86 Toyota pickup vapor canister
 

20R gas smell
 

I have the same on my 20R. I checked the lines just in front of the tank where the hoses clamp the hard lines and traced them back to the ports on the tank. Guess what? The PO (AKA "The Bodger") had re-attached them in reverse order: Vent attached to return, and return attached to vent... and the charcoal canister was SOAKED with gas (weighed about 10lbs) and it was dripping out the bottom (about 1oz overtime I turned the engine off) and draining out the bottom hose through the chassis rail where it is usually routed. Canister currently sitting out in 90-degree Texas sun to dry it out...

Update to refit
 

Pulled the canister. Ground off the "paint can" seal. Levered the top out. Spring, retaining plate, and filter popped out. emptied the charcoal into a flat pan and left it in direct sun for 2-3 hrs to reactivated it. drilled out (stuck) ball-bearing using 1/4" bit. cleaned out center aluminum tube. Washed internal cloth filter with WD40 and "dry" lube. left in sun to dry. Reassembled. Qwik-Steel sealed lid back on. rattle can and buffed before remounting. Works like a charm! No gas smell and tank breathes into can easily.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...fc8004c94a.jpg
Grinding off the "paint can" seal
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...e022dc8ad7.jpg
lever off the lip
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...4d1be3a6a7.jpg
Snip to remove
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...052ba16718.jpg
Emptying the center tube. Not sure what that crud is. And that little hook thing...? A life-saver!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...04ab076dff.jpg
The ball on the right was stuck, hard!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...d58a278a8f.jpg
Cloth filter in center tube, nothing to worry about here.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...39d0a18329.jpg
Drying filters and charcoal
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...3c87f3e2fb.jpg
drilled out with 1/4" bit
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...64ce3fd645.jpg
clean the tubes with WD40 and the kids' pipe-cleaners!
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...78c9a4fce0.jpg
Rattle can and buff reveals some thoughtful details
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.yot...6fec7a9dfa.jpg
Waiting for Qwik-Weld to cure (overnight).

Alt quick fix.
 

Alternatively - and with a steady hand - you can drill out the BB by going down the "to tank" outlet with the biggest drill bit that will fit. All that is down there is the BB that sits on a little internal "shelf" to stop it dropping into the canister (the bit you drill out from below when you take it apart). The BB is pretty soft - so a nice new drill bit will go through it pretty quickly. BUT, it will not clear any other blockages - like that crud that was stuck in the center aluminum tube. ONLY do this if you have removed the vacuum to the VCV, etc.. and have that vacuum outlet capped off.