2008 Yukon 5.3L: Fuel tank vent replacement?

[aargm]

Team,
Need help finding a replacement vent for the fuel tank. Also, how do you remove old vent and replace?

I've seen this called a vent and also a vent valve.

Dropped the fuel tank to inspect separate issue. Noticed in the aft of the fuel tank a problem with the vent (white plastic) which connects via a line to the EVAP canister.

A rodent chewed out the white plastic elbow (see photo). Need to find a replacement part.

Also, want to confirm how to remove and replace old vent (in red circle in diagram) and install replacement.

Three images below: 1 - fuel tank diagram with red circle indicating location.
2 - close up of my tank's vent where you can see the chewed out section. within the chewed out portion of the white plastic elbow, it appears black because i stuck a black tube in there to see if it would fit.
3 - what a healthy vent should look like (screen shot from a 1A auto fuel pump video)

Thanks!

-Tom

 

[iamdub]

Team,
Need help finding a replacement vent for the fuel tank. Also, how do you remove old vent and replace?

I've seen this called a vent and also a vent valve.

Dropped the fuel tank to inspect separate issue. Noticed in the aft of the fuel tank a problem with the vent (white plastic) which connects via a line to the EVAP canister.

A rodent chewed out the white plastic elbow (see photo). Need to find a replacement part.

Also, want to confirm how to remove and replace old vent (in red circle in diagram) and install replacement.

Three images below: 1 - fuel tank diagram with red circle indicating location.
2 - close up of my tank's vent where you can see the chewed out section. within the chewed out portion of the white plastic elbow, it appears black because i stuck a black tube in there to see if it would fit.
3 - what a healthy vent should look like (screen shot from a 1A auto fuel pump video)

Thanks!

-TomView attachment 264191View attachment 264192View attachment 264193

Ugh. I feel for ya, bro. I dropped my tank a couple weeks ago to clear out the carbon pellets that leaked out from the EVAP canister. That fitting on top of the tank is not a replaceable part. It's plastic-welded in place when the tank is manufactured. You'll either have to replace the tank or patch it with a plastic welder or epoxy. A plastic welder is $70 from Harbor Freight and HDPE rods are $22 from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Density-Polyethylene-Plastic-Welding-diameter/dp/B0007L7B5Y). You may be able to skip the forced-air plastic welder and get a much cheaper hot iron type (https://www.amazon.com/Massca-Plast...Y0S7JYA4P7A&psc=1&refRID=5K2PH0NECY0S7JYA4P7A). Since appearance wouldn't be an issue, I'd try the hot iron type. Definitely get the HDPE rods, though. I'd slip a piece of fuel-rated hose in there (kinda like you have in the pic) as a mold/support and weld or epoxy over it.

For epoxies, I'm a fan of J-B Weld's Plastic Bonder (https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-50133-Tan-1-Pack/dp/B009EU5ZNO), but I doubt it'd really stick to the HDPE that the tank is made of. You'd have to scuff everything to give it more of a mechanical adhesion. 3M's ScotchWeld (https://www.amazon.com/3M-ScotchWeld-Structural-Plastic-Adhesive/dp/B007IATIK8) may be better-suited, but it's almost ten times the price of the J-B Weld and at plastic welding prices.

The tank is constantly experiencing shocks and vibrations from normal driving in addition to expanding and contracting, so adhesives that don't chemically bond and flex with the plastic won't stay. Your saving grace is that whole disc area of that fitting should be pretty stable and not move a whole lot. Maybe if you seal it well with the epoxy and let it cure, then glob a lot more around it as reinforcement, then secure the hose going to it to minimize it's movement, it may be a permanent fix. I'd be more inclined to weld it, though.

 

[aargm]

thanks for the response. very helpful. will do some homework on both the epoxy and plastic welding. will let you know how it turns out.

thanks for the links.

 

[ivin74]

The tank is constantly experiencing shocks and vibrations from normal driving in addition to expanding and contracting, so adhesives that don't chemically bond and flex with the plastic won't stay.

Totally agree with Chris.



@aargm
You can pick up a used tank for about the same cost of getting that one repaired. Plus it would be a p&p and be done with it.

 

[iamdub]

Totally agree with Chris.



@aargm
You can pick up a used tank for about the same cost of getting that one repaired. Plus it would be a p&p and be done with it.

I was gonna suggest a used tank, but if the salvage yards in his area are anything like mine, it'd have a hole in it. They drill holes in fuel tanks to ensure they're drained. Might find someone parting out a Yukon, though.

 

[Ronny D]

thanks for the response. very helpful. will do some homework on both the epoxy and plastic welding. will let you know how it turns out.

thanks for the links.

Any update on how it turned out? I find myself in the exact same boat and replacement parts are not available

 

[Gunman941]

Ugh. I feel for ya, bro. I dropped my tank a couple weeks ago to clear out the carbon pellets that leaked out from the EVAP canister. That fitting on top of the tank is not a replaceable part. It's plastic-welded in place when the tank is manufactured. You'll either have to replace the tank or patch it with a plastic welder or epoxy. A plastic welder is $70 from Harbor Freight and HDPE rods are $22 from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Density-Polyethylene-Plastic-Welding-diameter/dp/B0007L7B5Y). You may be able to skip the forced-air plastic welder and get a much cheaper hot iron type (https://www.amazon.com/Massca-Plast...Y0S7JYA4P7A&psc=1&refRID=5K2PH0NECY0S7JYA4P7A). Since appearance wouldn't be an issue, I'd try the hot iron type. Definitely get the HDPE rods, though. I'd slip a piece of fuel-rated hose in there (kinda like you have in the pic) as a mold/support and weld or epoxy over it.

For epoxies, I'm a fan of J-B Weld's Plastic Bonder (https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-50133-Tan-1-Pack/dp/B009EU5ZNO), but I doubt it'd really stick to the HDPE that the tank is made of. You'd have to scuff everything to give it more of a mechanical adhesion. 3M's ScotchWeld (https://www.amazon.com/3M-ScotchWeld-Structural-Plastic-Adhesive/dp/B007IATIK8) may be better-suited, but it's almost ten times the price of the J-B Weld and at plastic welding prices.

The tank is constantly experiencing shocks and vibrations from normal driving in addition to expanding and contracting, so adhesives that don't chemically bond and flex with the plastic won't stay. Your saving grace is that whole disc area of that fitting should be pretty stable and not move a whole lot. Maybe if you seal it well with the epoxy and let it cure, then glob a lot more around it as reinforcement, then secure the hose going to it to minimize it's movement, it may be a permanent fix. I'd be more inclined to weld it, though.

I recently dropped my tank and saw that the gas tank vent was cracked around the base, not the fitting, what do you think about putting gas tank sealer over the cracks?

 

[iamdub]

I recently dropped my tank and saw that the gas tank vent was cracked around the base, not the fitting, what do you think about putting gas tank sealer over the cracks?

If it's a sealer that will bond to the plastic and doesn't cure hard (read: "brittle"), then it MIGHT be a solution. Scuff it well and leave a coarse surface to give the sealer some tooth to bond to.

 

[Gunman941]

If it's a sealer that will bond to the plastic and doesn't cure hard (read: "brittle"), then it MIGHT be a solution. Scuff it well and leave a coarse surface to give the sealer some tooth to bond to.

Alright i’ll give it a try and get back to you.

 

[Gunman941]

So, i finally dropped the tank and put sealer on the vent, no light as of now will keep posted