Charcoal canisters and pollution control....

[terriphill]

I would like to hear your thoughts on reinstalling the charcoal canisters and the pollution control stuff on our B. In the trunk is a device that has a line that runs from the charcoal canisters in the front to a line that comes up beside the fuel pump, a line attached to the trunk hinges, runs around and back through this thing and down into a valve by the gas tank. Do I have to reinstall this? How does it attach? I have managed to puzzle through some of this, but none of it was attached when I got the B and I am wondering about its necessity.
Can you bypass any of it? I have searched e-bay for pics of this thing in a trunk and of course nobody shows this assembly. One showed what looked like a fuel filter attached where it first enters the trunk, but then it runs under the carpet in the pic and I can't seem to figure out what goes where...
Any pictures or comments would be appreciated...its been a slow day trying to figure this out.

 

[PAUL161]

Terri, I should know from your previous posts, but what year is your "B"?
Does the canister in the trunk look like this?

 

[Jack_Long]

The evaporative emissions system really does not impede performance at all. If you have all the parts, I would reinstall them.

 

[Nunyas]

with what he said... It doesn't hurt the performance of the engine at all. The canister in the trunk is supposed to allow vapors to condense again and drip back into the fuel tank. The line going into the top of that canister goes to the charcoal canisters in the engine compartment. The line leaving the bottom of this canister connects to the fuel tank.

 

[davester]

I've actually wanted to reconnect the system on my GT. However, the last time the gas tank was changed out there were no replacements available with the connections for the evap recovery system so it has remained disconnected, and a small hole was drilled in the gas cap seal to allow venting. I've wondered if it might be feasible to have a connector attached to the upper side of the fill pipe near the gas cap in lieu of the gas tank connector which connected to a baffled cavity at the top of the gas tank. I do have a spare fill pipe to play around with. Does anybody have any thoughts on this (and what size connector I'd need)?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

If it makes you feel better about the world do it, then do it, but smog pumps never were anything other than a deception to fool the goverment, if you're really feeling greenish, put a fuel injection system that is computer controlled on the car along with a universal cat converter, then you really accomplished something green wise. I'm sure others will try to convince you I'm wrong about smog pumps, but all they ever did was to delute what came out the tailpipe to appear cleaner than what it really is, if they were truely effective, they would still be on cars today.

 

[davester]

Actually Hap, whatever you think of smog pumps, I wasn't talking about that. The evap control system's only function AFAIK is to capture evaporating vapor from the fuel and float bowl vents (definitely a significant emissions source) and either condense and send it back to the fuel tank or sorb it onto activated charcoal. Since mine was disconnected/vented it has been mildly annoying on hot days to have my garage (right next to the dining room) smell of gasoline.

 

[terriphill]

Terri, I should know from your previous posts, but what year is your "B"?
Does the canister in the trunk look like this?

That's it exactly. What is that mounted to? I figured out how to connect the lines, but the canister was just laying there. I don't want it rattling around and I know it attaches to something, but there are no holes and I can't seem to get it to line up on the lights or anything else.

 

[terriphill]

Oh this is an 80 MGB

 

[Bruce74B]

On my 74, there is a little 1/2 inch bracket that is hung from the inner fender, right in front of the marker light. The hoses support the rest of it and it does move around easily, but not far...hook it up and smell fresh air.

Bruce

 

[PAUL161]

Terri, I'm sure you know by now that the top connection goes to the charcoal canister. The only reason I hooked everything up on the 72 is, we wanted it be as it came from the factory. I have noticed no difference in performance with or without the emissions system being hooked up. I don't know the technical aspects of whether the older system limits pollution or not, but the late models with the cat system should. PJ

 

[terriphill]

On my 74, there is a little 1/2 inch bracket that is hung from the inner fender, right in front of the marker light. The hoses support the rest of it and it does move around easily, but not far...hook it up and smell fresh air.

Bruce

Found it and hung it there. It seems so flimsy compared to how everything else is bolted down tight. Thank you!

 

[MGZT260]

A faulty charcoal canister evap system can have an effect on performance. How do they work? Vacuum. What happens if there is a leaking vacuum line somewhere in teh system? It can affect total vacuum available to other functions such as timing advance. You would not run around knowingly with the distributor hose simply unplugged. Also charcoal canister can get to point of full saturation and may need replacement. Usual cause is topping off fuel tank after nozzle shuts off. But hey, owners of British vehicles never have that problem as we're usually luck to have enough gas in tank just to start vehicle and never enough spare change to completely fill tank.

 

[WA1KWA]

But hey, owners of British vehicles never have that problem as we're usually luck to have enough gas in tank just to start vehicle and never enough spare change to completely fill tank.

Now <span style="font-style: italic">there's</span> a truisim!

Colin

 

[terriphill]

But hey, owners of British vehicles never have that problem as we're usually luck to have enough gas in tank just to start vehicle and never enough spare change to completely fill tank.

Now <span style="font-style: italic">there's</span> a truisim!

Colin

That's cause we spend I spare change buying new parts!!!