Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

[Rodney R.]

How do I replace the filters and charcoal in vapor canister sealed unit. it's on a 1980 and the canisters have been discontinued!!

[Michael W.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

The filters are readily available at your FLAPS. The charcoal inside isn't generally a scheduled maintenance item. I's leave well enough alone of the system is working properly. If you insist on changing it, I've heard of some people cutting the canister open and using aquarium charcoal to refill.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

How do I replace the filters and charcoal in vapor canister sealed unit. it's on a 1980 and the canisters have been discontinued!!

Hi Rodney,
I agree with Michael, in that if it is not malfunctioning there is no need to take it apart. However, there is a replaceable filter located in the bottom of the canister. You can get to it from under the car if you remove the lower dust shield. You can use a flat screwdriver to pop off the lower cover to get to the filter. The filter is available from most of the venders. I replaced mine and purchased the new one from Corvette Central for about $6.00. If you do decide to remove the canister to restore it and change out the charcoal and filters inside it's a very doable and fun project. The canister is sealed except for the bottom cover. Once you remove the canister from the car and remove the bottom cover, you'll be able to see the replaceable filter which should be pretty dirty after all these years. Please be very careful removing the hoses that are attached to it because you don't want to break off the plastic nozzles. The top of your 80 canister will be different than the top of earlier C3 's. I'm pretty sure the insides are pretty much exactly the same. This is also a good time to check the hoses for dry rot and cracking. Replace any or all at this time. Once you remove the filter you'll be able to see the plastic mesh grids that hold the lower foam filter which holds the charcoal. I used a sharp razor to carefully cut half of the plastic grid away. Be careful with this step to make straight cuts because you will need to glue this back together. Now, you'll be able to pull out the thin foam filter material to expose the charcoal. Unless there has been a lot of fuel getting back through the vent line to the canister the charcoal should be ok to reuse. If it is in one big chunk it will need replaced.
Once all the charcoal is removed you'll be able to see the center round filter and the larger top filter. I just carefully removed those and washed them out with warm soapy water, let them air dry and replaced them. Then refilled with the charcoal. I had to make the inner lower foam filter because the one I removed came apart. If you need to replace the charcoal, it is the same used in fish aquariums and can be purchased at your local pet shop. Once you cleaned and replaced everything just re -glue the plastic grid back in place, install the bottom replaceable filter and snap the bottom cover back on, and you should be good to go. I have attached photos of this process below. They show the replaceable filter, cutting the plastic grid, the charcoal, and the inside filters. Hope this helps, if nothing else it shows everyone what the the inside of these look like. I found this one eBay very cheap, so I bought it to restore it and to take it apart for my own satisfaction to see what they are like inside. I now have a nice spare for my 73 if needed in the future.

Rodney,
I just added a last photo showing what the bottom cover of your 80' Canister looks like for comparison purposes.

[Rodney R.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

Sorry didn"t explain my issue right. When I park in garage after a ride the garage smells like gas bad. I have all new vacuum lines to replace old ones. I took canister out removed filter from bottom and all the charcoal came out along with dried out filter remnants. The charcoal smelled like gas. I tested for blockage in return line to tank. I also tested the valves on top of canister and seem to be working properly. I searched the discussion board on how to rebuild canister. I saw a post last week and of course I couldn't find it when needed. The pictures and instructions are great. Mike thanks for CC suggestion.

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

How do I replace the filters and charcoal in vapor canister sealed unit. it's on a 1980 and the canisters have been discontinued!!

Rodney-----


I agree with the others, too. Most likely, all you need is the filter which is easily obtained and extremely inexpensive.

1980 used THREE different charcoal canisters----one for L48, one for L82, and one for LG4. If you happen to have an LG4, a replacement canister is available under GM #17113146, aka Delco 215-151. Of course, this unit might not be exactly the same in configuration to the originals, but it should be very close and 100% functional.

If you have an L48 or L82, there is no replacement canister available from any source I know of. In that case, and assuming you actually need a new canister, I guess you'd have to try rebuilding your own. Keep in mind that 1980 canisters are NOT the same as the 1973 canister shown by another responder.

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

Sorry didn"t explain my issue right. When I park in garage after a ride the garage smells like gas bad. I have all new vacuum lines to replace old ones. I took canister out removed filter from bottom and all the charcoal came out along with dried out filter remnants. The charcoal smelled like gas. I tested for blockage in return line to tank. I also tested the valves on top of canister and seem to be working properly. I searched the discussion board on how to rebuild canister. I saw a post last week and of course I couldn't find it when needed. The pictures and instructions are great. Mike thanks for CC suggestion.

