What is it & what does it do.

[Ranger850]

I removed my bed, a week ago, to get the frame cleaned up and what not. I've notice in other pics I see posted here, that it is not there on any I've seen so far. Right behind/in front of the spare tire holder, there is some type of box/canister that seems to come from the gas tank. I would post a pic but I cant get it small enough to fit AND see it clearly.

 

[fastpakr]

Sounds like the fuel vapor vent canister?

 

[Ranger850]

Sounds like the fuel vapor vent canister?

I figured it was something like that, but why is it absent on so many other Rangers, is it necessary?

 

[fastpakr]

The location varies by year, but to my knowledge all Rangers (and all vehicles?) have some form of fuel vapor venting system by law.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The older trucks have them up front... which is more reliable.

In the rear the vents plug up with gravel dust/road debris and causes slow tank filling (keeps kicking the pump off)

They go back a long ways, probably into the 70's. Before that they had vented fuel caps (like my 1940's/50's tractors)

 

[adsm08]

The older trucks have them up front... which is more reliable.

In the rear the vents plug up with gravel dust/road debris and causes slow tank filling (keeps kicking the pump off)

They go back a long ways, probably into the 70's. Before that they had vented fuel caps (like my 1940's/50's tractors)

Evap systems showed up in the mid 70s, around the same time as EGR and catalytic converters.

You are absolutely correct about the up-front ones being better. In addition to what you listed ones placed too close to, or below the top of the fuel tank have the potential to get liquid fuel in them when the tank is overfilled, which ruins them. That's why you don't keep bumping the pump once it shuts off the first time.

We still have vented gas caps though, they just look a little different.

 

[Ranger850]

The older trucks have them up front... which is more reliable.

In the rear the vents plug up with gravel dust/road debris and causes slow tank filling (keeps kicking the pump off)

They go back a long ways, probably into the 70's. Before that they had vented fuel caps (like my 1940's/50's tractors)

This was/is the case for me. Rocks, sand, sticks, and more debris in there. Is there any good way to relocate it?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

This was/is the case for me. Rocks, sand, sticks, and more debris in there. Is there any good way to relocate it?

On some trucks (I think newer F-150's) that do it a lot (that run a lot of gravel) my brother runs a hose to move the vent up to the front. Box stays in the back but breather hose goes up front to be in cleaner air.

 

[adsm08]

On some trucks (I think newer F-150's) that do it a lot (that run a lot of gravel) my brother runs a hose to move the vent up to the front. Box stays in the back but breather hose goes up front to be in cleaner air.

This. Take the vent hose (the open ended one) and replace it with a longer one that you can run way up out of the way.

 

[RonD]

And just a heads up

When Ford moved the EVAP canister next to the gas tank there was a good chance that overfilling the gas tank would ruin the canister, so stop filling at first "click" off

I think 1998 Rangers(1st year of 3rd generation) was when Ford relocated EVAP canister to behind gas, prior to that it was in the engine bay, on rad support usually

 

[adsm08]

I think 1998 Rangers(1st year of 3rd generation) was when Ford relocated EVAP canister to behind gas, prior to that it was in the engine bay, on rad support usually

You use a very different schedule for the generation changes than most of us do.

 

[Ranger850]

Thanks guys. and I always stop at the first click. I thought that was common knowledge, hence the " Do NOT overfill " warnings

 

[adsm08]

Thanks guys. and I always stop at the first click. I thought that was common knowledge, hence the " Do NOT overfill " warnings

Man, one time I got an Escape with about 25K miles in for a CEL on. It had evap codes and liquid fuel in the carbon canister. The way the line from the tank to the canister is routed the only way to do that is to roll the vehicle over (which clearly had no happened), or over-fill the tank.

I priced the $300 part, and sent it to the desk as customer pay, because Ford doesn't warranty liquid fuel in the carbon canister unless you have some other part you are saying caused it.

Customer wasn't happy because they expected the repair to be warranty. Service manager wasn't happy because the customer wasn't happy.

I explained to him that there was only one way this happens and Ford says it falls under abuse. They say "don't do this because it breaks things", and then they say "if you do that thing we said not to do we won't pay to fix what it breaks".

He didn't like that answer, because in the 70s and 80s you could bump it a few times and not break anything. I explained what had changed, and he was still mad at me because Ford said it wasn't a warrantable claim.

 

[RonD]

You use a very different schedule for the generation changes than most of us do.

1983 to 1988 1st gen
1989 to 1992 1.5 gen, looks changed a bit but mechanically the same

1993 to 1997 2nd gen, larger body wider axles
1998 to 2011 3rd gen, no speedo hookup on trans or transfer cases, switched to returnless fuel system running 55-65psi pressure, EVAP moved, first year for rear doors on extended cabs, 4WD got torsion bars up front
Speedo on trans came back in 2001 but as a VR sensor and tone wheel, no gear

 

[Ranger850]

I thought it was
1983 - 1992 Gen 1
1993 - 2011 Gen 2
2011 - Current - Gen 3