442craig

Hi Guys,

I recently put a new gas tank in my '68 442. When I pulled the plastic vent tube thing the packing (charcoal?) inside disintegrated. Has anyone repacked one of these? I am getting a strong fuel smell from it and I think it is the culprit! Is there an alternative to it? Charcoal canister?

Craig

droldsmorland

I thought these were being reproduced? Prior to that some stuffed lawn mower(green) filter media into the end of the vent tube.

hookem horns

Mine ('69) was completely missing and got a replacement that had some kind of white fiber stuff inside. I think the only purpose was to keep debris out, not smell in. Really should not be much odor, so is anything else going on? I had a bad seal on the sending unit on top of the tank. Real charcoal evap systems started in 70-71 I think.

allyolds68

Fusick told me that they sell the vent but it does not have the foam inside. I just ran a couple of lines to the top of the frame and I don't get any smell

rcorrigan5

Fusick has the replacement gas tank vent tube filter kit for 1969 and 1970, part number GTF690K. In my opinion, the 69-70 set-up is superior to the way they had it set up for '68. My '68 set-up was OK so I continued to use it but, if I ever have to replace it, I will use the 69-70 application.


Randy C.

442craig

Mine is fine just missing the insides. I was too cheap to buy another.

Randy,

What kind of filter does it have? Is it just the stuffing like the '68? What is the difference in model years?

I am smelling gas in the garage. Everything is new (tank, sender, lines etc)

Thanks,

Craig

allyolds68

Stuff some green lawn mower foam in there and see if it still smells. I think that's what I did in the fuel lines that I ran up high. If it still smells it may be coming from somewhere else

mrolds69

It's coming from someplace else. The filling in the vent is really more to stop dirt + dust from entering. Even with nothing in it it should not smell. Are you sure it's in the bracket to hold it up high?

rcorrigan5

I'm do not know what material is in the vent tubes. For some reason, the material in my vent tube looks like that spongy stuff used in barrel-type ear plugs. I thought that maybe if the ends of a barrel-type ear plug were cut off and then what's left of the ear plug placed in the vent tube, that it might work. I've seen those kind of ear plugs in white and in yellow. I would use a white one. But all of this is just my speculating...I don't know if it would work or not.


The other clue is important as well - making sure the vent tubes are up high and in the bracket that holds them up.


Something else to consider is that maybe the fuel level indicator is leaking, especially if you had it off and then put it back on again. The first time around, that big "O" ring bunched up on me and the tank actually leaked a lot out of there. I took it apart and was real careful putting it back in again and it went in fine - no leaks and no odors.


In 1969, Olds (and maybe all of GM) went to an end piece that fits over both vent tubes. Look up that part number in the Fusick catalog at www.fusick.com and you can see what it looks like.


Randy C.

Larrys'66

I realize the thread is specific to the '68 and up fuel vent but I have been thinking of altering my '66 to be more effective. My replacement fuel tank came with two vents in the back left of the tank when the original vented from the front right of the tank. The 1/4" fitting is capped and I used the 3/8" fitting to route a hose over to the stock vent loop in the floor of the trunk. I have found that with 3/4 full or greater, the vent line becomes a siphon in hot a garage. I realize I should have returned the tank right away but I would like to know if adding a 68' or newer style vent tube filter to replace the aluminum trap in my trunk might be improve the tanks ability to vent expanding pressure without leaking gas. Thanks!

Larry

rcorrigan5

I'm wondering if your '66 vent is like my '68 vent. The piece in Fusick that fits on both vent tubes started with the '69 model year.


I don't have a problem with my original '68 vent tubes. They must have somehow preserved themselves over the years!

Randy C.

BlackGold

I wouldn't recommend foam earplugs for your gas tank vent. I'm pretty sure they are a closed-cell foam, that is, one which does not allow air (or pressure) to pass through the foam. That's how they block sound. Plus, I doubt they would tolerate gasoline.

Use an open cell foam that's made for a gas vapor environment -- like the breather filter inside an air cleaner, or the air cleaner filter for a lawn mower. So what if it's ten times bigger than what you need; trim it down to fit.

Be warned that some reproduction gas tanks are known to be incorrectly assembled with one or both internal vent tubes below the fuel level instead of staying up in the vapor space. With most people, this results in their tank puking out the vent whever they park at an angle, or the temperature changes, or they simply fill it more than half way. Maybe that's where your smell is coming from. There's no fix for this other than replace the tank again.

rcorrigan5

Good info, Brian. Thanks on the heads-up about the ear plugs. I see now where open cell foam would be much more appropriate.


