6 Gallon Gas Tanks

[jtf]

I am not a fan of the new EPA portable fuel tank caps! They seem to vent all the time either way the cap is switched. Is there a replacement cap or anywhere to purchase the old style tanks, metal or plastic?

 

[jasper60103]

I am not a fan of the new EPA portable fuel tank caps! They seem to vent all the time either way the cap is switched. Is there a replacement cap or anywhere to purchase the old style tanks, metal or plastic?

You may have some luck with the manufacturer, but you should contact them directly.

I have an Attwood plastic 6 gallon tank with the old style vent screw cap.
A few months ago, I contacted Attwood customer support and told them my
cap is leaking, which it was.
They sent me a replacement cap under warranty.
I mainly use my OMC metal tank, but I keep this one for backup.

Craigs or ebay is another option. Good luck.

 

[Riverdog]

I've had good luck with the Scepter 6.6 gal and 3.2 gal tanks. It will puff up on hot days (with closed vent), so I know it's holding pressure. I also like the little extra capacity.

 

[jtf]

Boat has a large expanded metal hatch for venting. Problem is those tanks puff fumes constantly. Wonder if the old cap would work? I don't like the EPA version.

 

[Striper57]

You can get the Moeller Portable Screw Cap that is manually vented. I replaced all my EPA caps with these. They may say they are only for older plastic tanks, but the threads are all the same on new and old plastic Moeller tanks. I think they have to say that for legal reasons...Also Scepter tanks makes a manually vented cap as well.

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[jw675]

Try here. https://www.kelch.com/

 

[DaleH]

I am not a fan of the new EPA portable fuel tank caps! They seem to vent all the time either way the cap is switched.

You have it backwards, newer tanks are designed NOT to vent.

The EPA requires that all portable fuel systems manufactured after January 1, 2011 for use with outboard engines follow a zero-emissions policy, just like the fuel system in your car. Before this change went into effect, fuel tanks were manufactured with a fuel filler cap that vented and released gas vapor into the atmosphere. To meet the new regulations, fuel tanks can no longer be built as an “open” fuel system.
Now that portable fuel tanks must be fully sealed, gas vapor is unable to vent and has nowhere to escape except to your engine through the fuel line. This builds up pressure within the fuel tank, and puts your engine at risk of flooding. If you need to replace the vented tank of your existing fuel system with one of the new sealed tanks, you'll need to add some additional components to your system in order to prevent hazardous fuel spills and possible engine damage.

Link = https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/EPA-Requirements-for-Portable-Fuel-Components

Some tanks blow up like balloons by the expanding fuel vapors and somewhere on here people show how they modified the membrane to allow them to vent.

 

[turbotodd]

The cheap EPA compatible tanks will swell up. I've seen them break. Some of the OE tanks will NOT swell, and are of a MUCH higher quality. I have a Yamaha tank in mine (3 gal) and also have a genuine Merc EPA tank in the shed-neither of them will swell. I also use a Yamaha OE fuel line, which was expensive but it's top notch. Flexible, doesn't kink easily, and I think is around 8 years old now...still just as pliable as it was new, bulb and all.

The old tanks just vented. You will get fumes, and fuel would age quicker due to evaporation. The EPA tanks slow that process down but won't totally solve it. The material is considered "low-permeation" on the new EPA tanks and lines. Low is not "zero". Fuel vapors will permeate THROUGH the material; worse with the old style plastic tanks (pre 2011). The "new" low-perm tanks still allow some permeation but at least now you don't smell it like with some of the old chinese aftermarket tanks. Even some of the OE pre-'11 tanks would stink. That's why the EPA mandated a material change, and it wasn't just outboards. Lawn mowers got hit too.

 

[Bateman]

My new Yamaha tank and OE fuel line work fine, but it does not vent outwards. It's a 6.6 gallon tank that probably holds 7.6 gallons now after swelling up so much. Doesn't really bother me, but I sometimes crack the lid when it's sitting in the parking lot at work. Parked in my garage or on the river under use has never gave me an issue.

 

[earl60446]

I have a couple OMC duratanks (6 gal), don't know how old they are, pre 2011 for sure. They do not vent, swell up pretty good sometimes, I either release the pressure with the cap or sometimes I get a towel wet and throw over the tank to cool it down and keep the sun off it. I would not put a portable tank in a below deck hatch, even if the cover was ventilated. I believe gas fumes are heavier than air and will fill the hatch with fumes, that's bad, maybe even fill the whole bilge with fumes, that's really bad.
Tim

 

[gatorglenn]

Before all epa stuff. Portable fuel tanks is how boats came. With ventilation it’s not a big deal. I removed my 21 gal tank from my Tracker. And am using a 6gal portable now. It’s new with the vent screw in the cap. I run the motor with the screw vent open about a 1/4 turn. So the gas can flow freely. And the tank doesn’t swell. But it’s not in direct sun either.


