I have reinstalled the carbon canister in the engine compartment of my '76, however, I can't figure out where the connection to the cooling fan housing gets made. I have found what appears to be a port of some kind in front of the fan housing just right of center, but it is too stubby for a hose to stay on. So, where does the canister get its airflow from? Is there a fan housing fitting I'm missing or not seeing?

This might be helpful:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=351159

I learned via this thread that mine was hooked up the old way and I need to swap ends for the two big hoses.

That stumped me as well as all the drawings show connection to the fan housing, but my housing had no where to connect (1974 2lt). I looked for days. Then I notice a connection in the engine tin po had blanked off (near the alternator adjustment cut out) I connected to that and assume that is correct location as no other option.

Thanks, Van B. This was helpful. I think I found where the hose physically attaches to the fan housing, but it appears the nipple the hose goes on to was removed or perhaps broken to make room for dealer installed A/C bracket. I'm going to try and rig a new nipple.

I'd seen reference to a fitting in the engine tin, but could never find it. I'll have another look now that I know where to look.

that might mean you have a 74 with the canister in the front on the fuel tank.
thats the port used i believe on left of engine fan shroud.

port on right of engine bay near ECU (at least for 1.8s) is for the engine bay canister which happened nov 1973.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...57407&st=20

there is some overlap with 1.8s and i think all have the port on the right side.
for the few weeks or maybe first month of production of 1.8s in 1973 they had a front can and the hose was run across the front of fan to go up left side of car.

when it comes to 2 L i am less sure what they did with the engine bay can layout.
@JeffBowlsby would know

but there are two batches of 74 2.0L a bunch that get built from aug 73 to late oct 73.
front cans.
then all they build are 1.8s from nov 73 to around about end of jan/start of feb 74.
then second batch of 74 2.0s get done and production becomes mixed with output of 1.8s and 2.0s. so they might have changed the port on the fan for 2.0s or they might not have. needs someone who knows 2.0s to comment.

there has been some debate re can plumbing for engine bay layout.

i believe there are some hose diagrams circulating which are incorrect.
at least when it comes to 1.8s.
they definitely did change which hose went where with the engine bay can in those.
revised the layout to become the VW method.
but again i can't comment on 2.0L cars. i only know the 1.8.

if the port is plugged with a separate second plug you know its an owner has removed the hose and can.
if the port or nipple is there but its still go solid material in it then its factory original and did not use that nipple or port. these engines were somewhat universal castings both for 914s and other VWs. certain holes in the cast nipples were drilled for certain applications.

The engine fan air supply for the charcoal canister on a late 74 2.0L (engine bay mounted charcoal canister) comes from a port in the drivers side tin near the alternator. Exact same supply port provided for the earlier 1974 2.0L cars.

My car is a 76 and I found a port on the right side of the fan housing. I can't find one on the left side in or near the engine tin.

On my early 74 1.8L, my port is top center on the alloy fan housing, on the passenger side. It sounds like your 76 is the same. Given 76 is the last year of production, I would not be surprised if the factory used whatever was left in stock for certain parts.

FYI -- I have a couple fan housings where the tube for the canister is no longer present. Either pulled out or broken off.

Look for a hole on the driver side fan housing if you're not finding the tube stub.

I found just such a spot on the passenger side of the shroud with the tube removed to allow for A/C bracket install. On Auto Atlanta video of orientation to the 2.0 engine you can see what I think is the port and tube on the passenger side of the shroud. Also, I believe I recall seeing somewhere a timing hole cover with a tube in it. Was I dreaming or hallucinating? If not, could this be a place for the canister purge hose to get air from the fan?

I seem to remember talking with Wes Hildreth about this. He said the fitting was on the right side of the motor for the 74 and later with the canister in the back. But when the dealer installed AC, the fitting was blocked by the compressor. So the AC kit came with a new timing hole plug with a fitting in it.

Clay

Clay, thanks. That's exactly the situation I am facing! Now does anyone have a timing hole cover with a nipple or port! Mine was missing.

IIRC.. it was a VW part. You might search for Type IV timing hole covers.

Clay

there was a guy selling repro type 4 timing cover plugs (standard type) on ebay.
otherwise an obsolete part these days and hard to get hold of.

as to one with a nipple in it. you might have to mod up a repro one.

-----

i had a look on bring a trailer, getting to be a handy visual resource these days.
looks like the 75 and 76 2.0 cars might have all used the same port on right hand side of fan housing like the 74 and 75 1.8s did.

i recall seeing one of those timing cover plugs with the hose coming out of it when i was researching 1.8 L jets and wondering what on earth it was. i should see if i filed the image and can post it for you. pretty sure i dug it up on a bring a trailer ad.


