can this get clogged up and mess up engine performance?

 

There's a round fiberglass filter underneith the can. That gets clogged over time. Unless somehow raw gas is coming from the gas tank vent and getting into the cannister, I doubt it will have much effect one way or the other on performance. It's strictly an emissions item. It's designed to keep raw fuel vapors from the gas tank and carb float bowl from escaping into the atmosphere. The engine purges the can of these vapors as you drive. Air comes up through the filter on the bottom to help the charcoal outgas those vapors. Not much else to say on it.

 

I have seen these canisters get soaked in gas for some unknown reason. If that happens with a carb type engine the purge cycle can suck up pieces of charcoal into the carb. You can guess the rest.

 

How neccessary is the canister? My puked everywhere and I just took it out and forgot about it. You just reminded me actually. What can I put over the end of the tube to keep dirt and crap out. I'm not going to crimp the end closed or anything like that. I just need a filter of some type.

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82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter

 

The thing is my 89 firebird formula doesn't have a filter, I would have to get the whole new canister, anyone have the same problem?

 

Twiztid, right on, cause I have a 91 RS and I don't have a filter on or anywhere near my canister. I have seen several posts stating that there is a filter
on the bottom of the canister but I cannot find it and I understand the canister is not
servicable and is GM only( expensive).
since replacing my fuel tank under warrantee
for a crack in the filler neck, and replacing
the canister, i have improved gas smell quite a bit, but some days The damn thing still stinks like raw gas. I have no leaks that are detectible at this time and it is a random event. I would sure like to find out where this filter is supposed to be and what else besides s$#$%y GM fuel tanks cause gas smell.thanks....bob


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91 camaro RS convert
t-5
open element air cleaner
TBI spacer
Flowmaster muffler
3.42 Torsen posi

 

I just totally removed mine. I blocked off the line back at the fuel tank.

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'97 Bonneville SSE

 

The filter is on the bottom of the canister. It's a big cotton puff, about 6 inches diameter. It fits into a groove on the bottom of the canister.

Basically if you flip the canister upside down, and you see black plastic "vents" with cotton sticking through- your filter is MISSING.

If you flip the canister upside down and see a disgusting piece of yellow/black cotton covering the bottom, your filter is where it should be... and it should be replaced with a fresh clean white one.

[edit] Oops, damn, forgot to say: Purolator definately makes a filter for this. I bought one at Pep Boys a few years ago for $1.50, or something cheap like that. The canister is actually called an EEVCS system, or something like that... I don't have enough coffee in me yet to remember.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited November 13, 2000).]

 

TomP, I wonder if the canister for your engine is different than mine? I will take the canister off again and check it out.
I hope you are right cause that may be cause of fuel smell......bob

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91 camaro RS convert
t-5
open element air cleaner
TBI spacer
Flowmaster muffler
3.42 Torsen posi

 

Some gas tanks are prone to allowing liquid fuel to come up the vent pipe and go through the rubber tubing all the way into the cannister. Topping off the gas tank (Oh boy! Cheap gas! I'm gonna load up!) will do it every time with such cars.

If you want to keep your cannister and stuff, set the cannister up as high as possible under the hood. Also, trace the rubber vent tubing all the way back to the tank. Splice an extra length of rubber tubing a run a loop of that tubing up as high as possible ABOVE the tank.

The whole idea is to make any fuel that splashes up in the hose to drain back to the tank rather than run forward, get in the can and stink up everything.

 

RSilver, maybe you're right. The "newest" canister I checked out was from an '87 f-body. Let us know! Anyone have a Helms shop manual that mentions the filter?

I just thought of something- There's one place I could've written down the Purolator filter #- I'll check for it tonight.

Ah- wait, I thought of something else- I used & abused carparts.com- Found a bunch of canister filters, under "Replacement parts: Filters, Ignition, & TuneUp: Filters & PVC Valves"

'86 Firebird, 2.8 MPFI

Fram: BA357, $2
Wix: 42998, $2
AC: A478C or A478CB, $2
Standard: CF1, $2
Borg/Warner: EC201, $2
Hastings: VF1, $2

'91 Camaro, RS Convert, 305 TBI "Vin E"

The same part #'s are listed, but only by Wix, AC, Standard, and Hastings. That's odd.

Of course they didn't list Purolator- I'll check anyway tonite. This message should be re-titled "The Great Charcoal Canister Filter Mystery"!


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

TomP, No s$#%, it is a mystery to me but I am gonna check it out this weekend. thanks for the part #'s!!!

jrr, that is the best explanation I have heard and great possible fix. I don't know anyone at GM who has a solution,( I talked to a number of people) so this is great. Thanks.....bob

------------------
91 camaro RS convert
t-5
open element air cleaner
TBI spacer
Flowmaster muffler
3.42 Torsen posi

 

Does anyone know of a shorter and/or smaller canister that would still accept the stock hook-ups on my '88 GTA 350? I tried running without the cannister in the way of the air filter cannister (already windowed) and picked up .12 in the quarter mile and almost 2 mph. However, I would still like to keep a charcoal cannister on the car and the original is almost too large to put anywhere else.
jms

 

I removed my cannister completely and just capped the end of the tube with a rubber vacuum plug and a clamp. Is this safe or no? I've never over-filled my tank and I figure that the line to the cannister is only or mostly vapor right?

Are there any problems with doing this? I know it won't affect a fuel injected car like it might a carb since the problem of vapor lock is done away with. So what reason is there that might make me put it back other than to satisfy big brother?

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1991 RS LT1 - red/black, all-forged 355 with Stage 2 GTP heads and custom grind, bolt-ons, and D-1sc on the horizon.

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Brett, in your case it would be to keep Big Brother happy. He has a way of showing up when you decide to sell or trade your car in!

 

Rsilver, you're welcome! I couldn't find the paper where I would've written down the Purolator number, I have a feeling it's long gone


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

I tried to replace the filter in my canister once too, but you can't. The canister is completely sealed, and has no vents on the bottom. I looked in my Chilton's manual and it says there are two different types of canisters, ones with and without replaceable filters.

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Black 88 GTA L98
New engine is in!
ZZ4 bottom end, Edelbrock 6085 heads, LT4 HOT cam, GMPP 1.6 RR's, ported stock TPI, SLP 1 3/4" headers, no cat, Dynomax cat-back
E.T.F.A Member #11

 

The newer f-body cars DON'T have filters on them that you can service. You must buy a whole new canister that is a dealer only item and expensive b/c of that. I suppose you could try cutting the bottom out and then replacing the filter but I'll try that once mine finally craps out on me. So far mine seems to be holding up just fine.

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1988 TA 300+hp 350 w/ TBI and Holley TB unit, Holley projection intake,
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