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charcoal canister help

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Old May 26, 2026 | 05:39 PM
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Default charcoal canister help

One of the valves in my charcoal canister (1988 Corvette) has failed some way, and gas fumes are streaming out of the tank around the gas cap once the car is running warm. I cannot buy the whole unit again - at least not a form that looks like what was stock. What is the best solution?
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Old Yesterday | 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by drbutton
One of the valves in my charcoal canister (1988 Corvette) has failed some way, and gas fumes are streaming out of the tank around the gas cap once the car is running warm. I cannot buy the whole unit again - at least not a form that looks like what was stock. What is the best solution?
First thing I would do is verify that the line is in fact not crimped or anything. Disconnect at the fuel sender (by the gas cap), and then disconnect by the charcoal canister, and see if you can blow through it (and have someone on the other side feel for air). If you cannot, that's your problem.

Otherwise, I would also check the vacuum to the cansiter as well to make sure it's actually good.
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Old Yesterday | 04:29 PM
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Have you inspected the tank itself? There's a couple of places that you really just can't see, even with a flashlight. Particularly the area adjacent to the rear bumper cover.

My tank was rotted and split all the way across, which I only discovered after buying the car when it failed a tank pressure test in the inspection lane. Apparently, the only thing holding fuel in the tank was the bladder. Which itself eventually started to leak. The fumes were really bad and naturally rose upward, giving the illusion that it was coming from the cap.

But, maybe it'll be something simple like a valve.


Last edited by Natty C; Yesterday at 04:30 PM.
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Old Yesterday | 05:25 PM
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Thank you for the diagnostic suggestions. I will revisit all of these ideas with my mechanics. All the same, my mechanics and the body shop that removed all of the rear components to repaint the rear bumper/spoiler this week. They inspected the lines, vacuum hose and canister components and function. They looked for other issues and found nothing amiss with the fuel tank. Its that canister unit that requires replacement - so I need the part. Any sources for this part or a substitute that works?
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