When I had Gas Tank Renu guys ( http://www.gastankrenu.com/ ) restore my tank many years ago, I painted the exterior silver before I put it back in the trunk.
My tank was full at the track when it got over pressurized. If I had more air in the tank, it might have taken longer to over pressurize the tank since air is more compressible. However, you are right in that more fuel should have kept the tank cooler. But the gas was already pretty warm since the day started off in the 70's at 6 am. Maybe I should arrive at the track running on fumes and then fill the tank for the gas will cooler since it is stored underground. Bruce On Tue, Aug 7, 2012 at 10:34 AM, Brian Shorey <[email protected]> wrote: > Didn't they also start painting the bottom of the tank silver, instead of > black, for similar reasons? > > How does less gas help? I'd think more gas would keep the tank cooler, > and there would be less 'room' for fumes to pressurize. ?? > > bs > > Sent from my iPad 4 > > On Aug 7, 2012, at 6:40 AM, Bruce Giller <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Folks, > > > > After much consultation with fellow List members concerning just might be > > going on with my GTV, I do have a very good inconclusive report to make. > I > > checked and double-checked all the hoses and connections that relate to > the > > fuel tank. They are all clear and seem to be hooked to the correct > > connections (John Fox sent me a copy of Alfa's write up of the vapor > > recovery system). In the engine compartment I found the oil separator > not > > to be clogged and all the hoses clear as well. The very small tube from > > the vapor recovery tank is to allow the vapors to liquefy and be returned > > to the fuel tank rather than sucked back into the cylinders. The vapor > > recovery system seems to in good shape in that it is hooked up correctly > > with no obvious defects. > > > > My guess-conclusion is that the fuel tank is great at accumulating heat > on > > a hot day at the track but not great at lowering the pressure quickly. > My > > ideas to reduce the temps at the track will be: > > > > 1. vent the tank to the atmosphere with a 'T' fitting and a valve; > > for track use only > > 2. install a heat shield between the rear exhaust and the tank > > 3. run with at most 1/2 a tank of gas at the track > > > > Thanks for all the help!! > > > > Bruce > > > > On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 6:16 AM, Bruce Giller <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > >> > >> .................................... > >> > > > > > >> On the next session (tank was about 1/2 full by now - should have > started > >> with 1/2 tank), I ran the full 20 minutes and didn't smell gas (well, at > >> least not nearly as much as previous session). Back at our spot, I > checked > >> the trunk and I could hear air loudly hissing from the filler cap > (tightly > >> screwed on) and from the vapor container's air breather. I could hear > >> gurgling sounds from inside the tank. And when I started to pull the > >> filler cap from the tank neck, fuel & air spurted out of the filler all > the > >> way up my arm and partially on my face - fortunately I was standing to > the > >> side and didn't get sprayed full on. I screwed the cap partially back > on > >> to let the pressure escape. After the tank was depressurized, I > discovered > >> that the vapor container remained pressurized. There was even more gas > in > >> the container than previous which I drained back into the tank once the > >> pressure was released. > >> > >> We left before the last session. At the end of the 1.5 hour trip back > >> home, I cracked open the filler cap and found no pressurization. Tank > had > >> about 2-3 gallons left in it. The temps in the DC area where much > warmer > >> than at Summit Point and the traffic much slower. > >> > >> So just how is the tank getting so over pressurized?? Outside source?? > >> My rear muffler is not too close to the tank for there is the standard > >> 3"-4" gap between them. The gas tank was warm to the touch when over > >> pressurized but not frying pan hot. I did replace the front resonator > with > >> a straight pipe but that shouldn't heat up the rest of the system that > >> much. And how could it heat up almost 11 gallons of fuel so quickly on > the > >> track to cause the pressurization? > > -- > > to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi > > or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected] -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
