How Do I Get to the Vacuum Cannister?

May seem like a silly question, but I can't figure it out. I can't find mention of the cannister in my FSM or Chiltons (88 XJ, BTW). I read one thread that talked about removing the grill to gain access. However, the cannister is directly under the passenger side headlight, so I don't know if this will readily work. It looks like I could undo the fender linings, but what a pain. Plus, I would probably break half of the fixtures during removal. Is removal of the bumper required? If so, how do I go about doing that (which and how many bolts)? Again, I can't find anything in my manuals. The last thing I want to do is start unbolting the bumper and have the Jeep fall off!

So, what's the best and easiest method to gain access to the cannister?

desertred said:

So, what's the best and easiest method to gain access to the cannister?

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There are two screws under the bumper that hold it on. You should be able to just reach up under the bumper and grab it. You may need to pull the fender lining out of the way; I don't know.

You'll need to pull the rubber fender lining out of the way, but you don't actually have to remove it. You can just tuck it back in later.

Thanks. I got to the cannister by pulling the liner back, but was not able to remove it (the cannister). I couldn't disconnect the smaller vacuum lines from the cannister (I was affraid I'd end up breaking them), and the horn was in the way. However, I was able to rotate the cannister around (after removing the mounting screws) for a good inspection and found no damage. I did find holes in one vaccum line near the battery (rubbed through where the line went through the front fender and down to the bumper) and in the line leading from the firewall. That solved my HVAC problems, but my cruise control is still not working. Removing the grill did not give me any additional access to the cannister.