Charcoal canister; To Leave or not to Leave, that is the question...

Started by sdthorpe, Sep 17 2009 06:00 AM
20 replies to this topic

  • sdthorpe

Posted 17 September 2009 - 06:00 AM

#1


The smog block off kit is in the mail. I've read everything I could on the procedure both on here and on 4strokes, and everywhere else. Probably read too much and now I'm conflicted...

Half of what I read says to leave the canister on, the other half says to get rid of it. I can't decide, help me make up my mind! btw, it's an '08 L. Bought it new in South Carolina, so I don't think it's the CA model I've read about. Hell, maybe by '08 they're ALL CA models... I don't know. Should I drop this can or not?!?

Thanks for the input.

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  • Old Dog

Posted 17 September 2009 - 06:08 AM

#2

I removed it and have had no problems in the three years since. I also ran a hose from the crankcase vent up under the tank with a small K & N filter, and then plugged off the hole in the air breather. :cheers:

  • ThumpNRed

Posted 17 September 2009 - 06:13 AM

#3

Dump it if for no other reason than it is butt UGLY!:smirk:
I ran the breather hose up in to the airbox and capped it with a K&N filter. I had it strapped down near the shock, but the oil vapors kept the shock all grimy.

  • phuzz

Posted 17 September 2009 - 07:17 AM

#4

I don't beleive it imapcts performance one bit, either on or off the bike.

It is designed to absorb vapors from the fuel system, and it is not restrictive to performance.

Venting to the airbox or just plain pulling it allows gasoline vapors to escape into the atmosphere (when the bike is not running, if vented to the airbox).

  • XR650L_Dave

Posted 17 September 2009 - 07:48 AM

#5

To be clear, a black disk-type thing on the left side of the frame, just behind the petcock and over the front sprocket?

That thing is an oil separator, and as said, no performance gain in removing it. You do get rid of some ugly, and a tiny bit of weight.

If you are talking about a black cylinder near the front/right of the bike, that's a charcoal canister to catch fuel vapors.


Dave

  • Denn10

Posted 17 September 2009 - 08:14 AM

#6

do the complete smog block off and remove the rest, keep it for the future but i would take all that stuff off!!!!

  • Onederer

Posted 17 September 2009 - 08:14 AM

#7

Real simple way to tell between a bike with an actuall charcoal canister and one without.

A XR650l that is 50 state compliant which has a functioning charcoal canister DOES NOT have a locking gas cap.


As far as weight saved from removing the air/oil seperator. I think the turd produced from a Big Mac would weigh more.

Removing it is mostly done to clean up the looks, there is no performance gain. Removing it may also increase deposites inside the crankcase, or if just running a hose to the air box without the seperator between, oil will definatley end up in the air box. If you do remove it, cap off the ports on the air box real well, and run a hose from the crankcase up high with a filter on the end.

It's your bike, do what you want, just try to understand what you are actually changing(if anything), and if it's good or bad, when you remove or add something to your bike.

  • sdthorpe

Posted 17 September 2009 - 09:29 AM

#8

XR650L_Dave said:

To be clear, a black disk-type thing on the left side of the frame, just behind the petcock and over the front sprocket?

That thing is an oil separator, and as said, no performance gain in removing it. You do get rid of some ugly, and a tiny bit of weight.

If you are talking about a black cylinder near the front/right of the bike, that's a charcoal canister to catch fuel vapors.


Dave

Ok, now you have me worried about what we're talking about... I went back to 4strokes to look at the pictures; http://www.4strokes..../honda/xrlsmog/

Go here, click on the first picture, I'm referring to the ugly thing circled in blue. He refers to it as a "evaporative charcoal canister".

Can I, should I take this off??

  • phuzz

Posted 17 September 2009 - 10:25 AM

#9

sdthorpe said:

Ok, now you have me worried about what we're talking about... I went back to 4strokes to look at the pictures; http://www.4strokes..../honda/xrlsmog/

Go here, click on the first picture, I'm referring to the ugly thing circled in blue. He refers to it as a "evaporative charcoal canister".

Can I, should I take this off??

I left mine on as it wouldn't improve anything performance-wise if I removed it, and it helps produce less pollution, even if just a little bit.

