Shark Racer

I just replaced a hose in front of the carb and two others broke in the process. The 1/4" hose that broke travels all the way down to a silver can in the driver's side fender.

Is that a charcoal canister or a vacuum tank? I can't really tell. My car is a 78 w/ California Emissions. Also, if I decide to replace that hose (I currently chopped it in half and have a coupler attached to new 1/4"), how the hell do I get down there to get it out? Looks like they installed it without an engine in the car. I swear, when I replace my motor, all this annoying stuff is gonna get fixed, first!

-Steve

PS I could probably kill a person with the length of hose I took off.


[Modified by Pacin'California, 8:08 AM 9/16/2003]

Crash80

On my '80, the vacuum canister is right between the headlights up front. It literally looks like a five pound Folgers coffee can sprayed black with all the necessary vaacuum hoses. I am not sure on the '78, but it seems the vaacuum canister is in more or less the same place but is made more like a long horizontal tube instead of the coffee can I have. I believe there was a design change from the type you have to what I have to save on weight, but it is generally in the same area. Having said all that, the line you speak of, I am not sure about, especially since it may have California emissions on it. These cars do have a somewhat conviluted vacuum system on them, I agree with you on that. Someone with more knowledge than I will chime in soon. Best of luck to you!

Boofers

word

Shark Racer

Yep. I am not entirely sure what the canister is in the fender, I'm thinking it is emissions related though. I do have the long horizontal tube in the front.

-Steve

Neo Fender

The charcoal cannister on my '79 is located in the drivers side fender and is mounted to the wheelwell.

Shark Racer

That's probably what I'm fighting with, then. Do you know a good way to get at that sucker?

theoUK

That's the evaporative canister, in your fender (drivers side?) filled with charcoal. Does it have a handfull of different bore vac pipes going to/from it? That's the location on my 80 anyway - don't see why it would be in a different location on the earlier models, so i suspect thats definitely it. It does look like a pig to get to, but its not too bad if you take the louvre out of the fender vent. You can reach in side through there then, and put hoses on etc.
Squirt a good dose of WD 40 on the hose ends, 'cos they'll no doubt be practically glued on there with old age and crud. That should make 'em slide of more easily. On mine, they are kind of linked in pairs by rubber strap things where they go onto the canister, so you might end up having to pull two off, to get one off, if you see what i mean!
:cheers:

Shark Racer

The 78 has fiberglass where you guys have a plastic vent. :(

The_Dude

I'm pretty sure that's the charcoal canister. You should have a pretty big hose coming off of the carburetor vent going to this canister.

theoUK

Ooh. Thats a bit bloody inconsiderate, you should have thought of that when you bought it :D
Sorry, not funny.
If you unbolt the bracket that holds the can (one or two self tappers into the frame), you might be able to drop it a little, enough to pull off the hoses. You can get to the bolts by just lying back beside the front wheel and reaching up. I'm trying to remember if you can reach down from the top at all...
Do you have cruise? If you do, the cruise transducer comes out quite easily (two bolts, dont forget one has an earth strap to it) and you might be able to reach downwards...
Good luck!

Neo Fender

IIRC, I was able to reattach the hoses while it was installed. I had to remove it once to replace the windshield washer pump. Kind of a PITA to re-align the bolt holes but not too bad.

Shark Racer

Actually, it seems the brake equipment is more in the way than the cruise. I think I won't deal with it for now.

Have you guys seen the silicon hose that Paragon sells? That seems like a neat way to spruce up the engine compartment, and worse come to worse, you could always color code stuff...

Corvettewolf

You can get to the canister from underneath and comes out easily. I removed mine ( on an 81 ) You should be aware that the fuel tank vents into this canister, you should therefore use a vented filler cap if you disconnect the cannister

Fasteighty

:lol: :lol: :lol:

That's exactly what I thought the first time I saw it.