Canister Repair?

matt w · Nov 14, 2011

I have had a bad gas smell for years and finally found that the plastic canister behind the drivers seat is broken where the tubes are supposed to go into the bottle.

I am not to sure on my options to repair this qickly and cheaply BUT is there and epoxy that will hold even when exposed to gasoline?

Thanks

Matt W.

73azbronco · Nov 14, 2011

Interested as well.

thegreatjustino · Nov 14, 2011

Using a plastic welder would be the correct fix.

JB Waterweld is supposed to stand up pretty well to gasoline. There have been a couple of threads here over the years where people have used it to patch small holes in the plastic auxiliary tank under the driver's seat.

jw0747 · Nov 14, 2011

if your state's emission rules don't apply to your Bronco just eliminate the rubber lines that run from the tank to the canister. would eliminating this emission control device cause you to be in violation of your state's rules or do they just measure emissions at your tailpipe? if otherwise you might try plastic weld or JB Weld.

DirtDonk · Nov 15, 2011

Only on '76 and later models, which didn't have that condensing tank behind the seat.
But we usually find that there are fewer garage-fumes when that system is intact (and not leaking of course!).
Some are lucky and don't have any issues with the whole system removed, but plenty get stunk out of their garage. Someone here said their wife wouldn't even ride in the vehicle due to the smell. Once he got the system re-plumbed though, the issue was resolved. Hopefully...

I'd patch it, or replace it. I didn't have anything exotic handy 20 years ago when I patched mine, so I just glopped on a good layer of Permatex Form-a-Gasket (nasty stuff) over the top seam. Probably much better choices these days.

Is yours just split open at the bottle itself Matt? Or could the hoses and/or fittings be leaking too?

Personally, I think the best route to take would be to eliminate the inside tank and swap out the old frame-mounted charcoal canister for the newer style and mount it up high on the firewall. Like the '76/'77 EB's were set up.
No more condensing tank, no more chance of leaks in the cab.

Paul

turbotim2 · Nov 15, 2011

Can you just use a soldering iron and melt the plastic to get it to weld back together?

clarrance · Nov 15, 2011

Not trying to hijack this thread, But this just reminded me that I have a good tank that goes behind the drivers seat. I would sell for $35 shipped to your door.

half cab · Nov 15, 2011

turbotim2 said:
Can you just use a soldering iron and melt the plastic to get it to weld back together?

I use to use this method to fix broken ATV plastic and never held up long,but these were under very different cond.'s

matt w · Nov 15, 2011

Thanks guys..I have 3gas tanks on my truck.
The inside the can tank is intact BUT one of the tubes/shafts coming out of the bottle is broken where it goes into the tank. That shaft is stuck in one of the vent tubes. The other tube is off the shaft and only one is correct and in place. I could e-mail a pic. My Paypal is jacked up and I still can't become a contributer! ugh!!

;D

matt w · Nov 15, 2011

Well...I am going to JB weld this puppy And see if I can get another 35 years out ot this bottle! heh=heh;D

half cab · Nov 15, 2011

Hay I have used my wife's hot glue gun on plastic repair.The small hand held ones with the sticks of glue.Stuff dries like a hard plastic.I don't know how well it would hold up around gas/fumes?

matt w · Nov 15, 2011

half cab said:
Hay I have used my wife's hot glue gun on plastic repair.The small hand held ones with the sticks of glue.Stuff dries like a hard plastic.I don't know how well it would hold up around gas/fumes?

Thanks for that idea! That really is a good idea!
I have drowned all 3 hoses in JB weld & it is hardening as I type!

half cab · Nov 15, 2011

Good deal hope it works for ya

JefeAZ · Nov 16, 2011

DirtDonk said:
swap out the old frame-mounted charcoal canister for the newer style

Link or picture?

DirtDonk · Nov 16, 2011

Don't have one handy Jefe. Sorry.
I'll see what I can dig up though, as I've seen images posted here recently that showed the later model mounted up on the firewall.

As far as that goes though, take a look under the hood of just about any late-seventies to mid-nineties Ford and you'll see the exact shape/size canister I'm talking about. There are variations among them, but the overall shape and function is the same on most. Even the '94 Mustang unit I got from the junkyard looks like it's going to be perfect.

The specific features that the Bronco unit has for mounting are a small extended "tab" on top with a small screw hole that lines up with the top pinch-weld area of the firewall, just adjacent to the heater inlet box. The lower mount is a slot in the ring at the base of the canister that slips over a "clip" welded to the firewall of the Bronco.

Letcha know what I find.

Paul

matt w · Nov 16, 2011

Before and after pics

Well here are the before and after pics!

THEY AINT PRETTY!%)

BUT I think it will work!;D

JB WELD BABY!!

half cab · Nov 16, 2011

Alright looks good.

spap · Nov 16, 2011

There are tons of those charcol canisters at the junk yards, i am sure they are cheap, plus it wouldnt be hard to move it to the engine compartment or underneath somewhere at that would eliminate any type of fumes coming from that canister.

I have a 77 and it is a round steel canister and it is located on the outside of the frame rail on the passenger side

DirtDonk · Nov 17, 2011

Hey spap, that's an odd combination. Never seen a '77 that still had the old style canister. Do you also have the behind-the-seat condensing tank? What about the anti-rollover valve on the passenger side frame rail under the door?

If you have any of those, what month was your truck built in? I'd be very curious.

Thanks

Paul

half cab · Nov 18, 2011

Flag went up on that one too Donk,The last time I saw that was 77 body on a 69 frame or I believe it was 69.I thought all 76/77 were pass side on firewall under hood?

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