The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk gas tank pressure issue!

I have been smelling gas inside the cab of my 53'p/u the past couple of days so I pulled the seat forward and noticed that the rubber tube on the vent was not attached on the top. It looked kind of weathered so I relaced the rubber and reclamped it tight. I thought all was cured and I got home from work today and noticed a nice size gas puddle on the side of the truck there on the driveway. I look closer and notice gas oozing out from the gas cap down the cab side of the truck. I slowly removed the gas cap and find gas all the way to the top of the gas filler tube. I took the vent tube rubber back off and of course gas just oozed everywhere and I proceded to check for any kinks or something that might be clogging etc...no luck. I then reinstalled the piece and noticed that the gas level started to go back down into the tank. I know that the filler tube and rubber are good along with the vent tube and rubber. I guess I must have a faulty gas cap? I am not sure If it is vented or not. It is just one of the non locking types and seems to be original but I am not positive. I think I am going to stop by Jim Carters on my way home from work and pick up a new gas cap tomorrow. I considered drilling a small hole in the one that I have but not sure If that is my problem?! I tried a search on this issue but did not come up with anything. Has anybody else had this problem?

Common problem, actually. Mostly during hot wheather. What happens is the gas expands in the tank, and can easily overflow the filler neck. The cure is to not fill the tank completly during summer months. This gives space for expansion.

Yeah.. that is exactly what Mike told me who works at Jim Carters. This really gives me a reason to get my dang gas guage fixed!LOL! Live and learn I guess. I drove the truck around for awhile this evening to burn up some gas. I will not be filling It up that much again or atleast till the weather here in KC cools down. I am still considering purchasing a new cap tomorrow.The gas that ran down the side of the cab ate up paint all along the side of the cab and on the foot boards as well! I'm not concerned about the paint job at the moment because it is old and dated but I surely do not want this trouble once the truck goes through the restoration process.

I wish I could afford to fill my tank that full!

Then again,it never gets warm enough here to do that!

A new cap will also have a vent hole.

Mine starts spitting a bit out the filler when it gets too full, and I stop it then. If you fill it until the pump clicks off by itself it will spew. I don't know why these tanks didn't have an expansion chamber built into them.

another thing that I try to avoid is putting the pump in at the gas station and letting it run until the auto shutoff kicks it off- It can fill into the neck the tank which makes the over-expansion and leaking more of an issue. when filling if you hold the pump and listen you can hear it when it is about full by the noise.

Fill up on the way out. My truck does the same thing. So does my Pontiac. I always do as others do, and listen attentively. Of course it looks like I am trying to get high by sniffing the fumes... And those dang new diesel trucks, they're to loud at the next pump, can't hear. Gas pouring on the driveway does smell like summer!

When I fill up, I leave the ignition switch on, and watch the gauge. When it gets to about 7/8ths full, I stop.