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WTF? Can gas tanks "implode"??


THe_DeTAiL3R

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My mom noticed my car was leaking gas on the driveway so I jacked it up to take a look. It really looks like just the filler tube that the j/y put on when they changed the tank, cause it's rusty as hell and that just looks like where the gas is coming from (filled up the other day).

 

Anyways when I jacked it up I noticed a good sized DENT in the tank. It's about 2" deep dent on the bottem passenger side part, right where the "crease" is. The last time anyone was under the car was myself, when I changed the wheels (gas tank was fine). Upon inspection I can't really see any marks that would indicated something actually HIT the tank, it's almost as if it "imploded" on its own :shrug: When I filled the car the other day it was kinda cold out, could gas temperature or pressure in the tank do something like this? Very strange, WTF!

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The tank is adequately vented (at least it should be,) plus there's a plastic liner/baffle in the bottom, so I don't see how it could possible implode.

 

Did the dent pop itself out when you opened the gas cap (or did the tank expand at all)?

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I tried opening the gas cap, but there isn't ever really built up pressure or anything, so I dunno. Maybe I ran over something but it would be really weird that I didn't notice and that nothing else is damaged (it's right by the exhaust pipe too).

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My muffler has a dent and one of the hangers in bent but I know how that happen :( :leaving:

 

But I'm jumping on the band wagon and saying that you must have driven over something and dented it :(

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Very strange.. I don't remember backing over anything, and there is no damage to the back of the car or anything. Something must have flew up under the car I guess.

 

I'm thinking I should leave the dent.. pulling it might make the cheap metal rust?

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Theoretically, I think it could happen.

 

Those days when you turn the gas cap and hear a lot of hissing, that's built up vacuum. The tanks are just sheetmetal, so I think it's possible that enough vacuum could cause that.

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Theoretically, I think it could happen.

 

Those days when you turn the gas cap and hear a lot of hissing, that's built up vacuum.

 

Vacuum or pressure? :? 8)

 

Vacuum... isn't it?

 

Everything on the output side of the fuel pump should be pressurized, everything on the input side of the pump should be under vacuum.

 

Of course, now your smilies make me wonder. :lol:

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I would think that if the gas was too cold it would have the opposite effect of vaccuum.. so it really doesn't make any sense. My gas tank has never made "hissing" or any kind of pressure sound when opening the cap :shrug:

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Actually, I'm almost certain the fuel tank can experience vacuum. As the level of liquid in the tank decreases, it has to be replaced by either air or vacuum. If air can't enter the tank to replace the liquid, then you'll have vacuum. It's possible that vacuum over a prolonged period of time could result in a dent that gradually grows.

 

I would think air would enter the tank either through the cap or charcoal cannister so maybe my theory isn't true, but it could happen if the fuel level drops faster than air can enter the cap or cannister.

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I think it is pressure from cooler gas heating over the day. I have literally had a gas cap be pushed into my hand from pressure escaping when I opened the cap. Wether it should do that or not I am not sure.

 

Now the newer cars will give an SES light if the cap is off or loose because it does not see pressure in the tank...so I do not know for sure either...but I think the hissing is pressure. :wink: 8)

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