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[vfourmax]

Before all epa stuff. Portable fuel tanks is how boats came. With ventilation it’s not a big deal. I removed my 21 gal tank from my Tracker. And am using a 6gal portable now. It’s new with the vent screw in the cap. I run the motor with the screw vent open about a 1/4 turn. So the gas can flow freely. And the tank doesn’t swell. But it’s not in direct sun either.

I have owned many boats over the last 45 years that have come factory with both portable and permanent fuel tanks.

First off I have never had a boat with a factory installed permanent tank that the tank was vented below and within the compartment below the boats deck.

All boats I have had with a factory portable tank the tank was placed in an open area of the bilge next to the transom.

All boats I had that had an inboard motor where there was the possibility of gasoline fumes from a carbureted fuel system below the deck also included a blower system that you were supposed to operate prior to trying to start the engine for the intent purpose of clearing any gas fumes out of the compartment to eliminate a spark from causing an explosion.

On those boats the fuel systems were not vented underdeck and the fumes were probably of a much less dense concentration of fumes than what would be present in the compartment than those directly vented from a fuel tank into the compartment.

There is a reason portable vented fuel tanks that are both fueled and vented underdeck are not used in that manner by the manufacturers.

Also to add insult to injury I have never seen a fuel tank vented into in an under deck compartment that also installed the boats batteries within that same compartment as the risk of a spark and combined with gas fumes would be to large of a liability.
I would expect a vented fuel tank and batteries in the same compartment also would not be a coast guard approved safety combination although that is just speculation on my part.

So in my opinion you have created the very worst scenario of a fuel tank vented under deck and in the same compartment with the batteries in that Tracker which is just a train wreck that has not yet occurred because of your not using the correct tank in the correct manner.

Might not be a big deal ever and never cause a problem but is it worth taking a risk of an explosion possibly killing your child or grandchild that you were spending the day taking them fishing because you did not feel it was a risk that was a big deal?

You can do as you choose but in my opinion from a safety standpoint it is a big deal and I would decline going out on your boat with you.

 

[LDUBS]

Maybe just semantics, but the EPA approved are not fully sealed/unvented. They are allowed to vent after 5 psi. Additionally, keep in mind that if they could not vent, our outboards would be pulling against a vacuum -- not a good thing.

I don't know what the formal reg's say, so this might be another of those "IMO" things -- placing a portable fuel tank in an enclosed below deck space is maybe not a best practice.

 

[Bateman]

Maybe just semantics, but the EPA approved are not fully sealed/unvented. They are allowed to vent after 5 psi. Additionally, keep in mind that if they could not vent, our outboards would be pulling against a vacuum -- not a good thing.

I don't know what the formal reg's say, so this might be another of those "IMO" things -- placing a portable fuel tank in an enclosed below deck space is maybe not a best practice.

My new Yamaha tank has a one way valve that unscrews to allow inhale and prevent a vacuum during operation. If you do not open that it most definitely will create vacuum and kill the engine. But it has never vented outwards. Maybe it has never reached 5psi, but it swells up ridiculously.

And I just went outside to vent the pressure and spewed gas everywhere #-o

 

[LDUBS]

My new Yamaha tank has a one way valve that unscrews to allow inhale and prevent a vacuum during operation. If you do not open that it most definitely will create vacuum and kill the engine. But it has never vented outwards. Maybe it has never reached 5psi, but it swells up ridiculously.

And I just went outside to vent the pressure and spewed gas everywhere #-o

Mine was the same and my scepter tank would expand considerably. I'm just saying that, unless they changed, the EPA standard would allow venting after 5 psi. I don't know. Maybe that little valve on the cap is one-way only.

I hate it when the pressure spews gaso all over the place. Seems an unintended consequence of the reg's to me, but what do I know. LOL.

 

[Bateman]

My new Yamaha tank has a one way valve that unscrews to allow inhale and prevent a vacuum during operation. If you do not open that it most definitely will create vacuum and kill the engine. But it has never vented outwards. Maybe it has never reached 5psi, but it swells up ridiculously.

And I just went outside to vent the pressure and spewed gas everywhere #-o

Mine was the same and my scepter tank would expand considerably. I'm just saying that, unless they changed, the EPA standard would allow venting after 5 psi. I don't know. Maybe that little valve on the cap is one-way only.

I hate it when the pressure spews gaso all over the place. Seems an unintended consequence of the reg's to me, but what do I know. LOL.

