Just got done cleaning a bunch of charcoal out of my EVAP because of a CEL, but just did this job last summer so there must be a reason it crudded up so soon. Assuming a bad canister, but is there anything I am overlooking?

Learned not to overtop the fuel tank last summer when I did the first cleanout (whoops) but have not overtopped since.

Wouldn't be too worried about it if I were keeping the car since it is an easy job to clean it out, but since I am selling I don't feel right passing along a known problem. Any thoughts???

Thanks,
AJE

 

You're right - the canister is bad. The canister going bad has nothing to do with topping off the tank or anything else that you can control. The canister simply went bad. The price isn't too bad, the one for my 97 was about $35, but that was a year ago. But you need to know the manufacture date of your car when you go to buy one.

 

I have a 97. I know this is a long shot but, do you think you could remember where you've bought the canister from and part number?

Thanks

 

I bought the canister at Courtesy Nissan in Richardson Texas. That is a local dealer for me.

There are different canisters for the 4th gen Maximas, so look for the build date of your car.

For Maximas built through 03/97, the part number is 14950-56u17. The Nissan name for the canister is "canister assy, evaporation.

 

Perfect!

Thanks so much!

 

Part number update - For Maximas built 04/97 through 04/98, the part number is 14950-56u18.

 

Doesn't seem like a high fail part, probably try to find one at the junk yard.

Thanks!

 

JY is definitely the way to go.

 

Hah good luck with those rusted bolts holding the canister on.

 

Could this have been causing the problem?

 

Holy jeeesus ! What happened to the fuel filler neck ?
And yes that may have been causing your problem!

 

^^ HOLY!

Glad you found it.

 

Maybe water and ethanol rusted the thing?

 

I dont see anything wrong with that? It is well vented.

 

Must be a MN thing...plus I mangled it a bit getting it out --BUT--
in all seriousness would this cause charcoal to clog my entire evap system only a year after the previous cleaning? I can maybe see how too much air might cause suck some charcoal but I would still think there should be an internal screen in the canister, right? I can see how this could easily trip a CEL but why all the charcoal everywhere? I'm think I'm still suspicious of a bad canister unless someone has another explanation.

Any thoughts?

 

Well yeah its part of the problem, get underneath your car and poke around.check for loose hoses and cracks in the canister.behind the driverside rear tire.

 

Wow @ that fuel neck.

 

How did this even go unnoticed?? Wasn't fuel leaking out when you were filling up?? While filling up, wasn't the nozzle just keep clicking itself off??

 

Everything is great on the outside, if the canister is shot it's gonna be internal. Never ripped one open but I'm picturing a damaged screen that is allowing particles to exit the can and travel upstream.

 

Actually it didn't leak until just the past fill, fixed it as soon as I noticed it. I did cut a bad chunk out of the vent side a while back but hadn't had any trouble with it since. As I mentioned, I did mangle it quite a bit pulling it out so it wasn't that bad when it was still in the car, but it really crumbled when I started pulling.