Why Grads of Auto Training Schools Check for Faulty Gas Caps

Gas caps, also called fuel caps, may not seem all that essential, but since they’re responsible for keeping gas in your tank and dirt out of your fuel, they do have a pretty important role to play. Gas caps can also act as a kind of seal, taking stress off the fuel pumps by supporting the built up pressure in a gas tank. However, because gas caps are removed every time drivers fill up their vehicles, they may begin to wear down and stop tightening properly.
Automotive service technicians can check for faulty or damaged gas caps for multiple reasons, some of which are easy to spot. Read below to learn more about what they are.

Faulty Gas Caps Can Be Responsible for Turning on the Check Engine Light

One of the reasons that automotive service technicians might want to check for a faulty gas cap is that it can turn on the check engine light. That’s because when a gas cap cannot seal properly it can cause an EVAP system leak, which can trigger the check engine light. In some cases, an automotive service technician may perform a thorough inspection of the engine and its components before checking the gas cap to see if it is tightened properly.
Usually, when gas caps are tightened all the way they make a loud clicking noise to indicate that they have been sealed. Gas caps that fail to tighten or seal properly may have cracks or chips in them. Automotive service technicians may also check to see if there are any leakages, which can also point to a faulty cap. Grads of auto training schools should bear in mind that only gas caps matching the original can be used to properly seal the fuel tank.

Grads With Automotive Training Might Check the Gas Cap if the Vehicle Smells of Fuel

There are plenty of reasons why a car might smell of gasoline, such as an injector leak or a faulty canister, but a missing or faulty gas cap could also be to blame. Whenever a gas cap fails to properly seal the fuel tank it can allow fuel fumes to escape. The fumes coming from the tank then carry a strong gasoline odour which can coat the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and can also negatively impact the health of the driver.
Graduates from automotive training programs may want to check to see if the rubber seal at the top of the gas cap valve is torn. Professional automotive service technicians might also check to see if the valve inside the cap itself is damaged before deciding to replace the cap.

Faulty Gas Caps Can Sometimes Lead to a Loss of Fuel

According to a survey in the US, 17 per cent of the cars that are being driven have faulty or missing gas caps. That amounts to a total of approximately 556 million litres of vaporized gas, which is about 113 litres of gas every year per car with a faulty cap. This occurs because fuel caps can help prevent fuel in the gas tank from evaporating by sealing the tank. With that seal gone, the vapors are free to escape, lowering fuel mileage, and polluting the atmosphere.

Cars with missing gas caps may also let dirt, grime, and rust into the tank, which could also taint the gasoline and reduce fuel efficiency. As a future automotive service technician, it’s important for you to know how important gas caps are to a vehicle’s fuel economy, and to let clients know why keeping them in good shape is important.
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