NAPA Gas Caps "Junk"

[54blackhornet]

Had to let you all know that I am on my second NAPA has cap in less then a year. First one lasted about a year, took it back and showed the owner the rubber sealing ring was all cracked and falling apart. He gave me another one last month, it's already doing the same thing. I run non-ethanol fuel in my GMC because it sit's un driven during the winter. Any one know of a quality cap ? I was told STANT makes the NAPA cap.

[Stocker]

Interesting -- I've had a locking cap from NAPA for several years and the seal is still good. The one it replaced was the same, and its seal rotted after at least 15 years.... probably closer to 20 years. Although IIRC, I had to buy two at that time to get a good one.

[54blackhornet]

I went to another NAPA just to see if they stocked a different brand, they mentioned others complains too ? Manufactured overseas, not USA.

[jeffahart]

I'm on my second one too. I had each about a year and a half. Both are Murray Ultras. Not even good for hockey pucks! I will be going back to the 20 year old locking cap that still works. The rubber these days... not good!

[enaberif]

It's nothing to do with the rubber. It is the fact our fuel has ethanol which contains alcohol which dries out rubber.

You can get rubber conditioner to help this but it will just happen later than sooner.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by enaberif

It's nothing to do with the rubber. It is the fact our fuel has ethanol which contains alcohol which dries out rubber.

You can get rubber conditioner to help this but it will just happen later than sooner.

In his first post he said he was running non ethanol Which we can still get at places that stock fuel for farm rigs or some Marinas in Wa and Oregon. I'd think poor quality or quality control or just a bad batch of caps.

I had to take three Stant caps back years ago just to get one that was actually vented. All three were marked vented on the cap and came in the correct part number box.

[67-4x4]

Its everything there is no quality today its all throw away, parts have really gone down hill . I have a repair shop and we get bad parts everyday sad but true !

[hdff]

Wish I could get non ethanol gas. 😞

[special-K]

What did they make the seal out of, balogna?

[Lattimer]

I bought 2 from brothers and 2 from LMC and 2 from Napa. Both LMC caps and both Napa caps leaked like a sieve from brand new. 1 bothers leaks too. Rubber is fine on all of them but the vent valve is open all the time and lets them spew gas. I returned the Napa ones, the others weren't worth the shipping cost.

The other one from bothers was good for a year and stopped sealing. After looking at it, the metal spring washer behind the rubber gasket weakened. The rubber is still good and the vent valve still works.

I stuffed a fat o-ring behind it and it has worked for another year. So far so good.

[jabborabbo]

Originally Posted by hdff

Wish I could get non ethanol gas. 😞

From pure-gas.org:

Hyperfuels
12455 Westpark Dr # 6, Houston, TX; 281-447-7200; ethanol-free GULF 93

[54blackhornet]

The problem I found on NAPA caps is the rubber seal is paper thin, when you crank it down it puts Hugh pressure on the rubber and it starts to break down. As far a non ethanol goes, it's all I run in my vehicles on the ranch. ATV's 71 C-20, 71 GMC. After sitting all winter everything fires right up and run good. When I use regular no such luck.

[Classic Heartbeat]

There are a couple of problems going on.
One is the underside of the filler neck. 40 years of twisting caps on has warn the lip down. New caps seal but as you use them they ware in and loose that ability.
Second is the poor quality of the rubber used for the seals. You see that in the cracked ones. The seals are most likely a natural rubber with talc used as a filler. No UV protectors and no oil and gas inhibiters. While I was developing some of our exclusive rubber products, is how I learned about the processes that the foreign companies use to make the crap they sell us. The rubber seal needs to be produced with a silicone based rubber blend that has both UV and oil resistors blended in.
The only fix I have found for this problem are locking gas caps that push onto the neck. Their seals are thicker and last longer. WES

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by Classic Heartbeat

The only fix I have found for this problem are locking gas caps that push onto the neck. Their seals are thicker and last longer. WES

Maybe that's why the locking caps I mentioned above have lasted so long.