Portable gas tank woes - help!

[Rachel]

Okay folks, I'm ignoring the outboard, but I thought I had found someplace to get rid of the gas so I decided to take the tank out (as it turned out, the place wouldn't take the gas, but at the time I thought I had a place...)

The tank in question is one of those classic orange 6-gallon metal tanks with the little "ears" to wrap the hose around. When I was a kid this type of tank would have said "Cruise-a-Day" on it (with our tiny motors you could cruise many a day on 6 gallons).

So in my memory this type of tank had a little threaded vent knob in the center of the cap, but this one didn't. Okay, there's where I made my first mistake: I just went ahead and unhooked the hose (that leads to the motor). Aaack, suddenly gas was spraying everywhere as a mini-geyser came out the fitting where I'd taken the hose/clip off.

I jammed it back on (as well as I could with a faceful of gasoline) and with my other hand fumbled the cap off. Of course there was a great "hiss" as the pressure vented off.

So okay, I thought I was in the clear and once again took off the clippy-hose end and all was okay...until I put the cap back on, when *again* gas started spraying out from the fitting, albeit with a tad less gusto.

So what gives here? I thought those fittings were leak-proof when you took the hose off. Is my memory off or is something wrong with the fitting? Now that I cannot find anyplace to get rid of the fuel, I will be leaving the tank in the boat for now - and I'm wondering how this is suppsed to not blow up with no vent? Seems crazy to me. The tank's in good shape though, and has a nice built-in gauge - plus it's nostalgic :-)

Thanks ahead for any help --- Rachel

[Figment]

The fitting is supposed to be self-sealing. Yours are probably a bit worn at the seals.
BUT... I've never known one that didn't spray just a tad during the engage/disengage process.

[Rachel]

Okay, thanks Figment. This is more than a tad, unfortunately; but your response confirms what I thought I remembered about them being self-sealing. Still seems strange that there's no vent.

--- Rachel

[Tim]

It's possible someone replaced the original cap with a non-venting one, not knowing what they were doing.

Every old metal tank that I have seen has the vented cap.

[Rachel]

Tim,

Ah, I hadn't thought about someone replacing the cap with a non-vented one (gee, this one's a buck cheaper, why not?...)

Okay then, perhaps I'll see if I can buy a proper cap locally. I'm envisioning the whole thing exploding while I'm gone otherwise when it gets warm out (that's just before the really scary 1962-looking, single-clamped, non-seacocked head intake hose gives way...)

--- Rachel