Your tank is not vented. I'm surprised it runs very long before it starves
out. You need to make sure the tank is vented. Either through the cap or
with vent lines depending on the year. If it has vent lines, find out where
they are crimped or plugged.
Now I have had the same experience with a fuel tank, fortunately it was on a
riding lawn mower, not a car. Due to a non-vented cap. I fixed it by
drilling a 1/4 hole in the cap and using a air nozzle and compressed air,
*carefully* blew it up like a balloon and "un puckered" it. You could most
likely do the same thing, use compressed air and pop it back out. You could
probably use a rubber ball (or something like it) with a hole drilled
through it to act as a sealer against the filler tube hole. *carefully* use
compressed air and pop it back out. Then fill it up, park it outside over a
piece of cardboard, and check the cardboard the next morning for signs of
any newly created leaks. Hopefully you didn't create any.
Good luck. I know it works on a 5 gallon lawn mower tank. Hope it works
for you. Definitely make sure you vent the tank after you fix it so it
doesn't happen again!
I like your line about the "fool gauge" :) I probably have one of those
too! Oh, you meant fuel gauge!
-Bill
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-spitfires@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-spitfires@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of L&B Lubbers
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2000 8:06 PM
To: Spitfire (E-mail)
Subject: Puckered gas tank
Hi all
I sputtered and coasted to a gas station after only 195 kms the other day. I
thought: great, now I have a bench mark. However, today I ran out of gas
after only 158 kms (98 mi.). What? I thought the tank was 45 litres (10 imp.
gal.) but both times I have filled up when supposedly empty, the tank only
takes 25-28 litres (5.5 - 6.2 gal).
The fool gauge shows either 3/4 full when full or 1/4 when empty. So I
presume something might be wrong with the sender in the tank.
Here’s the twist and the reason for the subject line. My tank looks like a
drink box after my thirsty toddler has taken a few swigs. The bottom appears
(from the front or rear) to be sucked up toward the top by a one to two
inches. The front and back are puckered in to match.
I would like to have a 45 litre tank like the rest of you. If I have to stop
for gas after 2 hours of driving, I might as well go back to a bike. It has
similar fun to drive and seating quotients.
Has this happened to anyone? Is this a signal that the tank is not
ventilating as it should? Lastly, can the tank be repaired. I would hope the
tank can be bellowed out to its normal proportions, without causing the
abnormal creases to leak.
Len Lubbers
Ottawa, Ontario
'79 Spitfire
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