charcoal canister issue - can't fill gas
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 79
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From: PA
S550 4MATIC W221, W222, Lotus Elise
charcoal canister issue - can't fill gas
OK, my turn to deal with charcoal canister issue. Getting in to the point that I can’t fill gas and the nozzle popped up in every few seconds.
The canister and valve are low tech stuff and how complicated it can be? Decided to check it out.
https://www.parts.com/index.cfm?fuse...iagram=5783450
Took it off (procedures can be found in the forum) and separated shutoff valve from charcoal canister. There are a lot dust between charcoal canister and valve. Opened up the valve, very simple stuff with an electric solenoid and a spring. There is a lot of dusts/debris in the valve too. Cleaned them all up. Using air to blow charcoal canister and felt low resistance, which is good. Shacking the canister and heard charcoal move sound so charcoal is not tarred up.
Next step (you may skip this step as I still think dusts/debris was the cause), put the charcoal canister in oven, set to 280F for 1 hr. ***Be careful to make sure no gasoline is trapped in the container or the thing can catch on fire. *** Increased temperature gradually to 280F. A lot of water steam came out at first 20min, some gas smell, not too bad. Don’t think this way to re-activated charcoal but just to dry it up. To make activated charcoal one needs 1700F in a closed container.
Then put back and all look good.
Went to the same gas station twice and no issue so far.
Also, notice that I am getting 26mpg on the same road trip again. Was 26mpg sometime ago but recently only got 22-23 mpg on the same road trip. So guessing this is part of EMISSION control system and can impact mpg in some way.
Thought to share if you like to play tools. This is a small project and took 2 hours.
correction: 280F
The canister and valve are low tech stuff and how complicated it can be? Decided to check it out.
https://www.parts.com/index.cfm?fuse...iagram=5783450
Took it off (procedures can be found in the forum) and separated shutoff valve from charcoal canister. There are a lot dust between charcoal canister and valve. Opened up the valve, very simple stuff with an electric solenoid and a spring. There is a lot of dusts/debris in the valve too. Cleaned them all up. Using air to blow charcoal canister and felt low resistance, which is good. Shacking the canister and heard charcoal move sound so charcoal is not tarred up.
Next step (you may skip this step as I still think dusts/debris was the cause), put the charcoal canister in oven, set to 280F for 1 hr. ***Be careful to make sure no gasoline is trapped in the container or the thing can catch on fire. *** Increased temperature gradually to 280F. A lot of water steam came out at first 20min, some gas smell, not too bad. Don’t think this way to re-activated charcoal but just to dry it up. To make activated charcoal one needs 1700F in a closed container.
Then put back and all look good.
Went to the same gas station twice and no issue so far.
Also, notice that I am getting 26mpg on the same road trip again. Was 26mpg sometime ago but recently only got 22-23 mpg on the same road trip. So guessing this is part of EMISSION control system and can impact mpg in some way.
Thought to share if you like to play tools. This is a small project and took 2 hours.
correction: 280F
Last edited by mb1000; Nov 8, 2014 at 09:58 PM.
