Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-22-2022, 04:45 AM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: CA
Posts: 4
Red face Dropped a plastic piece in the gas tank - Should I worry about it ?

Hello people ! I need some help.

I have a 2002 Roadtrek 200 Popular. I was pouring gas from a canister that has one of those nozzles with a safety cap at the end for stopping the flow of gasoline. It had a cap which was between a nickel and quarter size. When I was done I noticed that the cap was missing. It most likely went into the gas tank. I have no idea if the thing floats.

Should I worry about it ? Am I gonna get stuck somewhere thousands of miles away with no cell service ?
wildmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 05:32 AM   #2
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Arizona, Tempe
Posts: 1,652
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wildmonkey View Post
Hello people ! I need some help.

I have a 2002 Roadtrek 200 Popular. I was pouring gas from a canister that has one of those nozzles with a safety cap at the end for stopping the flow of gasoline. It had a cap which was between a nickel and quarter size. When I was done I noticed that the cap was missing. It most likely went into the gas tank. I have no idea if the thing floats.

Should I worry about it ? Am I gonna get stuck somewhere thousands of miles away with no cell service ?
Just an opinion but if it made it down the filler pipe into the tank you are good to go.
hbn7hj is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 05:46 AM   #3
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: CA
Posts: 4
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hbn7hj View Post
Just an opinion but if it made it down the filler pipe into the tank you are good to go.
Yes, it made it down to the filler pipe. The only issue I see is this piece obstructing the fuel pipe coming out of the reservoir and letting me stranded somewhere. I have a "workshop manual" and I am trying to understand how the fuel tank is structured. No luck so far. I hope it at least has a grille of some sort to filter debris when gas gets out of the tank.
wildmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 05:57 AM   #4
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Arizona, Tempe
Posts: 1,652
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wildmonkey View Post
Yes, it made it down to the filler pipe. The only issue I see is this piece obstructing the fuel pipe coming out of the reservoir and letting me stranded somewhere. I have a "workshop manual" and I am trying to understand how the fuel tank is structured. No luck so far. I hope it at least has a grille of some sort to filter debris when gas gets out of the tank.
My replacement pump is packed away and I don’t want to dig it out. It most likely has a nylon bag around the pick up pipe. No way can the plastic part block the pipe. Buy a replacement pump or look at it in a parts manual.
hbn7hj is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 06:13 AM   #5
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: CA
Posts: 4
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hbn7hj View Post
My replacement pump is packed away and I don’t want to dig it out. It most likely has a nylon bag around the pick up pipe. No way can the plastic part block the pipe. Buy a replacement pump or look at it in a parts manual.
Thank you, very good point ! I looked up the fuel pump and apparently it pulls the fuel up. I agree that is very unlikely the piece will block the pipe. I'll just live with it. Thanks for chiming in !
wildmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 03:00 PM   #6
Platinum Member
 
rowiebowie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,632
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wildmonkey View Post
Thank you, very good point ! I looked up the fuel pump and apparently it pulls the fuel up. I agree that is very unlikely the piece will block the pipe. I'll just live with it. Thanks for chiming in !
Think of it this way, there's a greater than 0% chance the cap fell outside the gas tank, landed on it's edge, and rolled 20 ft. away out of sight which is why you never saw it.
rowiebowie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2022, 05:56 PM   #7
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: CA
Posts: 4
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rowiebowie View Post
Think of it this way, there's a greater than 0% chance the cap fell outside the gas tank, landed on it's edge, and rolled 20 ft. away out of sight which is why you never saw it.
Good theory. Now that there is light outside I am tempted to look around. But to be honest I wouldn't want to spoil the fantasy 😃 ...
wildmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2022, 01:34 AM   #8
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Washington
Posts: 254
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rowiebowie View Post
Think of it this way, there's a greater than 0% chance the cap fell outside the gas tank, landed on it's edge, and rolled 20 ft. away out of sight which is why you never saw it.
Yup, I'll bet $5 it's not in the tank.
N147JK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2022, 06:24 PM   #9
Gold Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MD
Posts: 77
Default

The only potential issue caused by by a loose piece of plastic in a gas tank that I can think of is interference with the level sensing float arm causing restricted movement. Not worth dropping the tank to me as I think it would never happen, and if it did I would use the trip odometer as my fuel gage until it was time for a new fuel pump.
GroupB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2022, 06:43 PM   #10
Site Team
 
avanti's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,319
Default

Don't modern vehicles have some kind of screen or something to prevent fuel theft via siphoning? It has been a long time since I have been able to successfully use a siphon hose.
__________________
Now: 2022 Fully-custom buildout (Ford Transit EcoBoost AWD)
Formerly: 2005 Airstream Interstate (Sprinter 2500 T1N)
2014 Great West Vans Legend SE (Sprinter 3500 NCV3 I4)
avanti is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2022, 09:00 PM   #11
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 11,893
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by avanti View Post
Don't modern vehicles have some kind of screen or something to prevent fuel theft via siphoning? It has been a long time since I have been able to successfully use a siphon hose.

Most have a better than old style bag type filter on them at the pump inlet. Now more of a firmer polyester type on the 96 Buick I just put a pump into. It was about 6" long and an inch in diameter. The cheaper import versions use similar to the old pad filters maybe 3 by 1.5".


The modern tanks are also full of baffles to keep the pump from running dry. I could not even see the actual bottom of the tank through the fuel pump hole. that was about 4" in diameter.


Our Chevy has had the flapper from the fill tube laying in since shortly after we got it. Got hung up on a nozzle and came off and down the fill tube.
booster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2022, 09:28 PM   #12
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Flinstone
Posts: 123
Default

If there's some kind of anti-siphon screen and the piece didn't fall all the way to the tank, you might have success getting it out with a shop-vac. I'd put a fresh bag in the shop-vac so you could check whether or not you got it.
Punkinhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2022, 03:05 AM   #13
Gold Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: California
Posts: 99
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Punkinhead View Post
If there's some kind of anti-siphon screen and the piece didn't fall all the way to the tank, you might have success getting it out with a shop-vac. I'd put a fresh bag in the shop-vac so you could check whether or not you got it.

Suck gas fumes into your shop vac? Good way to go boom.
mikeehlert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2022, 05:52 AM   #14
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Arizona, Tempe
Posts: 1,652
Default

After thinking about it. There is no way the plastic piece is in the fill line or tank. It can’t get by the nozzle restrictor. Quit worrying about it.

Shine a flashlight to see the face of the nozzle restrictor. If you feel adventurous use a match!
hbn7hj is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2022, 08:06 PM   #15
Platinum Member
 
Hatteras Jim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: PA now; Cape Hatteras for 20 years previously
Posts: 131
Default

Oh, you will worry about it; but, you shouldn't. Most in tank pumps have a filter that lays horizontal above the bottom of the tank (at the bottom of the fuel pump). Longer and probably wider than your cap. No chance of obscuring the flow completely. If it does, hit the brakes and the cap will slosh away. Look for it when you decide to change your pump at 100k. Find a replacement fuel pump for your vehicle (like on Rock Auto) and look at the picture that accompanies the part # to ease your mind. Not worth the time and $$$$ to find it, IMO. I'm assuming the pump is in the tank. No worries.
Hatteras Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2022, 09:31 PM   #16
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: WA
Posts: 110
Default

The filler neck has a 13/16" diameter restrictor plate that prevents anything larger from passing through. The plastic cap is likely much larger, so not down in the tank.
Peder_y2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
gas tank plastic piece

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT. The time now is 03:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.