Ok,
I’m pretty handy around cars. But last night my son had a canister fall out of the right front wheel well that I don’t recognize.
He has a 2000 Saturn Ls with a 4 cylinder engine.
The canister is about 10" tall 8" wide by about 3" deep.
It has an oval hole in the top with a rubber gasket around the edge. There are two rubber mounts on the side of the hole.
Car is running Ok, no Idiot lights on.
What the heck is it? Looks important!
Sounds like a charcoal canister fell apart. This is related to emissions and should be replaced or repaired if possible.
OK, I thought the same but on another note, why is there no CEL or warning lights? Warning display burnt out?
Just ran the engine for 5 minutes. Runs good. No idiot lights. Other than the “change oil soon” which has been pestering him for a couple weeks.
Looks like the canister mounts high above the wheel well. Right under the air filter box.
I’m guessing it has something to do with ventilation?
By the way, thank you for your advice. Happy Thanksgiving!
This is a fuel canister designed and installed to absorb fuel vapors when refilling the fuel tank.
There is a purge valve that ejects the vapors a measured amount at a time into the intake manifold to be burned off, thus reducing emissions.
If the canister gets saturated (usually by consistently ‘topping off’ the fuel tank when refilling) a Check Engine Light will appear on the message board on the dash and the engine MAY shut down.
As to why the canister fell aprt, I have no idea except perhaps rusted? There still should have been a CEL.
Is there no chance that this is a vacuum acumulator? you can check and see if all the heater/AC controls work correctly (like can you select all vent positions and does the air blowing in your face default to defrost if you are going up a hill?)
This canister can fall off and not set a code but the charcol canister will cause a code to be set if it becomes disconnected
My first thought was a resonator from the air intake near the air filter housing.
THANK YOU EVERYONE
Discovered a part number on it. Looked it up on GMPARTS ONLINE.
it’s a “RESINATOR”, ‘Air cleaner intact duct’.
Based on it’s location, outside the engine compartment. And the small drain hole in it’s bottom.
I’m guessing it condensates moisture from the intake air… .?
If you duct tape the hole that was left when the “resinator” fell off there will be no ill effects. It’s purpose is to silence the roar caused by near wide open throttle acceleration.
Allow me to post my humble appology pertaining to my incorrect identification of the canister in question.