EDIT

found it in my files.
looks like it was a special made part.
be difficult to adapt a standard timing plug.

Click to view attachment

If you take a close look at that picture, you will see the engine tin is cut for an AC compressor. That big York compressor blocked access to the charcoal canister fitting.

Clay

That's exactly what I'm looking for.

^^^This is my recall also. Look at VW T3/T4 or bus motors. Standard part not custom.

I have a '74 with canister in the engine compartment and the port is on the driver side of the cooling fan shroud.

Cooling fan shroud (cast magnesium)...or tin (painted steel)?

a lot of bus motors (at least originally) did not have the timing hole drilled.
the end of the engine was exposed and the timing marks were visible on the fan.
you don't have to try and peer down on a kombi to time it.
you see some kombis running the plug but likely because its not an original engine.

my guess its a USA only fitting. with a part sourced from a USA manufacturer? no one else in the world put A/C on a VW in the 60s/70s. i am being serious. even in aus A/C was uber rare and only on large top end cars.

it would very hard to find one of those plugs with a port. junkyard job? just as rare on 411/412 as a 914? standard plug is already unobtanium even with VW aftermarket. i looked into it two years ago.

interesting re photo i posted above i had on file. its a 73 EA/EB. uses the right hand side fan port same as the 74/75 EC 1,8 unless thats a frankenstein engine. though the can was in the frunk and the hose had to go left right across engine bay.

2 L 912E engine also used the same port.

2.0 or 1.8?

Anyone has a picture of the charcoal canister when installed in the engine bay by the trunk firewall? I believe there might be a welded nut in the trunk for this installation. Any pictures of the strap so I can replicate the installation. Converting my 73 and want to send the canister in the engine bay.

Pictures appreciated, only one I could find was this one, nice but not very detailed...

Thanks!

Click to view attachment

thats my car/engine bay @Montreal914

some more photos.
its a pressing in the rear firewall with a stud you bolt the strap around can up to.

least i think its a stud. never had it off. doubt its ever been off since 1974.
if i could look from underneath i could tell you if its a bolt through the panel from behind. but can't get under car at moment. my head is not flat enough!
someone here will know.

if no pressing in firewall or hole for the stud it didn't have charcoal can there?

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Confirmed. I’ve had mine off and it is a welded stud… also prone to rust FYI. I cleaned mine up, put some primer over the abrasion area and put a rubber washer between the bracket and the wall.

@wonkipop

Thank you for more pictures of your car

I now see the pressed area and what seems to simply be a wrap around strap with this single anchor point. I guess there isn't enough G-force in our little cars for the canister to swing front ant back.

Here is a picture of this area on my car. No pressed area and stud as it has the canister in the front.

edit: in yellow is where the pressed area seems to be on your car based on the other indents in the firewall.

Click to view attachment

yeah it hangs completely rigid and does not move.
the strap is formed up in such a way with little bends at the top that the can hangs at an angle forward, not vertical. to clear the rear trunk lid torsion bars.

if you want a dimension for where its located i could measure it for you now.
its sitting in the garage. take me 5 minutes.

The canister actually leans on the spring bars when it’s bolted in.

prone to rust.

mine actually sits a tiny bit forward.
and its in there fairly rigidly.
possibly sits clear so it does not vibrate on them?

I would appreciate that, thanks!

@Montreal914 .

its 390mm to c/l of stud from rhs fixed portion of engine grille (engine opening side of grille).

if you used some kind of shaped rigid packer you could duplicate the pressing.

its a good spot for it. nothing in the way on a 1.8.
if you have a 2.0 i imagine its ok too.
mr b (jeff bowlsby) could tell you. think LEs have it there too.

i don't know why they changed it in 75 to jam it down near the battery.
i'm guessing they wanted to get a can loaded up with fuel vapor as far away from an EGR unit as possible for california and so all the cars copped the crazy final location?

Thank you for the dimension.

Not sure how I will create the pressed area. Maybe I will make a part and weld it to the surface of the firewall, leaving the inside trunk surface as-is.

Engine is currently a 2 liter derivative with most of the stock intake stuff. Yes, I should check to make sure the air filter housing clears, then again, 2.0 were offered in 74 with the the same air filter. Should be OK.

On my 76 there is a bolt that goes through the trunk wall and comes out in the indent in the engine compartment so I assume it is for the canister. No reason I can think of why a nut and bolt would be in that position otherwise.

makes sense jim.

the A/C install goes in where they moved the cannister to its final position in 75 down near the battery.
the AC installers would have moved the can back to where it was in 74 and done a post operative bolt installation. the panel pressing was probably there from 74 all the way to the end just not the welded stud from 75 on.

2.0L cars did not have the EGR so it would not have been a problem putting it back in 74 spot.