Deisel Fuel filler cap Caution

[sparky]

While filling our tank yesterday, the chain holding the deisel fuel filler cap broke at about the half way point. We were able to grab the cap before it hit the water, and without spilling much fuel, but now the rest of the chain is still hanging in the fuel fill line, and we are concerned that at some point the fuel nozzle could break off more pieces of the chain sending it into the fuel tank.

So, any suggestions how to get the rest of the chain out safely, and Please be Careful!!

Sparky

 

[rt11002003]

Sparky,

The cap retaining chain is part of the fitting, ie. attached to the filler tube, probably (usually) with rivets. One can use a pair of long nose plier to attempt to break off more of it. Or, one can remove the filler tube, drill out the chain rivet and install new parts, or even replace the tube and cap.

Or, one can leave it. If it breaks and falls into the tank it should not be a problem. The fuel pickup tube does not reach the bottom of the tank and shouldn't pick it up.

We tend to worry about things that fall into tanks and oil pans, etc. But, it's not always a problem. A Volvo engine I owned blew up a couple of distributor drive shaft gears, on a couple of different occasions, and some of the gear teeth fell into the oil pan. I ignored them, the oil pickup tube didn't reach the bottom of the pan, why worry. 🙂 Several years later I sold the Volvo and the new owner, a garage/parts dealer from whom I'd bought the distributors and knew the story, decided to rebuild that engine. He called to tell me the parts were in sludge at the bottom of the pan and hadn't moved.

Gene

 

[baz]

Sparky:

As an aside to your story about the diesel fuel cap almost making it to the water...

On the R-25 there's the clip on ladder that allows one to climb up to and get better access to the upper cabin deck area. I've ask the factory about how secure that ladder is because if it ever dislodges from its clips it will fall into the water and likely be lost for ever. They've assured me it's secure and that many R-25 owners leave the ladder attached.

Just how secure is this ladder I wonder, and more importantly, how can one devise a solution to ensure the ladder would not sink if it ever were to fall off into the water. I was thinking it needs to have some form of flotation device attached to it so that it could be retrieved from the water. Ideas anyone?

 

[CaptMac]

Hi Sparky -

We found that the retaining chain on the diesel cap got in the way too often - especially when you have to use the larger nozzles - so we broke ours off a long timeago. We do carry a spare diesel cap - just in case.

Mac

 

[j&lgray]

Hi Sparky,
Welcome to the club of, "Broken Fuel Cap Chain." The Laurie Ann had the same problem and it was caused by the big fuel nozzles used on the Tennessee River. We have lived nicely without it. Special Thanks goes to Andrew for helping us find another cap because ours went into alligator water.

Baz,
About your sports rack ladder, we keep ours attached all the time and it does not move. We found the mounting system to be very adequate with it being thru-bolted on large washers. That baby is not going anywhere unless it takes most of the cabin wall with it.

 

[Bay Ranger]

Sparky -

I have no solutions here - I'm just another broken fuel cap chain sufferer. Looks like Gene pretty much covered the repair options.

But just to add to the caution, the chain on our water fill cap broke as well, so be carefull with that one too. Ours broke near the point where it attaches to the fill tube collars, so we were able to remove the dangling chain from the caps. Guess we'll have to rustle up a spare cap, as well, just in case. Opening the water fill out the window without the chain with one hand gets even trickier to hold on to.

Ed

 

[Lobo]

The first time I filled up the fuel cap broke free from the chain while refueling. I presume the nozzle broke the chain -- it sure couldn't have been me! I was lucky -- it got hung up on a swim grid support bracket.

I drilled a @1/64 hole off center (then when I realized what I had done, a 2nd one in the center). I took a piece of plastic covered wire (stainless, of course) and a crimp (West Marine's wire crimping desk) to keep the wire inside the cap. The other end I did in a bight and then hooked that to my boat. The cap swings freely -- and securely -- when I refuel.

I did a much better job on the water cap.

Dave
"Lobo"

 

[baz]

The first time I filled up the fuel cap broke free from the chain while refueling. I presume the nozzle broke the chain -- it sure couldn't have been me! I was lucky -- it got hung up on a swim grid support bracket.

I drilled a @1/64 hole off center (then when I realized what I had done, a 2nd one in the center). I took a piece of plastic covered wire (stainless, of course) and a crimp (West Marine's wire crimping desk) to keep the wire inside the cap. The other end I did in a bight and then hooked that to my boat. The cap swings freely -- and securely -- when I refuel.

