# Plastic Moeller gas tank expanding in shape



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Way back I saw a post somewhere about the new portable plastic gas tanks having a problem expanding it's shape due to the new EPA regulations that require a different gas cap. Not sure which thread I saw this but decided to post here.

I purchased a 6 gallon Moeller plastic gas tank several months ago. The boat is stored in the garage. 

This week I had my boat in the shop for motor repair and it was sitting out in the hot sun for a long period of time. The gas tank expanded to the point of almost becoming round in shape. The mechanic explained these new gas caps are due to EPA regulations and they have been replacing them with the old style cap. The new caps are apparently not vented in a way to allow hot air to escape so the gas can just blows up to a round shape.

Seems to me this is crazy. The darn thing could reach a point it could rupture I would think. I know the thickness of the plastic is much more than the old style cans, but it sure looks like a heck of a safety hazard that is being caused by government overregulation.

Has anyone had this sort of experience with their gas can?


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

All the new "safe" fuel tanks suck. I haven't found one that worked for more than a month without breaking. Terrible designs, not safe at all.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

No but I'm pretty sure the reason behind it is so the vapors don't escape into the atmosphere. Good example of more EPA goodness is the large gas caps on Honda gas tanks. There's a charcoal filter under the cap to "filter" the fumes passing thru the vent hole. If the gas gets sloshed around and soaks the filter, the tank doesn't vent and the motor stops running due to a vacuum in the gas tank.


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

I have one of the new tanks on my boat. It sits outside in the yard and the hot sun. It swells up pretty good. Every now and then, when I walk by it and think about it, I unscrew the cap a little to relieve the pressure. The paper that came with the tank said it was normal due to the cap design and to periodically unscrew the cap to relieve some pressure. Been in the sun all summer and has not burst open yet. I dont particularly like seeing it swelled up like a beach ball sometimes but it always returns to normal when I unscrew the cap.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

I just finished reading Moeller FAQ on this issue and it says the cap is supposed to vent at 5psi, but the tank is designed to hold 15psi. I apparently missed the notice about swelling when I bought the tank. I have never noticed it swelling up very much when out fishing and it's stored indoors so was just not aware of a big swelling problem until now.

Anyway, with a new cap I won't be having this problem.


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## floater1 (Oct 31, 2007)

You can snip a little off the rubber flap on the cap to eliminate the problem


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

floater said:


> You can snip a little off the rubber flap on the cap to eliminate the problem


That's good to know. I already disposed of the original cap. Online a replacement for Moeller old style cap is about $9 to $10 and the new fangled cap is about $23 to $25.


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