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Gas tank venting

18305 Views 31 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  Manyfacets
I have a 2014 Spark and recently had a problem where the gas vented from the tank and ran down the side of the Spark discoloring the surface and destroying the SEA DOO decal. It was covered on a rack for a week so it could have gotten a little hot under there but there was less than 3/4 of a tank so I don't think it should have vented that bad. Has anyone else experienced this problem.

Thanks.

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Ouch! That stinks.

I keep my Spark in the garage and haven't had any issues like this one.
I had a small leak like yours. I removed the stickers

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Egads!
Do you think it's heat that makes the Spark do this - even when the tank isn't full?
I wonder what can be done to prevent it?
Sooner or later I'll have mine out in the sun all day.

By the way, Sea Doo should replace the decal if your Spark is still under warranty.
I learned this lesson as well. Refill on the way to the lake is the cure. Dont fill fuel up the fill tube. In general I usually go out with 3/4 to half a tank now as it helps with weight transfer doing tricks and will still run longer than I can ride it.
Egads!
Do you think it's heat that makes the Spark do this - even when the tank isn't full?
I wonder what can be done to prevent it?
Sooner or later I'll have mine out in the sun all day.

By the way, Sea Doo should replace the decal if your Spark is still under warranty.
Fuel swells a lot as it heats up, depending on how the machine was sitting, nose up or nose down would make a difference too.

fuel spilt on the decal isn't a warrantable defect...its not a manufacturing defect, so it will depend on your dealer and how you approach the dealer about it.
The gas cap shouldn't leak just sitting there - especially with only 3/4 of a tank.
The dealer should give you a new sticker because a gas tank shouldn't leak like that but like Wrench4fun says, it depends on how you approach them.
If it didnt leak, would you rather have it explode or at least rupture inside your spark? Its meant to leak...

LanceM
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Its meant to leak...

LanceM
I don't think that is the case. It should not leak, and the system should handle the increase in pressure. The EPA has strict regulations on stuff like this - permitting fuel to leak to relieve pressure is not consistent with regulations.

A lot of you may not be old enough to know how gas cans used to be designed. They were just a container with a spout, a cap, and a vent. The EPA decided these release too much gasoline vapor into the environment. So now the spouts are all sealed up and there is no external vent - the spouts allow air into the gas can to replace the fuel as it is being poured out. If the EPA is restricting fuel vapor leaks, surely liquid gasoline leaks are not OK.
The vented gas cans are still available. I'm pretty sure that is just a different manufacturer. The tank must have some sort of a vent.


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There's no seal between the filler neck and the engine compartment. Therefore, if it's meant to leak then gasoline fumes could build up in your engine compartment causing an unpleasant increase in combustion.
If it leaks when you roll it then you'd have gasoline all over you. Ever had gasoline spill on you when you're in saltwater? It feels like you're on fire. Not to mention the pollution aspect...

No way is it meant to leak.
I'm not saying it's meant to leak but it must have some sort of venting.


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There has to be some way to relieve pressure. All vehicles have some sort of vent so I would have to assume the spark would as well


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A quick search of the service manual has revealed that the gas cap has a built in vent. So if pressure gets to high it will vent out the cap.



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I don't think that venting alone would cause the damage shown in the picture. Looks like a full on leak to me.
It's hard to say because it would take much fuel to melt a sticker like tgat


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Mine did the same thing. Stored outside in Missouri heat. I'll make sure I store it more nose down and see if that helps. I had the nose up as far as it would go to help and water in the hull find its way out.

My sticker wasn't affected though so mine must not have leaked that much.
It's hard to say because it would take much fuel to melt a sticker like tgat


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That's a very good point. Hadn't thought of that.
It wouldn't take much fuel especially if it was never washed off and left on it for an extended period of time.


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If you overfill the tank... And it expands... Fuel will spill... That is why you dont overfill the tank then store it... Leave it empty, and it wont leak out the cap.

The cap isnt meant to leak fuel, but it will if there is no more air left to vent.... That was the point of my earlier post...
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