Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hey Don,

Thanks for the advice. I did the fix, filling in the indent with the JB Weld with good results. It still leaks a little but I do have a full tank of gas. As it draws down perhaps the leak and the odor will dissipate.

I replaced all the fuel lines when the tank was replaced so I may have a small leak somewhere between the tank and the carb. I agree with you that could also be the source of the smell in the passenger compartment. I'll put it on the lift today and check those lines.

Correct Gas caps for these tanks are not easy to find, they need to be vented and all of the 50's Chebby re-poped caps that I looked at were non vented. Seems like I bought an NOS cap off Ebay?

Stant still manufactures the correct vented gas cap for these cars. I forget their part number but if you're willing to pay a bit more Dwight Heinmuller has them for sale, check his website or give him a call. Meantime I'll try to find the Stant #, I have a couple of extras - always carry an extra in the glove box.

EDIT: The Stant # is G-37, I've got 3 new ones and a half-dozen used ones; if someone is in need send me a PM but you can probably just go to NAPA or similar and order one.

This is the cap I've been using:

ebay.com/itm/49-50-51-52-53-54-55-56-57- ... 41b9e278:g:YPgAAOSwoudW-HUj&vxp=mtr

It's vented and it's worked great for 10 years.

Hi all, that's very interesting I have the same problem with smelling gas. I bought last year also a new gas tank for my 55 400 from Kanter.
My Cap looks exactly like on Jed's Photo.

Matthias

On the gas tank "flap", The notch was put in by our vendor so the tank would function with vented/non-vented caps. If a gas smell would come from the notch then it would come from a vented cap. If a tank is vented or not vented and you fill it in warm weather to the very top, it will expand and it has to go somewhere.

Either it will go out the vent or will push past the cap gasket which has always been a hard material. New cars have a sealed system/sealed cap and are designed not to leak in this condition.

(In my opinion if a cars smells from gas there is a leak somewhere along the lines or in the pump or carburetor.......or maybe in the Treadlevac.)

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products

We would file a shallow v-shaped groove in the top of the sealing lip of the tank's fill tube when we had a Packard with a gas tank venting problem with a non-vented cap. This fixed the problem without having to replace the cap, and it would would work with vented and non-vented caps. No problems with gas odors unless the owner over filled. The leaking from the expanding gas would quickly go away as the car was driven.

(o{}o)

I would expect a reproduction to be a reproduction without this type of modification to the design! With it, it becomes a replacement, not a reproduction.

Does such an indentation exist on OTHER reproduction gas tanks made for ANY car???

As for the vented v non-vented cap:

Use a 1/32 drill to VENT a cap thaat is UNvented or clean out the vent on a factory vented cap. Drilling such a hole This is rocket science nor require the skill of a an eng'ring PhD.

The indentation as shown in the pic above was put there for some OTHER reason but NOT for venting. Probably something to do alig with alignment procedures during the fab of the tank. OR, someone made a decision that had to business making ANY decision about a gas tank.

I'm using a gas tank in my 56 Exec that was from some other modern car. I don't what it was. It will also puke a little gasoline from the cap if i fill the tank too full. I just haave to be careful not to fill the tank too full. That's all.