I'm picking up what you're putting down. I think you are right about the 5psi. Otherwise, this bad boy would be a bomb down here on a hot summer day. I know in general aviation, testing an aluminum tank with more than 6psi will result in an angry boss having to buy someone a new tank haha. 5psi seems inline.

Hmm... I just remembered my dirt bike riding days and the gas caps with a breather tube that you could run overboard that allowed venting without spilling gas where it shouldn't be if the tank should be tipped over.. I believe some of the fancy short tubes had a "spill proof" breather fitting on them. I will look into this. I'm tired of walking out to vent it in the smoldering parking lot at work. It currently has a cardboard box providing shade 8)

 

[jtf]

The cap can be closed or opened, or pressed down to manually "vent" to keep below 5psi. These are in full shade, vented compartment sides top and bottom and separated 100% from battery compartment and wiring by bulk head and lid.

It would be no less safe in the rear of the boat next to the cranking battery and still smelly. Two of my boats had factory under-deck tanks and a deck/gunnel vent. They stank when "venting" too. Fuel spillage when filling these is carefully avoided. The compartment and tanks get washed down immediately after fueling, just in case.

These new tanks smell placed in open outside, or in the shade in the shed sitting on the floor, new lines and oem fittings.

 

[vfourmax]

The cap can be closed or opened, or pressed down to manually "vent" to keep below 5psi. These are in full shade, vented compartment sides top and bottom and separated 100% from battery compartment and wiring by bulk head and lid.

It would be no less safe in the rear of the boat next to the cranking battery and still smelly. Two of my boats had factory under-deck tanks and a deck/gunnel vent. They stank when "venting" too. Fuel spillage when filling these is carefully avoided. The compartment and tanks get washed down immediately after fueling, just in case.

These new tanks smell placed in open outside, or in the shade in the shed sitting on the floor, new lines and oem fittings.

My response was to the Tracker owner that had removed his permanent tank and was using the portable tank.

I have owned a Tracker in the past like the one in his profile picture and those I know for a fact the permanent fuel tank is mounted in front of the batteries in the same compartment but is vented and filled outside the hull.

I can see the open vented top in your picture and the storage in the same compartment has misc gear that will not cause a spark. Much better situation than the one I was referring to earlier.

 

[jtf]

Got it. I've got an aversion to fuel and batteries in the same hold. Ideally, if this hull works out as a river machine, it will have a proper tank installed. 24vlt battery system is in tan lid hatch with enough storage for tackle and such.

 

[gatorglenn]

Before all epa stuff. Portable fuel tanks is how boats came. With ventilation it’s not a big deal. I removed my 21 gal tank from my Tracker. And am using a 6gal portable now. It’s new with the vent screw in the cap. I run the motor with the screw vent open about a 1/4 turn. So the gas can flow freely. And the tank doesn’t swell. But it’s not in direct sun either.

I have owned many boats over the last 45 years that have come factory with both portable and permanent fuel tanks.

First off I have never had a boat with a factory installed permanent tank that the tank was vented below and within the compartment below the boats deck.

All boats I have had with a factory portable tank the tank was placed in an open area of the bilge next to the transom.

All boats I had that had an inboard motor where there was the possibility of gasoline fumes from a carbureted fuel system below the deck also included a blower system that you were supposed to operate prior to trying to start the engine for the intent purpose of clearing any gas fumes out of the compartment to eliminate a spark from causing an explosion.

On those boats the fuel systems were not vented underdeck and the fumes were probably of a much less dense concentration of fumes than what would be present in the compartment than those directly vented from a fuel tank into the compartment.

There is a reason portable vented fuel tanks that are both fueled and vented underdeck are not used in that manner by the manufacturers.

Also to add insult to injury I have never seen a fuel tank vented into in an under deck compartment that also installed the boats batteries within that same compartment as the risk of a spark and combined with gas fumes would be to large of a liability.
I would expect a vented fuel tank and batteries in the same compartment also would not be a coast guard approved safety combination although that is just speculation on my part.

So in my opinion you have created the very worst scenario of a fuel tank vented under deck and in the same compartment with the batteries in that Tracker which is just a train wreck that has not yet occurred because of your not using the correct tank in the correct manner.

Might not be a big deal ever and never cause a problem but is it worth taking a risk of an explosion possibly killing your child or grandchild that you were spending the day taking them fishing because you did not feel it was a risk that was a big deal?

You can do as you choose but in my opinion from a safety standpoint it is a big deal and I would decline going out on your boat with you.

Well yea ok. I get it. And to put minds at ease. The bilge area is going to be vented in the same way the new boat being built today are. With portable tanks. Just got though with all the painting. So trailer is done. And hull is painted. Now on the the inside rebuild.

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