[Joemm]

I have not seen reference to this in the shop manual or on this/other forums so -

What is that black box with wiring harnesses running to it that is located under the rear of the Cougar under the spare tire well (see Photo attachment - Thanx Trubendz)?

It seems damn vulnerable to physical and weather damage as it's just sitting out in the open not to mention all the wiring harnesses hanging down look like **** !

Any preventive care or cover ups that will prevent potential future problems or this nothing to worry about?

I swear I don't remember seeing this on my 1999 2.5L Cougar (I have a 2001 now) but I'm sure it was there - wasn't it? Was is possibly covered up in 1999 or did I just not notice it then?

Thanks

 

[rista]

yep, 99's have them too, at least mine does. i thought it was one of those lil black box thingies like on airplanes, where if i crash, they can analyze it and figure out what happened during the last few minutes of my life. prolly not what it's for, but hey, i have no idea.

 

[tropiccougar01]

My 2001 has it also. I have no clue what its for though.

 

[01blkcat]

I don't have this box on my 01.... just the harness running down there for the license plate bulbs...

 

[B3NN3TT]

Isn't that like the EGR evaporator or something?

 

[99CouGSweetRide]

Originally posted by: rista
yep, 99's have them too, at least mine does. i thought it was one of those lil black box thingies like on airplanes, where if i crash, they can analyze it and figure out what happened during the last few minutes of my life. prolly not what it's for, but hey, i have no idea.

they keep those under the seats of newer cars. heh. My dad was looking at that box when we were trying to find a good spot to drill my trunk carpet to the car so the sub box would not slide around. nobody knows what it's for?

Mike

 

[01blkcat]

Somebody should poke it a few times with a screwdriver, see what you come up with... always worked for me! :biggrin:

 

[99CouGSweetRide]

Fett's gotta know what that is...

Mike

 

[JScullin]

He'll know it's illegal...

 

[ILLicitKougar]

I know it rattles like hell, when the system hits.

 

[Joemm]

I feel better that I'm not the only one who doesn't know what this G'damn box is! But, somebody out there must know!

Originally posted by: 01blkcat
I don't have this box on my 01.... just the harness running down there for the license plate bulbs...

Re: above response --

You don't have this box on your 2001? I see you have an auto transmission while mine's manual. I wonder if ATX's don't have this box for some reason (I just grasping for answers here). Could yours have been removed after the fact?

 

[rista]

mine's an ATX and i have one:shrug:

 

[yeehaw]

I noticed there are fuel lines going into it......


Something to do with emmisions?

 

[B3NN3TT]

Okay, I got it.

It's the EVAP (Evaporative Emissions Control) system's charcoal canister. This system is designed to minimize the escape of unburned hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. The fuel tank filler cap is sealed, and a charcoal canister is mounted underneath the tank, to collect and store gasoline vapor generated in the tank when the vehicle is parked. When the engine is running, the vapor is cleared from the canister (under the control of the PCM via the canister-purge solenoid valve) into the inlet tract, to be burned by the engine during normal combustion.

To ensure that the engine runs correctly when it is cold and/or idling, and to protect the catalytic converter from the effects of an excessive mixture, the canister-purge solenoid valve is not opened by the PCM until the engine is at normal operating temperature and running under load. The solenoid valve is then switched on and off to allow the stored vapor to pass into the inlet.

 

[ILLicitKougar]

and to think I was going to rip it out from under there........ j/k

 

[01blkcat]

Ummm... I still don't have a box there :shrug:

Never modified anything, and I don't recall it ever being there, either....

 

[ILLicitKougar]

I have a 01 atx and I have it , kinda weird you don't ...hmmm

 

[Drivin4fun]

Me and my dad just went out to look at mine. I have one too and I drive a 00 ATX V6. My dad suggested maybe it's the computer stuff for the gas tank. You know the little squares on our gauges that tells us our miles per gal and how far we can drive on the gas we have? Maybe?

 

[jec215]

I have an automatic 2001 and have it...was wondering what it was...thanks for the enlightment Bennett9000