Fuel Filler Cap

Forum: 

When I unscrew the fuel filler cap of my 1997 Sportrak, 1.6 EFI there is a sucking in of air, as if the tank has a partial vacuum. The cap is not vented, should it be?
cheers
Paul

No, it has a separate

No, it has a separate breather under the vehicle.

Regulations concerning emissions meant petrol fumes couldn't be emitted constantly and to correct this they fitted a breather valve onto a vent pipe under the vehicle. This is simply a small ball which seats in a rubber sleeve and has a spring either side to centralise it, when you fill up, or if the temperature rises and the fuel expands then when sufficient pressure builds up it pushes the ball one way, when vented the spring returns the ball to centre to seal the valve.

As fuel is consumed it creates a vacuum in the tank and the vacuum sucks air inwards and the ball moves the opposite way to let air into the tank.

Problems arise when wet and mud get inside these valves as it can clog up the mechanism and the ball remains solid in the central position; or the springs corrode and the ball cannot move either way.

Look under the vehicle for the small vent pipes and one will have a small piece of plastic attached to the end of it, this is the vent valve, pull it off the pipe and blow from either end, if it seals then releases as you blow harder then its working, if it doesn't release then clean and blow it out and soak it in oil to lubricate and protect it from corrosion.

If its trashed then get a 99p inline fuel filter and stick that on, put a cap on the exposed end and drill a 3mm hole in it.