Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

[doral1985]

Received a 5 gal outboard gas can with a quick coupler fuel line and screw type vent on the fill opening, question, when tank is not being used and in storage should the vent be open or closed? I left mine out in the sun today and cracked the vent and a lot of pressure build up in it, could these explode if the got hot enough in the sun??

 

[robert graham]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

I always leave my vent screw cracked open just enough to let the tank breath, and keep the tank full so not much room in there for air/moisture. Best not to store tank of gas in any confined area like basement, utility room, etc., where fumes can accumulate and turn into a bomb! Good Luck!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

Received a 5 gal outboard gas can with a quick coupler fuel line and screw type vent on the fill opening, question, when tank is not being used and in storage should the vent be open or closed? I left mine out in the sun today and cracked the vent and a lot of pressure build up in it, could these explode if the got hot enough in the sun??

I'm sure if you try hard enough, you could get the tank to explode. Better keep it out of the sun, then you could have the vent closed to avoid venting fumes where you don't want them.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

You should leave the vent at least cracked a bit, gas expands and contracts quite alot with temp differences, I think, as in your case, they are designed so that something fails before the tank actually blows from pressure, keep it out of the sun and the vent cracked.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

I am SO GLAD we only have plastic gas tanks now. They HAVE to be left open so the gas fumes can escape & create health & leakage problems

Those metal ones NEVER expanded or leaked when the tank was sealed tight.

That is why plastic is approved by the USCG ?? I bet they DO NOT use anything but red plastic 6 gallon Moeller tanks . With the fumes swirling around the inside of the boat during hot August boat inspections.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

I am SO GLAD we only have plastic gas tanks now. They HAVE to be left open so the gas fumes can escape & create health & leakage problems

Those metal ones NEVER expanded or leaked when the tank was sealed tight.

That is why plastic is approved by the USCG ?? I bet they DO NOT use anything but red plastic 6 gallon Moeller tanks . With the fumes swirling around the inside of the boat during hot August boat inspections.

I agree wholeheartedly about the crap tanks out there. However, we don't HAVE to buy them - steel tanks still are available if you want to pay the piper.....like 4 times the cost!

Or go to EBay and buy a late model used one. They last forever if you maintain them. I have a 1964 and a 1952 tank and both are like new. Gaskets can be bought cheep and a paint job is only a coupleabucks.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

I never paid much attention whether opened or closed unless in off season then vent closed and out of the sun and stored very carefully if an attached garage.
Even though I usually left the vents open on the water and never closed I'm convinced that every time it rains the tank cools and very likely ingests a little water through the vent.Maybe thats why a separator is a good thing.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

Jim

Do you have any sites to help me with a new steel tank ? Or a place that has good used tanks or parts for the steel ones ?

Thanks for any help.
Rich

 

[JimS123]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

Jim

Do you have any sites to help me with a new steel tank ? Or a place that has good used tanks or parts for the steel ones ?

Thanks for any help.
Rich

Call up your local Evinrude / Johnson boat dealers. NOS tanks can be found on the back shelves. Many will have servicable used tanks as well.

I just googled "OMC tank" on E-Bay - 4 new tanks came up, 1 excellent and a bunch of old ones. Keep coming back - they are on there all the time.

Gaskets and floats can be ordered by any OMC dealer. That's about all you need to worry about. Hose and fittings are carried by IBoats. As long as the tank is clean and not rusted inside, the outside can be repaired with rust reformer and red rustoleum. If you're a purist and need the correct color and new decals, google "North York Marine".

I prefer OMC tanks because IMHO they are the best. If you have a different brand motor, just cut off the plug and put yours on. Tempo made a good tank too - they come up new on EBay often as well.

If you don't have a close marina, Google "Laings Outboards" in N.Tonawanda, NY. He carries a huge stock of used tanks and he has all the repair parts too.

Here's a 60 year old tank that was repainted and regasketed 5 years ago (came from Laings)

 

[JimS123]

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

I never paid much attention whether opened or closed unless in off season then vent closed and out of the sun and stored very carefully if an attached garage.
Even though I usually left the vents open on the water and never closed I'm convinced that every time it rains the tank cools and very likely ingests a little water through the vent.Maybe thats why a separator is a good thing.

Winter is the worst time to keep the vent closed. When it gets to freezing the tank will implode. Cold plastic is sometimes hard to pop back out.

In the summer, never keep the tank out in the rain. If it gets splashed while underway, I doubt liquid water would pass the vent gasket unless the tank was defective.

When I did use a plastic tank (always with the vent open) when you squeezed the tank you could hear it breathe, but even in the attached garage I never smelled fumes.

All moot points anyway - as of 1/1/12 no plastic fuel tanks can be sold with manual vents. All are sealed now.

Just before I threw out my plastic tanks, I contacted Tempo (now Moeller) and asked them why they no longer sold metal tanks. They said that sales were so low because of the extra cost that they discontinued them. No other legal reason.

My local marina had a NOS tank and I snapped it up quick.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Outboard Gas Can Pressure Vent

leave the vents open unless you are doing a short term move like in the car coming from the gas station back to the boat. That;s about the only time to close them tight.