Replacement with miniature charcoal cannister?

[stinkyonion]

Ever since getting the turbophil clam hinge it is of vital importance to keep all weight out of the trunk for easy and lower risk clam opening and closing. Ive opened and closed like 300 times now and have learned no amp, battery, or anything else should be in trunk.

So, the battery (odyssey 625) was moved to charcoal canister's spot. I did the charcoal cannister delete mod, but always have engine light now (big leak, little leak in evap system). I can mail ecu to charlie and have vapor system deleted from ecu, or reinstall canister system. Cant bare to continue with MIL light on because Im too paranoid that an additional alarm will be stacked on top of current alarms and I wont know.

I bought a Ducati motorcycle charcoal cannister on ebay for $8. I want to replace the stock with this canister as it is small enough to still fit in engine bay. It is too small for Elise gas tank, but has to be better than nothing in terms of pollution and better still will get rid of the MIL.

Is this reasonable?

Any motorcycle users out there that can tell me which fitting is which ? The smaller bottom right port (the only straight one) is the only one with a oneway valve that only lets me suck so I assume it goes to carb. Dunno which of the other two is which but guess the top one is purge and the bottom is to tank? Sorry for photoing it upside down and backwards, descriptions as pictured though.

Hose sizes way different diameter from stock but I dont think that matters. After seriously researching how the ecu checks the vapor system and trying to figure it out for the lotus, it appears that it lets the vacuum line establish vacuum in tank, then closes the carb and purge valves to seal off the tank (maintaining connection to charcoal canister only), and verifies that the pressure sensor in the tank shows a vacuum for a certain length of time as indirect evidence of no leaks.

[Eyelise]

I was thinking the same. Another thought I had was mimicking the signal from the sensor in the tank with a resistor. At least it would get rid of the Mil. I mainly track the car so would like to have the Mil clear but I'm not so concerned about the other issues.

[Demonized]

Generally the engine light will blink if there is a catastrophic error, if it makes you feel any better. Solid state CEL usually signifies an emission related problem.

[stinkyonion]

I did one trip to autozone and one trip to pep boys to buy various sizes of fuel tubing and connectors. Installed in passenger wheel vent area, took about an hour (with clam tilted). Drove 200 miles. Multiple stops. No MIL !!!!! The cannister was $8 + $10 shipping. Think I spent about $30 on tubing/connectors. Today I solved the airbag MIL (How to get rid of airbag MIL now that you have harness) and the engine MIL that have both been on for about a year.

[Demonized]

Originally Posted by stinkyonion

I did one trip to autozone and one trip to pep boys to buy various sizes of fuel tubing and connectors. Installed in passenger wheel vent area, took about an hour (with clam tilted). Drove 200 miles. Multiple stops. No MIL !!!!! The cannister was $8 + $10 shipping. Think I spent about $30 on tubing/connectors. Today I solved the airbag MIL (How to get rid of airbag MIL now that you have harness) and the engine MIL that have both been on for about a year.

Have a picture of the finished installation?

You might even be able to make a kit.

[stinkyonion]

Next time I open the clam I will take a shot. I justed wanted to make sure there are no MIL for like a week before I make the tutorial. Saved the packages, will provide complete info. Of course, there are only so many motorcycle charcoal canisters for sale on ebay. Also, each will be different, requiring different connectors. Sector 111 should make a standard kit maybe.

[shay2nak]

how much weight does this save? 5lbs?

[Eyelise]

hey Stinky,

What brand canister did you end up finding? Did you reconnect all OEM lines? I'd definitely be interested in a pic. I'd like to work on the MILs I will generate with the TVS system. I can't see passing inspection with an emmisions MIL from a disconnected charcoal canister.

[Noizemaker]

Whoa. Nice mod, nice find on the part. Guess I know what i'm using in the project car now... now I have room for more stuff I need in the bumper on that car!

[Eyelise]

I need some help with basics. What is the function of each of these components?

[Harix]

Charcoal canister is the container that absorb and recover all the fumes from the gas tank temporarily. The fumes then will got sucked into intake manifold by the ECU controlled electromagnetic vacuum switching valve during certain condition: normal engine temperature, non-idle, non-wot, normal engine load (cruising). None of the gas fumes goes to the atmosphere.

[Eyelise]

The attachment to the left must be the valve. Ahose attaches from the tank to the top of the canister. What is the attachemnt to the right?

Originally Posted by Harix

Charcoal canister is the container that absorb and recover all the fumes from the gas tank temporarily. The fumes then will got sucked into intake manifold by the ECU controlled electromagnetic vacuum switching valve during certain condition: normal engine temperature, non-idle, non-wot, normal engine load (cruising). None of the gas fumes goes to the atmosphere.

[Harix]

That could be a air filter. When the purge happen, the air enter the filter, charcoal canister and continuesly got sucket into the intake manifold and burned.

[luxige]

The thing on the right is the canister close valve. It closes (seals off) the evap system while the ECU is testing the system for leaks. They will occasionally fail shut, causing the tank to build vacuum as fuel is burned; this results in an audible swoosh of inrushing air when the gas cap is loosened.

[stinkyonion]

Update. The motorcycle charcoal canister didnt allow air flow fast enough during refueling. This made it so the pump would click off all the time even when barely pressing the trigger. So I bought another charcoal cannister from ebay from a MG ($8 plus $10 shipping and handline). It is a third the size of the OEM canister and has very low resistance to airflow (like OEM and unlike the motorcycle canister). Will install tomorrow and see what happens.

[Eyelise]

does the end on the right connect to anything?

[luxige]

Originally Posted by Eyelise

does the end on the right connect to anything?

Nope, open to ambient air.