Randy C.

442craig

Well, I found the culprit of the gas fumes. Not the vent tubes. I have a hole in the hard fuel line above the rear suspension. This is going to loads of fun to replace. I ordered a "convertible" (wonder what is different than the coupe?) hard line set from inline tube. Anyone have and "easy" install ideas?

Thanks,

Craig

allyolds68

I don't think you can install those lines without lifting the body off the frame.

442craig

Wonderful!
Gonna be a fun week! Maybe I'll buy some aluminum tubing and re route it!

rcorrigan5

Craig,
When I restored my '68 convertible ('05-'07), we started the car and fuel just leaked out through the original fuel lines all over the place so I knew we had to replace them. Here's how we did it with the body on!


With the car on a lift, we removed the fuel tank and loosened all the frame-to-body bolts. We used a transmission jack and a good side piece of heavy plywood to jack up the rear of the body off the frame - the piece of plywood went up against the trunk floor from the bottom side. We raised the body only a couple of inches from the frame but that was enough to access the bolt that clips the fuel lines to the frame in the passenger side rear hump. It also enabled us to remove the old fuel lines. We then inserted the new fuel lines through the opening between the frame and the body through the passenger rear wheel opening. We did some gentle bending (the new fuel lines came bent anyway so they could be shipped) but we were able to install the new metal fuel lines intact (no cuts) and re-install all the brackets that hold the fuel lines in place. Once the fuel lines were in place and secured, we lowered the body back onto the frame and tightened all the frame-to-body bolts. Everything has worked fine since then.


I don't know if this will work for you but at least it might give you an option or something to think about. I had to think about it for awhile before we did it but, when we finally decided to try it, it worked pretty much by the numbers.


Randy C.

gearheads78

Convertible hard line is different because of the frame brace.

442craig

Thanks guys! I have a few days to contemplate it while waiting for the lines to arrive! Wasn't expecting this one! It never fails when you partially restore a car!

Craig

442craig

This sounds like a good idea. I have a cherry picker, it might work if I attach it to the trunk lock on the body and jack it up a few inches like you said. It might just work. Installed a new gas tank and sending unit and now it reads 3/4 a tank when it full. I can fix it and hopefully kill 2 birds with one stone!

Thanks for the advise,

I'll let you know how it goes!

Craig

droldsmorland

We would all advise you to not pick the body in this manor. You need to spread the load out more evenly. The verts need good support so as to not bend the body when lifting. Please do a little more homework before you lift. We dont want to see you hurt it.

442craig

I will look at it more closely. Thanks for the input!

Craig

boese1978

No frame brace on 'vert's, they have a boxed frame for strength. I replaced all mine w/o lifting the body, it was no problem at all, the only tight spot I ran into was where the hard line goes up and over the front rear control arm mount, I should not really even call it a "problem" just took a little patience and maneuvering of the line.

442craig

That is the best news I've heard all day! Thanks!

Mr_Ada

I still get fuel smell and thought that was normal! I did replace my tank a few years back but noticed that someone had stuffed a foam cover over the vent tied down with something to keep it in place. Now I have to go see what is there now. If there is a special vent then I need to get it as I don't like smelling fuel.

442craig

I bought a lawn mower foam filter and cut a piece of it ans inserted it into the plastic vent housing. Seem better. I also found that I had a crack in the hard line. It was probably the smell problem.

Mr_Ada

I don't remember what I did but I would think one could put a charcoal canister back there and just run a hose to it.

Chris

COBRA2000

Humm.My 1970 442-W-30 is doing the same thing..I can smell gas in the car and outside in the rear..I raised the rear end of the car and looked at the gas tank vent valve and found it was dripping with gas.My tank is basically full.I can only figure the vent valve is bad.So i just ordered a new vent valve and see if that fixes the problem...Any ideas would be appreciated..

rcorrigan5

It should solve the problem. I even replaced the "vent" in my '68 4-4-2 with the style that's used on '69 and newer and it stopped smelling up the garage.

Randy C.

COBRA2000

Cool...I hope it works??? I can see to where the gas was dripping on the exhaust pipe...KABOOM!!!

COBRA2000

Installed new valve and problem solved,,,