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Re: Spitfire SU conversion stumper

To: Joe Curry <curry@wolfenet.com>
Subject: Re: Spitfire SU conversion stumper
From: msecres@ibm.net
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 1998 05:34:58 -0800
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
References: <34AAF10E.7333@ibm.net> <34AB0305.FAB68845@wolfenet.com>
Joe Curry wrote:
> 
> msecres@ibm.net wrote:
> 
> >  My experience, by the way, is that the CC can only withstand a modicum of 
>vacuum
> > pressure before gas starts getting pulled into it, stinking up the whole 
>damn place.
> > The fumes come into the car and make me smell  ... more so than usual ...
> >
> 
> Marty,
> Remember a few weeks ago when I was changing out my fuel tank.  Well, I can 
>tell you about
> the gasoline smell if you con't have that vent hose attached properly.  It 
>seems that early
> Spits had no such venting and now that I have a tank with a vent, I have to 
>figure out what
> to do with that nasty hose.  I think I can sefely cap it because the filler 
>is vented.
> Anybody know?
> 
> Joe Curry

I don't know why not.  As you know, the early Spit was vented to the atmosphere 
via the 
filler cap, but (in 1971?) a vapor line was added.  Plugging it with the  
short-hose-and-bolt system is what I would do.

I will say, however, that you should ascertain that the filler vent is indeed 
open and 
clear.  Earlier this year I had an unfortunate experience with a gas tank that 
I had 
spent considerable time working on.  I sealed the inside, painted the outside, 
replaced 
my filler cap rubber seal and installed it. Not long afterwards, one morning, I 
opened 
the garage to find gas on the floor, and the tank "crushed" so hard its bottom 
internal 
metal supply tube had pierced the bottom, spilling the contents!  After much 
hair-pulling and consulting with the list, I discovered that the tank 
self-destructed 
because of a plugged vapor line.  When I put the car away, I had just a little 
fuel left 
in the tank -- the outside temp. dropped quickly, and the resulting internal 
vapor 
vacuum "squeezed" the tank like an empty Coke can.  (Needless to say, it was 
trashed.  
And quite a sight to behold.)  Having that nice new filler cap rubber seal only 
exacerbated the situation.  So the moral of the story is:  check the vapor line!

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