Missing charcoal canister
 

Here's the story, I bought an 87 T/A a year ago. Well the PO had removed the charcoal canister and purge valve. So you can guess my car doesn't run good for to long. Now I've looked for a new canister even a good used one. Not sold new and the salvadge yards haven't turned up any good ones.
So my question is there any way to run this way: I know I can get a purge valve. but since the canister neads to be monitered/controled by the computer is there any possible way to get around this.
Any help would be helpfull :
Thank you

Re: Missing charcoal canister
 

The missing canister should not affect your drivability. The 87 program would only open the purge valve during part throttle cruise anyway. The slight difference in the fuel trims without the added fuel vapors is of little concern. The problem you may have is if the tank is not vented. You need to find the vapor line that used to go to the canister and be sure it isn't plugged or full of garbage.

Re: Missing charcoal canister
 

Yes a missing or damaged canister will effect drivability.
No the problem is not that the tank is not vented. The vent by the tank is an intake vent not an exhaust style vent. Its to let freash are into the tank if neaded.
My vapor line is directly conected to the TB. No its not plugged up.

Now I don't mean to sound ignorant but I'm not neading anyone to tell me what it might be or like that. I know this is the problem. I know I need a charcoal cannister and purge valve. But untill I can find a good canister I'm looking for a way to run this car with out it.
If I usethe purgevalve that I can buy now for around $20. do you think this will help?
OR does anyone know how I can run this car with out the canister ?
I do plan on putting everything on the car like it should be when I find all the part.

Re: Missing charcoal canister
 

Im sorry to argue, but after 35 years as a drivability technician and 20 years as a GM drivability specialist, I try to prevent misinformation as mush as possible. A clogged canister can cause surging because of it's effect on tank pressure. A saturated canister can cause a temporary rich condition while the canister clears. A missing canister, unless the vapor line is plugged and the tank is not otherwise vented, WILL NOT affect drivability.

As I said before, and this comes from decades of dealing with GM EVAP systems. The early systems were very simple. In order to avoid any adverse effect on engine performance during warm up or heavy load, the purge canister is run by ported intake vacuum and will not operate during heavy engine loads(low vacuum), at idle, or when the engine is cold. The only way you will get an effect on drivability from a missing canister is if the vapor hose to the canister and EVAP purge control valve is plugged.

As far as whether changing the EVAP purge valve will help you, if the purge vapor line is plugged, nothing short of removing whatever is plugging it will help. The purge valve in 87 is a simple open/close valve. Using a vacuum pump, apply vacuum to the engine side of the valve. It should hold vacuum when closed. Then, using a set of fused test leads, apply 12v to the solenoid. The valve should click open, and the vacuum should quickly drop off. If the valve does not pass this test, replace it.