Gas tank thingamajigger

Captain Howdy · Jan 4, 2006

I was topping off the tank today and noticed when I was done that the little flap, gate, thingy, (what the heck is that thing called anyway?)was gone and I assume is now in the gas tank. It's about the size of a quarter. Should I be worried?

Thanks

Gary Allan · Jan 4, 2006

I've never heard any horror stories. I would think that it would just lay in the bottom and mind its own business.

Who knows? It might have that pellet catalyst effect and disolve over time ..giving you more power, better fuel economy, and lower emissions.

Shannow · Jan 4, 2006

It might fret a hole in the bottom of the tank over time...just kidding.

TallPaul · Jan 4, 2006

What is that flap for anyway? It makes it hard to add fuel system treatment, and so I took a dowel and bend each and every fuel filler flap in all my vehicles so the fuel treatment would run down easy.

But there is a screen of some sort on the fuel pickup and so no way will that piece ever get into the pump.

Quockieo · Jan 5, 2006

Hate those flap things, good thing i dont have one on my truck.

87sammy · Jan 5, 2006

Maybe it's to keep stuff out of the tank for people who like going down the road with their cap dangling in the wind.

Hootbro · Jan 5, 2006

Also too, most modern cars have siphon baffles in the filler tube to keep siphon hose from going down it. Your flapper will also have to get past those before hitting the take. Like others have said, the pickup screen will catch anything before it does any damage.

Hootbro

dkryan · Jan 5, 2006

Captain:

All that corn-based gasohol dissolved that "thingamajigger!"

Master ACiD · Jan 5, 2006

those things rarely fall out of the filler neck. stick youre finger in there and you will probably find that its jammed up against the filler pipe, by an overzealous gasoline nozzle.

no big deal really. i purposely bend mine like that. i cant stand those stupid flaps.

Captain Howdy · Jan 5, 2006

Tallpaul:

quote:

But there is a screen of some sort on the fuel pickup and so no way will that piece ever get into the pump.

That's what I figured but I thought I'd ask anyway. Thanks

TallPaul · Jan 5, 2006

Must be federally mandated, else why would the auto companies spend the extra pennies per car?

bdcardinal · Jan 5, 2006

they are mandated by the govt. their purpose is to prevent you putting in a leaded gas nozzle into the car. if you notice, unleaded nozzles are usually smaller than leaded ones, same with diesel nozzles. its part of a smog inspection in CA.

TallPaul · Jan 5, 2006

Well, yes I understand the hole being mandated, but why the flap? The flap does not help prevent the leaded nozzel from going in.

BTW, I once unwittingly tried to stick a diesel nozzel in. Fortunately it has too big of a nozzle to fit the unleaded hole.

dkryan · Jan 5, 2006

quote:

Well, yes I understand the hole being mandated, but why the flap? The flap does not help prevent the leaded nozzel from going in.

Maybe it's to prevent miscellaneous items, like loose change and pocket lint, from falling into the tank via the filler neck!

Master ACiD · Jan 6, 2006

hahaha

Captain Howdy · Jan 6, 2006

quote:

Master ACiD

posted January 05, 2006 10:10 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
those things rarely fall out of the filler neck. stick youre finger in there and you will probably find that its jammed up against the filler pipe, by an overzealous gasoline nozzle.

no big deal really. i purposely bend mine like that. i cant stand those stupid flaps.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MA, I tried sticking my finger in there. The flap is gone and all I got was a smelly finger.

SaturnIonVue · Jan 28, 2006

If I recall when they first came out on cars and trucks in 1974, they were called "fuel filler restriction valves" and as someone earlier mentioned, it was to prevent the introduction of leaded fuel or diesel into the fuel tank since the diesel and leaded fuel nozzles are larger. There was a lot of concern back then that people would put leaded fuel into their cars (some did anyway), which would quickly kill the catalytic converter (and that happened too)! Also it was supposed to serve the purpose to prevent "hydrocarbon polution" by keeping the fuel from sloshing out of the tank (like on turns) should the driver forget to put the fuel cap back on. This seems to be the main legacy purpose that the valve serves since leaded fuel pumps haven't been around for years now. I suppose more than one idot has been saved in recent times from pumping diesel fuel into their gas tank by that restriction!

tom slick · Jan 28, 2006

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but are you sure it was there? on another board (vehicle specific) I used to frequent there were a ton of people who swore that their car used to have one of those flaps and that it must have fallen off, but nobody actually had one on their car. when the truth was told that model car had never come with a flap. the human mind works in funny ways.

Captain Howdy · Jan 28, 2006

Yep, I'm sure it was there. But a couple of days ago I filled up the wife's '02 Sentra GXE and her "fuel filler restriction valve" is missing also.

Gas tank thingamajigger

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