I did a much better job on the water cap.

Dave
"Lobo"

Photos please ?

 

[Lobo]

I'll take some photo's today and hope to post tomorrow. I'm not qualified enough to put photos on the Tug Nuts site, but if you send me an email to davidtrace@shaw.ca I can send them to you. Anybody else want them? Same thing.

Dave

 

[sparky]

Well, nice to know I am not alone in this.

Hopefully the fine folks at Ranger will be reading all this and either warning others or revising the system.

Now I know not to place any reliance on the retaining chain for the fresh water tank. I have been thinking of getting spare caps for all the tanks. Let you all know when I find the parts.

Sparky

 

[baz]

Hi Sparky -

We found that the retaining chain on the diesel cap got in the way too often - especially when you have to use the larger nozzles - so we broke ours off a long timeago. We do carry a spare diesel cap - just in case.

Mac

Where did you obtain the spare diesel cap from ? Thanks.... 🙂

 

[doke01]

Ours broke the first time we filled up. I decided to do nothing to see what happened and nothing happened so it is still that way, with a bit of chain on the cap and a bit in the fillup.

 

[CaptMac]

I bought my spare caps direct from Ranger Tugs.

Mac

 

[baz]

Mac:
Thanks -- I've asked Jeff to include TWO spare caps as part of my R-25 purchase. 🙂 I also mentioned that R-25 owners have experience the cap's retaining chain breaking leading to a loss of the cap (presumably in the deep depths 😉 ).

I'm at a loss to figure out why the chain breaks. Is it due to wear and tear, corrosion weakening the chain or maybe the pump nozzle interfering with the chain causing it break. I've not seen how the chain is attached to the cap so hence my questions. 🙂

 

[Andrew Custis]

Mac and John both hit it right on the head. The chain does nothing but get in the way. They always break due to the nozzles pressing against them. I am all about no chain and carrying an extra cap. If there isn't a chain attached it wont be a surprise to you when it drops out of your hands. 😀 I can get extra caps, just let me know.

 

[baz]

Mac and John both hit it right on the head. The chain does nothing but get in the way. They always break due to the nozzles pressing against them. I am all about no chain and carrying an extra cap. If there isn't a chain attached it wont be a surprise to you when it drops out of your hands. 😀 I can get extra caps, just let me know.

Andrew: I asked Jeff via Email to include TWO spare caps as part of my new R-25 purchase. 🙂 Maybe you can tuck them in the boat somewhere for me. 😉

 

[captd]

I took the chain off so I could use a filler nipple which has solved my spilling problem. A nice thing about it is if you drop your regular cap you can just use a cheap PVC cap on the nipple. Or you can spend $100 for bronze for the whole set up. Thanks again Henry for that tip.
captd

 

[baz]

The diesel fill tube cap should be designed with following aspects in mind.

1. Float
2. Be a flip lid type such that when opened should not interfere with fuel pump nozzle
3. Except the fuel pump nozzle without having to be removed

BTW - how are other boat's fuel tube caps designed to avoid the issues presented in this thread ?

 

[bobsboat]

I added more chain so that the cap rests further inboard from the hull. Fisheries Supply in Seattle sells a cable which would be a better retention for the cap than the chain. The factory should switch to cable. But wether you can retrofit from chain to cable on existing chain retentions is unknown. From the earlier posts it seems that would be difficult. bob b

 

[Ram]

The first time I filled the tank after buying my boat used the fuel nozzle broke the chain and the cap went overboard. The guy at the fuel dock told me the same thing had happened to the former owner. I went without a chain for awhile, and have carried a couple of extra fuel caps (they're pretty cheap insurance) in case I ever dropped the cap.

Recently I found an acceptable (and cheap - did I mention I am Scottish?) solution to the problem. I found a very inexpensive replacement cap at a chandlery that had a chain attached to a metal clip that springs open inside the filler pipe. This particular cap didn't fit my pipe, but I took the chain and spring off it and attached them to the cap I'm using. I was able to push the spring clip far enough down the pipe that it is out of the way of the nozzle, but I could still pull it out if the chain ever broke again. This seems like a better way of securing the cap and chain than screwing it inside the pipe where it is inaccessible if (and apparently when) the chain breaks.