Euro 500SL owners in USA, question smog charcoal canister

[Bondavi]

The smog shop here in CA said the charcoal canister in my car had a tube disconnected and was not acceptable. ASs far as I know my car came like this, and the diagrams in the federalization papers show up as such. I have one tube coming from the fuel tank vent system, and another from the vacuum system, off of the upper manifold into a thermoswitch, then onto a valve on top of the charcoal canister. There is one more tube opening underneath on the valve that is unattached, and a "CARB BOWL" tube opening which is blocked off. This is a GM canositer used for federalization.

Can you 500SL owners attest to me that there should only be TWO tubes attached to the canister? And the bottom opening connector on the canister valve is left open, correct?

[kbannister]

I looked last night at the canister on mine. There is one line connected to the canister that is not hooked to anything, it just goes over in back of the power steering pump along with all the other vacume lines and wires and stops there, open.

I think you need to find another shop. It must have passed in the past, so why not now. And if you papers show it that way, what is the guys problem?? Sounds like he is on some kind of power trip.

[Steve Gutman]

I have a neighbor who is a professional mechanic (Merc & BMW only) who looked at my system. He disconnected it, reconnected it, listened to the motor and told me it is not functional and is only there "for the picture" for the DOT. I have a gray market. I removed it for the time being but sometimes when I open the gas tank I get a powerful rush of air. I am going to open the cap on the air line to see if it rushes out of there instead but I am waiting for a hot day to do it.

I would find another shop. Hide the open line after putting a bb in there. MHO.

[nobby]

You SHOULD get a rush of air. The tank will pressurize to a certain point and then a check valve will open to release the excess pressure which is routed to the charcoal cannister which is then routed to your intake/airfilter housing to be sucked up by the engine under vacuum.