Temporay fuel cap legal & safe?

I'm not sure if they are actually illegal, but I have known cars fail the MOT on these. I think the rationale is, that if the car rolled over in an accident a temporary cap like this could pop out and empty the entire contents of the tank in a few seconds.

Nick

They can't be illegal, as such, coz they wouldn't be sold, but they are what they say they are: temporary. You have to have a locking cap, or a locking cover at least, for the MOT.

Si

I'm not sure on the legalities on them, but I know you'll fail an MOT because of one. That has to say something!

Tim..

I suppose that, while not illegal, they're only meant as a temporary replacement and should have been replaced by a proper one by the time the MoT comes round.

They're s**te, they leak fumes at the least and your car will fail an MOT with one.

you mean they wouldn't be sold if they were illegal the same as those "not legal for road use" number plates, bolt on ally pedal sets, green sidelamp bulbs etc?

But you must agree that they're better than either nothing or a lump of old rag stuffed in the filler neck!

I've had many MOT's over the years but never known anyone open the flap to inspect the cap. And talking of fuel caps, what's with all those boy-racer type oversized fuel caps that look the size of wheel trims stuck to the side of the car?

There are some that are MOT passable. I've got one on my van. They push into the pipe then you screw the middle to lock them into position. cost me about £3 from a petrol station.

You'll know when you see one cos it say MOT safe in big red letters on the package.

sQuick..

Weeeeeell...;o)

At least the items you mention are unlikely to be as much of a hazard as a plastic petrol cap popping off.

Si

My local station check the cap and always have done (well it is part of the test after all) so you either haven't seen them do it or they didn't do the test properly.

They were changed a few years ago when they started failing MOT tests. There are probably a few of the old type lying around waiting to be used.

Incidentally the entire fuel system is examined on an MOT test. Tank, pipes, the lot. Anything leaking fails.

Steve

I've always wondered at the mentality of driving a Molotov Cocktail around.

You are confusing locking with sealing methinks which is not the same thing at all ( see Citroen 2cv manufacturers petrol cap Bayonet fitting but has gasket inside no lock and is MOT legal

HTH Phil

Oh aye? I didn't know that - just that my MOT place always asks for the key to the petrol cap.

Si

The push-in ones you've been able to buy for ages will fail an MOT, but I did see one the other week that claimed to be MOTable.

Bottom line you could get done for driving around with it but no policeman is going to; it will fail an MOT. It can't be hard to get a new one for a Mk2 Golf anyway.

Hey Guys,

Just a quick note to say thanks for all your advice- I havn't made it the breakers yard yet but it's on my list !

Cheers

jim