Had some work done recently on the fuel filler pipe which was rusted through on our uk spec Previa P reg vintage. Because a new pipe was hundreds of pounds the garage cobbled together some armoured flexible pipe to replace the damaged section. Last week i was filling up the tank --gulp!!!- and noticed when i unscrewed the filler cap that there was pressure in the pipe.A distinct hiss as i unscrewed it. Is this normal or has the garage cocked up some sort of breather pipe fitted to the tank. Car works ok and I cant see any sort of vent on the filler cap. Any advice/cure if required please. Should it in fact vent??
Previa fuel cap
May 09, 2011
15 Replies
Tim gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
^ this bit
it is perfectly normal for modern tanks to pressurise to some extent, it is when they suck in that you should worry.
Carb or fuelinjection , most fuel injection systems pressurise the tanks
That's a good sign. I assume yours wasn't doing that before because it had a hole in it.
Biggles
From experience of owning a Lexus IS200 currently, an LS400 and Celica GT4 in the past, totally normal especially when the tank is below 2/3rds empty.
Speaking of fuel caps, I am surprised how many modern cars I encounter in car parks etc with fuel cover flaps sufficiently ajar to easily get them open, remove the cap, and to syphon fuel.
Up to now I haven't had an empty 5 gallon Jerry can and syphon with me, so I just push the flaps properly closed, but if juice gets much more expensive . . . ;-)
please don't even joke about it, two of my cars have recently had their fuel caps destroyed by attempted fuel theft, in both cases they failed. Locally there have been spates of fuel tanks being punctured to get the fuel out. Very distressing and very expensive to fix. Some people have even been followed home after filling up and the fuel stolen that night, so it is very premeditated.
Quip deleted...
8-( Bad news for anyone without garage space, and I suppose it will become more common with prices as they are now. We have to leave them parked sometimes...
I filled a coach up recently. Over £500.......
Lorries have even bigger tanks.
One advantage with my old Land Rover is that unless you lift the bonnet, you don't know what you're going to get out of the tank, and there's an anti-syphon mesh in the filler tube anyway. After you've got past the padlock.
they just spike the tank. whether rear mount or saddle mount.
I knew I should have gone for the armourplate option.....
Still, most days they'll only get about twenty quid's worth out at most. And a new tank costs £50 fitted.
I wish I could get a rear tank for my series three for fifty quid, last time I looked it was over a hundred and I would have to get a new sender too. I have wondered about making up a stainless steel cover for the cars I have with vulnerable tanks, that should slow them down and hopefully make them give up. Or a bomb device as used in Mad Max.
In article , Mrcheerful writes
Happened to me a couple of years ago when I had a Hyundai Getz (plastic fuel pipes running under the sill). I'm certain I got followed home form the petrol station, which was one close to home that I don't normally use, and the following morning found the pipe cut, some petrol presumably taken and the rest, 40 quid's worth, left to piss all over the road.
Have you tried siphoning fuel out of the filler of anything made after about 1993?
Generally I have found there is some sort of device that prevents it. Gauze or an upwards bend in the pipe inside the tank or something.
I think it's probably easier to puncture the tank.
No. :-)
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