charcoal canister removal? fuel evap bottle/thing

B16, B18, B20
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By Datsmart
- Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:05 pm #240951 The charcoal canister is an important part of your cars immission controls.
The canister stores  fuel  vapors when the engine is NOT running. The canister is filled with activated charcoal granules capable of absorbing fuel vapors.
It captures fuel vapors and prevents them from escaping to the atmosphere and then stores the fumes and recycles them to the fuel tank or engine intake for combustion as needed.
The long and short of it is that it helps to protect the environment and improve fuel economy.
I assume you want to remove it to "clean up" your engine bay. Be aware you may not pass an emission test without it. You will definitely be adding to pollution of the environment.
Why not just move the canister to a location where it is no longer as visible?
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By teal_dx
- Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:14 am #241015 I have found that on cars with it removed, you get a smelly fuel/crankcase fume that comes in to the cabin. Probably because the intake for the climate control is in the cowl right above where the charcoal canister used to be.

Plus you have a return fuel line, fuel vapors are flammable, running open into an engine bay full of electronics, sparks etc...
Never heard of a fire from not running one but it can't be 100% safe.

Turbo cars are a different story because the lines have positive pressure under boost instead of a vacuum at all times so the canister can't work as it was intended.
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