Hi,

The Ranger is a 1988 XLT V6 2.9L with Auto, it has @ 78K orig miles. Runs great. its my daily driver, yes my commute is short.

Tried to smog it yesterday and it passed the visual, the emission (barely, but runs great), but FAILED the new CA test that checks the fuel tank EVAP system. This is not the GAS cap it selfs pressure test, that 's ok. Its in the lines somewhere.

Smog tech states the leak is very small leak somewhere behind the canister, towards the fuel tank. Basically Tech puts a cap on the line that goes back to the fuel tank and applies 1 PSI of pressure and then looks for a drop for some determined amount of time.

He said smog repair (this was a test only) shop will find leak for $100.

Today I did a climb under and checked the tube from canister which is a firm solid plastic line, besides the coupling hose pieces. The canister rubber coupling looked fine. Followed the hard plastic line back to the fuel tank and its completely one piece. Must drop tank or remove bed ( has liner in it ) to get better access to tank to check seal on gas tank. The tank has never been removed.

I can see fuel lines from top between cab and bed, so I know its attached and was able to get my hand up there to make its on, but cant see any holes without removing.

Checked gas steel tube from filler spout, it has attached a hose in a hose (venting) held on with two hose clamps, looks ok. End on filler tube was tight, cant check tank side without ..... well removing the tank.

So my question is, anyone else have the same issue and where did they get the parts. No Luck @ Ford. One other, can I check line with vac and look for bleed down ? Thats easier than a 1 psi pressure on the tank.

Any help is greatly appreciated......

Eranger

 

Try a new smog tech station.

 

Plastic lines? I find that odd, and I've never seen that before. I find just pulling the bed off to be faster and easier than dropping the tank. A few bolts and maybe an electrical connector and between you and one more set of hands it's rather light. Oh and with the filler tube, just unscrew the tube from the bed, as you'll find it hard to work with those hose clamps.

Then I would just use like a t-connector and a pressure guage and work my way back from the cannister doing leakdown tests while visual inspecting it all.

I know very little about smog since we don't have nearly as strict emmisions laws here in Iowa, and didn't take the class. So maybe you do wanna just try another smog place, as previously suggested. What's the worst that can happen? You're still stuck where you're at? Unless those tests run pricy? How much do they run anyway?

 

The cost for smoking the system is $85-$100, and thats to just show you where the leak is. This is why Im doing more testing before going that route.

Eranger

 

Really like these simple fixes. I wish them upon all of you as well !

Borrowed a mini vac from the brother in law. Put a piece of blue masking tape over the end of the rubber hose that came off the evap can and then runs back to gas tank.

Got underneath and pulled off the other end on the top back third of the tank. Hoping not to destroy anything as I yanked on it, I took my time, when it came off, the 2 inch piece of hose had a split almost half way down the side. I let out a big exhale and then yelled Yeah.....! had a couple spare pieces of this type hose laying around. Cut the right size off, applyed alittle spray of WD-40 to help slide back in, and then took it back to the smog guy, with all green lights....

My maint cost; Zero, well besides the smog cost...... thats maint right ?

Cant help wonder what might have been had I taken it in to fix, what the cost might have been..... $300-500 from a mechanic or smog shop ? I spent @ an hour doing web research and another hour working on the truck. Is that $250/hr

After paying, asked how they determine leaks. He pointed to a green tank that looks the same as a small bbq propane tank, but this green one has a inert (neutral) gas, which is Nitrogen. The they have a probe that sniffs under the vehicle. Although I never saw that or the test gear. The test gear beeps if there is a leak besides having some actual # that gets displayed as well. So the Nitrogen pressure of 1lb is applied then left to watch for 600 sec/10Mins. Didnt ask what the passing was, but my failed reading was 47/1000 and many beeps, and I dont know what the scale is.

Back in the day when I was a line maint tech, we used Nitrogen to purge phosphine, HCL;hydrochloric and other nasty gases in the semiconductor industry. We then used helium to leak check the plumbing of these gases as well into the parts per million. Helium is much smaller than Nitrogen, and cost way more too.


Well I hope you all the best, and remember, nothing is to hard to work on.

Can you imagine how people learned or passed information on before the internet !

 

Glad to see you got it fixed. The fuel filler tubes will also through a code if they're cracked.

Here's a link to them on our site,in case anyone has an issue with their stock one.

Ford Ranger Fuel Filler