Leaky Gas Cap
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: 65812 Bad Soden / Ts
Leaky Gas Cap
Whenever I fill the tank full, I get a lot of gas smell coming from the gas cap. When the tank is about half empty, there is no problem, but I'd like to be able to drive with a full tank also. I know the cap is vented, but it seems to me there must be a better way to get it to seal better. I have an old oil cap from another car which fits the filler neck perfectly and with no leaking at all, but the cap isn't vented. Is this bad? Is the overflow tube enough of a vent for the tank, or must the cap absolutely be vented? Has any one had experience with getting the original cap to be leak free? Is there a very good gas cap seal available and would this do the trick? Thanks for any ideas.
David
David
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
A '59 (that's what your profile shows, anyway) uses a vented tank and a non-vented cap; using a vented cap with a full tank on a C1 guarantees fuel spillage and smell, especially during right turns.
Check your filler hose for dry rot (or replacement with the wrong type of hose), make sure your tank vent hose is clear, and make sure the drain hose is in place from the nipple in the bottom of the fuel filler cavity down through the 1" hole in the underbody with a grommet. Most of these cavity drain hoses are missing, and when fuel runs out of the vent line into the cavity, it dribbles down inside the fuel tank compartment, pools, and creates a strong fuel smell in the car (especially with the top up or the hardtop in place).
Check your filler hose for dry rot (or replacement with the wrong type of hose), make sure your tank vent hose is clear, and make sure the drain hose is in place from the nipple in the bottom of the fuel filler cavity down through the 1" hole in the underbody with a grommet. Most of these cavity drain hoses are missing, and when fuel runs out of the vent line into the cavity, it dribbles down inside the fuel tank compartment, pools, and creates a strong fuel smell in the car (especially with the top up or the hardtop in place).
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Naples Fl
I had the same problem on my '59. I went to an auto parts store and picked up a new non-vented gas cap w/gasket and the problem was solved. This is the easiest and first step to take. That right turn really signals the cap to me. 
