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Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

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Vic Roma

Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

How long should a charcoal fuel vapor canister last?

Reading online, it could be changed whenever it's required eg if it's filled with dirt/debris, but otherwise, it should last the life of the vehicle.

Would like to read about your experiences.

1984 Bronco 351 Holley Sniper EFI, 3 Speed Ford Auto.
1986 Bronco 302 EFI, AOD, Eddie Bauer, with 3G alternator.

Vic Roma

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Has anyone ever changed it because they just wanted to, or because they needed to?

1984 Bronco 351 Holley Sniper EFI, 3 Speed Ford Auto.
1986 Bronco 302 EFI, AOD, Eddie Bauer, with 3G alternator.

Gary Lewis

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

I've never changed one. I have removed some as I was stripping vehicles, but saved them 'cause I think they'll still work.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Glad this came up. I'm having difficulty getting gas into my tank, keeps wanting to belch out...have to fill it very slowly. According to my google-fu this can be because the vapor canister is backed up or plugged not allowing the vapors to escape therefore coming back up the fill tube. If the vapors can't escape fast enough you get a shut off or gas back up the fill tube.

So, before I spend the $50 or so I was wondering if there's a way to test my vapor canister to see if it's working. The book says mine is a CP2000 Vapor Canister (assuming that's a standard motor products part number)

Guess: If I follow the vapor hose from the gas tank along the frame and up to the canister, then pull that hose off the canister, I should be able to blow (with an air hose at low pressure) air back into the gas tank (probably should pull the gas cap off the filler tube). That would ensure the line is clear to the canister.

Maybe I should leave that hose off and go fill the tank and see if I still have the problem?

Assuming that fixes the problem, then obviously the vapor canister isn't working. But, for debate sake, how does one test this canister?

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435

Gary Lewis

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

Your plan to test is a good one, but do take the cap off the tank.

However, I am sure you are going to find that with the hose off the tank still has to be filled slowly. I say that because Big Blue didn't have a vapor cannister and it was painfully slow to fill.

The issue usually has to do with the way that Ford ran the vent hose inside the fill hose. In the Bullnose years the gas went down the center and the air vented up around the central hose. But in the Bricknose and later trucks the gas goes down around the central hose and air vents up the middle. That works much better.

You can use the $50 to buy the later filler neck and hoses and that should solve the problem. But don't take my word for it, see what others say.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

I thought the whole idea of a vapor canister was to vent the escaping vapor from the tank elsewhere to be burned? Hmmm.

So, if I purchase a filler tube for an 87+ for the front 19gal tank that'll work? Cool.

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435

Gary Lewis

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

The vapors the cannister is to catch are the ones from evaporating fuel over the time between fillups. But when you fill the tank the air in the tank that is pushed out by the incoming gas just goes into the atmosphere in most places, although some places have a recovery hood on the nozzle to capture it.

See if this post helps: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Big-Blue-s-Transformation-tp28014p69427.html. Big Blue had the later style hose going into a Bullnose tank and it didn't work well at all. So I'm not sure it'll work with you just changing out the filler hose.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

I read you. I need to pull that filler neck and hose to see if it's the right one. There wouldn't happen to be a part number marking for the correct filler neck would there? Maybe I could verify if I have the wrong filler neck without pulling it?

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Doesn't appear LMC or NPD carry the fuel filler tube for a bullnose.

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435

Gary Lewis

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

In reply to this post by MarkThomas

You could look for a number on the hose. BUT, there's something you need to understand about Ford parts - any number you find on a part is not the part number.

Yep. In the mid-1960's Ford had a "Better Idea" and quit placing part numbers on parts. Instead the number is an ID or "engineering" number. And I have a cross reference with hundreds of thousands of numbers that supposedly lets me connect the two.

So if you can find a number on your hose or filler neck maybe I can cross-ref it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Will do Gary, I'm not driving the truck today, but I'll crawl under it tonight.

Here's a thought. The truck came with an '87 bed from the previous owner. The tank and sending unit are new. He may well have bought all '86 parts - tank and sending unit - but, used the '87 filler tube on the bed. If that's true then I have your scenario of an '86 tank and newer filler tube that doesn't quite fit.

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435

Gary Lewis

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

Yep, you may well have the same problem I had. And I can assure you that it will only fill slowly. Man, that was a pain!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Administrator

It has to do with how the vent is captured at the tank and fill neck.
Which of the concentric tubes is fully open, and which is baffled.
A mis-match is going to cause problems.

https://www.fillernecksupply.com/factory-replacement-fuel-filler-necks-gas-tank-pipe-hose/

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

MarkThomas

Re: Charcoal Fuel Vapor Canister Lifespan?

Nice link! Soon as I figure out which one I need I can get that ordered. The hoses are everywhere, but that fill tube is a little more difficult to find.

1986 F250HD 4x4
5.0L EFI, NP435