LUVTruck.com

I have a 1978 Chevy Luv Mikado and this year they have decided that my truck needs an evaporative canister. Does anyone know where I can find information as to whether it is required or not?

In CA. at least, 78 did not have a charcoal canister. 79, IDK and 80 did. This confuses my smog tester guy every time, when I take in my 78 and 80. You should have a vapor recovery tank in the bed. That's whats behind that cover in the side of the bed right behind the driver. That should be good enough for a 78.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

rondog X2

if you see your state reff. he can tell you what you need. since your 79 did not come with a charcoal canister he may exempt your truck from having that. the smog tech that I talk to told me that. I know my truck will not pass smog so he told me to see the reff and have him smog it and see how it does the older the cars and trucks get, its harder to get parts. so with that they will let some things pass and he will give some sort of certificate thats given to the smog tech. that what I was told anyway and if that make any sense to you. i have a 79 luv and dont need the canister, and I live in california. but i always thought that the vapor recovery tank was the canister, it does the same thing....kind of.

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LUV is not just an emotion, its what you DRIVE.
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1975 luv daily driver.
&
Project-soon to be revived

What does it do?

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2006 GMC Sierra 2500 HD

The vapor canister system contains any gas fumes from the tank so they don't escape into the atmosphere. On the Luv you have a sealed, nonvented gas cap so that when the engine is off the fumes are stored inside the engine crankcase (yep thats right). When you start the engine the fumes are drawn back into the engine intake system for burning. That is what that little valve on the firewall is all about. It tells the fumes where to go and when.
Other vehicles use a carbon canister, Luv chooses to do it this way. Both do the job ok.

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dangerous-toys4life
73 3-door avalanche bdydropped on 18s
86 1-ton 4x crewcab short bd 15"lift
75 k-5 2x
94 king cab

Egg is correct. The truck will have to pass a pressure test on the evap system. It's no big deal, I have had several pass. It's actualy a easy system to repair if it does leak.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Mine leaked on my 80, and he didn't test the 78. He let me go on it though.
So that's odd that the 80 has both the evap tank and the charcoal canister.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

Quick question. I have an '80. Isn't the canister just behind the right headlight? Or is that a vacuum res?

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1980 4X4 LUV daily driver, as stock as can be.

In the late 70's and on up into the early 90's you'll liable to find a lot of wierd stuff when it comes to emissions on a lot of vehicles.

Nobody in the vehicle manufacturing business really knew what the hell they were doing and just basically were throwing crap on the engine trying to pass emissions standards that were frequently changing. And it's not like they really wanted to or were very enthusiastic about it anyway.

That's why you see old cars with tons of vacuum hoses all over the engine connected to goodness knows what POS doo-hickey that never worked right, or a gazillion wires connected to a ton of crap that no longer works. And all of that PITA crap was crammed into an engine compartment designed so cramped that even a highly skilled and well trained freakin' contortionist couldn't see OR reach it...lol

Yep..one big warm and fuzzy bundle of combination vacuum, electric, pnuematic, hydraulic, electronic, chemical and metalurgical goodness.

All designed for all the guys (and gals) like us.


BTW cheryilea - welcome to the best dang automotive site on the 'net!

That's the canister.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

Evap canister is as stated in use for the vapors from the fuel tank.
Charcoal canister is used for the vapors comming off of the carb. Usually a large line to the top of the float bowl, a vacuum line and a line that goes back to the tank or evap canister. Some years had both.

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The light at the end of the tunnel, may just be a train coming!

I agree with rondog that the 1978 LUV California emissions vehicle does not have a vapor cannistor. I purchased my LUV used in Glendale, CA in 1980. It was manufactured in March 1978. Not too sure about the Federal models, but I don't remember ever seeing any cannistors on that year of LUV at the wrecking yards here in Colorado. The mixture control valve for my 1978 is a very rare item too to find. Found one in Denver years ago, and it was bad. That must be a California emission item too.

Arapahoe county (Metro Denver), Colorado has no smog checks on collector licensed plate vehicles which are 25 years or older. Otherwise, it was an annual check. They have on-ramp emission testers via trucks here. I zoom past and the display screen in big bold red letters certifies that my truck has FAILED. Good luck.

I'm glad I live in NC. No emissions testing for vehicles 1995 and older!

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1962 Chevy C-10 Stepside-Rat Rod
1990 Chevy Suburban

The only way to combat violence is with greater violence!
Trying to please everyone is way to hard, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake!

I have a smoker that I put onto the system amd pinch off a few hoses andthe smoke comes out of the hole.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.