This white box thing came out of my brothers 79 f150 custom and i have no idea what it is, when i took the black cap off the top off the box it smelled like gas, when i shook it to see if something was in it, it sounded like there was sand in it. The black peice at the top has 3 vaccum stems comeing from it and only 1 of them has a line going to it. The 1 line that is there goes down the frame and to the gas tank.....can someone help.

 

That is the vapor recovery cannister. It is full of carbon. It keeps the whole vehicle from smelling like fuel. Put it back on the truck and make sure it is working properly.

 

my 72 had one of it and i broke it ....do you have to have them on there ?

 

It can get stinky if the system does not work right and if you plug lines other problems can happen. The cannister does not hurt anything, recovers some of your fuel, so why not keep it?

 

i guess ill have to go get another at the junkyard , it fell off and then i run over it lol ... probly cost like $5 at the yard ..

 

Here is what it is part of.

 

That diagram only shows part of the system.

If they charge you $5 find another junkyard!!! Just get the right one. Some of them did not work with manifold vacuum and used a hose to the aircleaner instead. That type was only used a short while. Apparently it did not work well for some reason.

 

1971/72 F Series charcoal cannister is the same one as all the 1971/72 cars used. It's also the same as 1971/72 Bronco & Econoline.

 

Well, i thought it was worthless, i did put it back on but i still have 1 hose that is floating around coming out of the box but i have no idea where it goes, any ideas.

 

That's the gas tank danggit! :/
He's prob'ly gonna want that stinky thing. ;)

Alvin in AZ

 

I guess that's why mine smells like a gas station when I park it at night, previous owner removed all that stuff.

 

-That's right!

Maybe Dennis has a picture of the rest of the system where it hooks to the engine on his website. Also the vacuum diagrams on the AutoZone site may have them.

One way to make them work that I used on one of my vehicles is to find the outlet hose and connect it to that extra nipple on the PCV valve. I used a 1/4" long piece of aluminum rod that fit inside the hose with a 1/16" drilled orifice in it to limit the flow. I installed the orifice in a short length of hose with a coupling right near the valve so someone might give it a second look before replacing it.

Is that top white port on the top of the box plugged? That was where the old large tube to the aircleaner was connected. If it is not plugged you may want to get a cap to put over it.

The outlet hose is probably the small one below the diaphragm valve. You may have to connect the top port to your vacuum tee to open the vent valve.

 

If so, that's because it's not a Ford pickup you have there, it's a leaky old Volkswagen. :) If there ever were such a thing as a "fix or repair daily"... :/

Alvin in AZ