Rodney------


What engine do you have and what is the part numbers embossed on the canister? It should be an 8 digit number beginning with "17"

[Rodney R.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

JOE
I have the L-48 and canister number 17063010 CW. Ecklers is the only vendor that list one part#25-189500-1 replacement for oe#215-151.on mine the fuel return is in the middle of the valves on top of canister.. The canister Eckler's has the fuel return is on the end of the valves.
My canister has valve-fuel return-valve.
ecklers has valve-valve-fuel return.

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

JOE
I have the L-48 and canister number 17063010 CW. Ecklers is the only vendor that list one part#25-189500-1 replacement for oe#215-151.on mine the fuel return is in the middle of the valves on top of canister.. The canister Eckler's has the fuel return is on the end of the valves.
My canister has valve-fuel return-valve.
ecklers has valve-valve-fuel return.

Rodney------

Your existing canister is the original (or, a correct original replacement) for your L-48 application.

The Eckler's canister is a GM #17113146 or equivalent thereof. This canister is a replacement for the L05 application. On further research and even though the L05 and L82 originally used different canisters, I find that it is also a replacement for the 1980 L-82 application. However, it is not a replacement for the L-48.

[Rodney R.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

I wonder what the difference between the L-48 and L-82 canister other than configuration.

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

I wonder what the difference between the L-48 and L-82 canister other than configuration.

Rodney------


That I do not know. However, I'm confident that if the canister in question was applicable to the L-48, it would be so-specified and cataloged.

The last available part number for the L-48 canister was GM #17063017. I might add that there was a significant price difference between the L48 and L82/L05 canisters. That implies a difference in construction.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

Rodney,
I just sent you a PM. Also I added a photo above for comparison purposes to show the bottom of the 80' canister and how different it is compared to the earlier C3's.

Joe- --- I've been doing some research on these canisters more so for the earlier C3's, but looking at the 80' canisters for Rodney I noticed that there are different canisters for the California Cars with a lot more ports on the top than those for other states.
Also while I have your attention with these were they ever date coded with a Julian code. For example notice the two examples I have pictured below. The first is the one from my 73, which I found out from a previous owner was changed by a Chevy dealer after 75. The second is another from a 73 that I bought to restore. Notice the numbers stamped in the bottom of the tops, do you know if they were dated? If so why would the numbers go from 3 digits to five digits? The part numbers are exactly the same as called out in the 73 AIM.
Thanks,
Jimmy

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

Rodney,
I just sent you a PM. Also I added a photo above for comparison purposes to show the bottom of the 80' canister and how different it is compared to the earlier C3's.

Joe- --- I've been doing some research on these canisters more so for the earlier C3's, but looking at the 80' canisters for Rodney I noticed that there are different canisters for the California Cars with a lot more ports on the top than those for other states.
Also while I have your attention with these were they ever date coded with a Julian code. For example notice the two examples I have pictured below. The first is the one from my 73, which I found out from a previous owner was changed by a Chevy dealer after 75. The second is another from a 73 that I bought to restore. Notice the numbers stamped in the bottom of the tops, do you know if they were dated? If so why would the numbers go from 3 digits to five digits? The part numbers are exactly the same as called out in the 73 AIM.
Thanks,
Jimmy

Jimmy------


I don't know anything about dates on these canisters. However, Rochester Products usually have dates and I'd be very surprised if these did not.

[Rodney R.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

I took Jimmy recommendation and cut half of the bottom out!! Does anybody know how much charcoal goes in canister. Thank you everybody for the help.

[Joe L.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

I took Jimmy recommendation and cut half of the bottom out!! Does anybody know how much charcoal goes in canister. Thank you everybody for the help.

Rodney------


The same amount that came out.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Charcoal vapor canister rebuild

I took Jimmy recommendation and cut half of the bottom out!! Does anybody know how much charcoal goes in canister. Thank you everybody for the help.

Hi Rodney,
Sorry I didn't measure exactly how much came out of mine. I did not replace my charcoal it was fine and did not have strong odor of fuel. But, you'll need to keep tapping on it to get the charcoal to compact and settle. Just leave enough room to get the foam filter under the plastic grid, it should be a tight fit. I would imagine a 10 oz. container of activated charcoal would be enough. Happy to hear you opened it up and worked on it yourself.
Let me know how it works out.
Regards,