Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Quote:
This has nothing to do with the performance of the car or 60 year old technology but everything to do with 21st century technology being able to faithfully reproduce a part as it was originally designed without trying to change its design to some nebulous definition of what's better. A label or tag to always use a vented cap would have been the expected solution rather than a notch in the filler neck. If the manufacturer told you that was why it was done, I think they were trying to cover a mistake and simply made up an answer to keep from having to remake the tanks.

In 50 years of working on Packards and nearly always topping off the tank, I have NEVER had a leak from the cap! I agree that not all parts are 100% reproductions but rarely are they purposefully changed in such a severe way as to undermine the functionality.

I don't think anyone doubts the quality of your parts in general and, in fact, appreciates everything you've done to help restorers including myself but I for one must take exception to something like this, which was done for no logical reason whatsoever, especially without some big, bold warning on the item description. Sure, you agreed to take it back but that means repacking, possibly taking time off from work to get it shipped etc. which is really not easily done by many people. Additionally, shipping a tank that has had fresh gasoline in it is dangerous, if not actually illegal, even if it's been completely drained and aired out.

The customer should be able to ship the tank back if he does choose to move forward with a refund. As prior to offering these new replacement tanks. We had offered refurbishing services and still do for other models of Packard that had required customers to ship in there tank. So the shipping aspect is feasible.

As for the notch, it was put in by our vendor so the tank would function with vented/non-vented caps. That is something that was put in place in the event the wrong cap being used. Even if we put a large tag on the neck of the tank saying "must uses a vented cap". Whats to say a year or so down the road the cap is left off after re fueling and a replacement is purchased unknowingly that is not vented. So by having the notch its a double fail safe by our manufacturer This would be a scenario where notch would be a benefit.

Don I understand your point and respect it and I know that either way it could be argued thank for your input.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto

Don,

Cars with vented caps can and do leak through the cap is the car is filled to the top with fuel from an underground tank (55 degrees F). If the temp is high like it is today here (90 degrees) it will expand and come out the vented cap or the notch.


When cars were manufactured in the 30's through 70's they did not have a "big bold warning" on them about potential leakage.
Fuel on the ground will not ignite from a match or a cigarette but I do agree that no leakage is better all around.

There are poster here who have experienced leakage and others whom have not. I will take our 55 Caribbean out for a "spin" without it's gas cap and then with it, it has our new tank in it.

Report to follow.

Video Fred or it didn't happen!

Here are some photos from from this afternoon. We took Freds 52 Packard out that is all original with just 25,000 miles and coincidentally when stopping at the gas station we notice this on the lip of the filler neck.

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1091%201.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1091%201.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1091 1.jpg"/></a>

Note the notch at the 9 oclock position.

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/KIMG1089%201.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/KIMG1089%201.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo KIMG1089 1.jpg"/></a>

4.85 a gallon? I know I have a '53 Chevy pickup. The gas tank mounts behind the seat. The filler is on the passenger side, as is the vent of the tank. If the tank is close to 3/4 to full of gas and parked where it is lower on the passenger side it will push gas out the cap. Trouble is the air space is on the upper side and the air and gas expand an push out the gas. I always have to remember in warm weather to park so the passenger side is higher so it can vent the air as it expands.

John

Don,

In your post you said " I for one must take exception to something like this(notch in the filler face), which was done for no logical reason whatsoever.

Perhaps you missed it, but we stated that the manufacturer put it there so it would work with a vented or non-vented cap. That is a logical reason, not a random alteration for no reason at all. Many of the items we make differ in significant ways from the original, many valves are stainless, main/rod bearings have different (better) alloys, gaskets are cork/rubber rather than cork, fuel pumps have modern diaphragms, pistons have Teflon type coatings etc etc AND fuel tanks have a notch to prevent fuel starvation if the wrong cap is used.

Fuel starvation/stalling are dangerous and can trigger a recall in new cars, we take safety very seriously.

As our cust service personnel mentioned, if the notch is not to your liking you can fill it in with an epoxy, no more than a 20 minute job.

Ah yes, I remember an analogous situation. Rochester issued revised float bowl to base gaskets fort eh 55-56 4 bbl carbs. Where the original gaskets sealed the perimeter of the barrels, the revised gaskets had large reliefs in them allowing air to enter. They didn't "reproduce" the gaskets to duplicate the originals they made an improvement. Aftermarket kit manufacturers followed suit.

Experiment results

1952 Packard Patrician 25,00 miles, original fuel tank and cap

1. Replaced cap, drove around lot as before with 1/2 tank. Cap was wet around vent and down neck both from vent leak and bypassing gasket

2. Filled tank. With cap on drove 600 ft to our lot, cap wet around vent and path of drip went down to edge of cap, filler neck wet 4" down from cap.

3. Car parked in sun, temp 80+ degrees. Let sit 2 hrs, constant drip from bottom edge of cap one drop every 4 seconds. Filler neck wet 6" down from cap.

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/fuel1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/fuel1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo fuel1.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/fuel3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/fuel3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo fuel3.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/fuel2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/fuel2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo fuel2.jpg"/></a>

If the customer is still dissatisfied he can still return the products to us for refund or use the epoxy to fill in the spot in, in question. But our new tank preforms just like the 60 year old original.

Wonder if a new cap with a fresh or softer sealing surface would still drip.