What is this box in my passenger side fender? (pic)

bigcletus94

Registered User
fenderbox.jpg


I was goofing around trying to see what was rattling in my passenger side fender area and found this box. It appears that the top hole on the left is missing a hose. What is this and should there be something plugged into that top-left hole? I think it is for the windshield squirters but I am not sure. Thanks.
 
Evaporative emissions canister. Recycles fumes from your gas tank into the intake. Its for smog, and I believe the uncapped part is a vent. Make sure its secured up in your wheel well against the frame.
 
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I don't know if it's so much for emissions, but I know that it allows your gas tank to vent without stinking your garage up with a gasoline smell.

Micah
 
Interesting. It was pretty loose from when they put my car back together at the body shop. They had only put the top bolt in but had not anchored it in at the bottom. I secured it properly. Thanks for the replies.
 
Micahdogg said:
I don't know if it's so much for emissions, but I know that it allows your gas tank to vent without stinking your garage up with a gasoline smell.

Micah

The company that installed my turbo system decided to remove the charcoal canister to make room for some pipes. Your right, it smells like leaking gas when the car is kept in the garage.

I got another one and will be reinstalling it, because I can't stand the smell.

David
 
Micahdogg said:
I don't know if it's so much for emissions, but I know that it allows your gas tank to vent without stinking your garage up with a gasoline smell.

Micah

Its an Evaporative Emission Canister. Your gas tank Emits Evaporated fuel.
 
The correct term for it, is a charcoal canister. It is full of charcoal ashes and the replies above explain it perfectly.

Chris
 
The Ford shop manual calls it the Evap. Canister. Doesnt make any reference to charcoal .. it says it contains "activated carbon".
 
I think charcoal canister is the more "slang term" used.

I guess if recirculating exhaust back into the intake actually helps reduce emissions, then it makes sense that evaporated fuel could do the same. But it sure seems like it would be primarily for fuel efficiency or just an elaborate way to vent gases before being emissions related.

Then again, doesn't that tie back into the PCV line? Too complicated.

Micah
 
Micahdogg said:
I think charcoal canister is the more "slang term" used.

I guess if recirculating exhaust back into the intake actually helps reduce emissions, then it makes sense that evaporated fuel could do the same. But it sure seems like it would be primarily for fuel efficiency or just an elaborate way to vent gases before being emissions related.

Then again, doesn't that tie back into the PCV line? Too complicated.

Micah

The idea is that it allows gasoline to evaporate without building up pressure in the tank. The vapors are suppose to be absorbed by the carbon, since the vapor is considered a pollution. The when the engine is running a valve opens allowing the engine to draw some intake air through the box, hopefully pulling the vapors back out of the carbon (and bruning them in the engine) to keep the carbon from becoming saturated.

In another related note I have heard, but not seen in person, that the 2005+ Mustangs have a similar concept carbon filter in the air intake path because it was discovered there was some vapor emmisions coming from the engine, out through the intake, when the engine was shut off.
 
So does that mean it is not primarily an emissions device? Does it contribute at all to improving emissions?

Micah
 
I think what Andy is saying is it will reduce the amount of evaporated fuel let into the atmosphere, not out the tail pipe. It's the same reason why they tell you not to gas up on "ozone alert" days or whatever they call them.
 
Micahdogg said:
So does that mean it is not primarily an emissions device? Does it contribute at all to improving emissions?

Micah

Its a Federally mandated device. It doesnt make your engine run more efficiently, but it does improve your gas tank emissions, its just like Andy said about relieving the pressure inside your gas tank ( especially when you have a full tank, or on hot days ). The term Emissions doesnt always specifically have to deal with the exhaust coming out of your engine like it is generally referred. The gas tank has fuel vapor emissions when the fuel becomes agitated. Just like how you could say your engine radiates heat, its an emission, just a Term to describe how something is being expelled.
 
And personally, since my tbird is inside, I'd rather have the vapours be absorbed in the canister, then have someone walk in smoking and blow us all up ;)....

Unless there is a leak in the vacuum lines there shouldn't be any performance hindrance because of it.

Frit
 
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