, and I don't have to smell gas in my garage.

+1 for Tony and Acct21. Just fix it. Not difficult.