Posted Image

  • XR650L_Dave

Posted 17 September 2009 - 10:52 AM

#10

sdthorpe said:

Ok, now you have me worried about what we're talking about... I went back to 4strokes to look at the pictures; http://www.4strokes..../honda/xrlsmog/

Go here, click on the first picture, I'm referring to the ugly thing circled in blue. He refers to it as a "evaporative charcoal canister".

Can I, should I take this off??

The picture is incorrect. It is an oil separator.

Worst result of taking it off would be a little oil getting into the airbox, assuming you plumbed the hose into the airbox as opposed to running a longer hose up under the seat with its own little filter.


Dave

  • akarob

Posted 17 September 2009 - 11:05 AM

#11

I yanked mine like I was starting a lawnmower. I ran the hose from the crankcase to the airbox using a hose from the smog pump. It does blow a little bit of oil up into the airbox but I clean it quite often.

  • Purcell69

Posted 17 September 2009 - 11:28 AM

#12

Like Old Dog said, it's an oil separator. I used one of the pieces of hose from the smog equipment to run from the crankcase vent up to the top of the rear shock mount and attached the other end of the hose to a small K&N type filter for a vent. I did notice my engine oil looked cleaner, longer after doing this. Martinfan had pics of this set-up posted here somewhere.

-Joe

  • Old Dog

Posted 17 September 2009 - 12:10 PM

#13

Here's a pic of my setup:

Posted Image

I went to the local Bumper to Bumper auto parts store and bought about three feet of high pressure Air/Water hose (probably overkill) and used hose clamps to attach it to the crankcase vent and the K & N filter, which I zip tied to the frame. When the Clarke 4.7 tank is on it sits nicely tucked up in under the lower left corner out of the rain/dust/dirt. :cheers:

  • phuzz

Posted 17 September 2009 - 12:38 PM

#14

XR650L_Dave said:

The picture is incorrect. It is an oil separator.

Dave

Dave is correct; I just took a visual of my bike, and it is not a charcoal canister for the fuel system as I'd seen/believed.

It's a part of the tranny vent plumbing.

Someone bust theirs open to get the skinny on its innards. :smirk:

  • xr88honda

Posted 17 September 2009 - 12:57 PM

#15

i would take both off an see how far i could throw it in the neighbors yard all of it look unnecisary an extra weight but i would imagine it wouldnt hurt anything to leave it on just looks stuiped

  • XR650L_Dave

Posted 17 September 2009 - 01:44 PM

#16

I think there is a cutaway drawing of it in the honda service manual.

Dave

  • sdthorpe

Posted 17 September 2009 - 07:00 PM

#17

Thanks for the clarification!

So, mine doesn't have this mythical charcoal canister after all... I think I will try this idea in the picture posted above with the little k&n filter. I like the idea of that better than the thought of having to clean small amounts of oil from my airbox on a regular basis.

  • phuzz

Posted 17 September 2009 - 09:47 PM

#18

sdthorpe said:

Thanks for the clarification!

So, mine doesn't have this mythical charcoal canister after all... I think I will try this idea in the picture posted above with the little k&n filter. I like the idea of that better than the thought of having to clean small amounts of oil from my airbox on a regular basis.

If you just leave it on, it's a non-issue. :thumbsup:

Personally, I don't think re-inventing the wheel here gets us very far...true, you can buy hose and a breather, but you can also leave it as is. I can't say either way is visually more or less attractive than the other...you'll either have the stock black plumbing, or make your own out of whatever you like.

I don't even notice mine in place at all. I actually had to go look at my bike in the garage once I opened this thread, lol... :bonk: :busted:

  • Bama1

Posted 18 September 2009 - 12:11 AM

#19

any and all emmisons ie smog pump on the xrr's charcoal cansiters whatever the case may be i would rip it off and put it in the circular file.. the way things may be going save it in a box incase you have to put it back on one day just for an inspection

  • phuzz

Posted 18 September 2009 - 05:13 AM

#20

Bama1 said:

any and all emmisons ie smog pump on the xrr's charcoal cansiters whatever the case may be i would rip it off and put it in the circular file.. the way things may be going save it in a box incase you have to put it back on one day just for an inspection

Issue is, some of this stuff you actually want to leave on, or make the part yourself.

In this case, unless you want tranny vent spewage mucking things up, you'll have to have something there.



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