A Simple Car Fix That Can Help With the Green

by | Jan 22, 2018 | Electronics and Electrical

An often-overlooked car part replacement that is vital to the correct operation of your car’s engine, and possibly your pocketbook, is the fuel cap. On average, a defective cap can leak up to 2.5 gallons of gasoline per month. That figure does not just represent wasted money, but also a real concern for environmental quality with millions of cars on the road. Gas caps by design provide a tight seal to prevent gas from evaporating out of the fuel tank. The seal that accomplishes this task is generally made of rubber which is a substance that deteriorates over time especially when in contact with a corrosive substance like gasoline. Regularly replacing your car’s fuel cap is a quick and simple way to prevent unnecessary waste of money and possible harm to the environment.

It is hard to imagine an easier car part replacement than changing gas caps. Simply unscrew the old cap, dispose of it properly, screw in the new cap and you are done. Some caps on the market feature anti-theft or locking devices to prevent thieves from helping themselves to your hard-earned gasoline. Manufacturers design many of these caps in such a way that the seals keep evaporation of gas from your tank to a minimal level whether the cap is locked or unlocked. These days, gas prices can sometimes fluctuate wildly. When gas prices go up drastically, some dishonest people might think it is easier to steal your gasoline than to buy it. You could help remove the temptation to steal and reduce the possibility of losing a tank of gas by replacing a standard gas cap with a locking one.

Is the check engine light showing on your car’s dashboard display panel? This might mean a number of things are wrong with your car, but the simplest thing to check first is the cap on your fuel tank. Sometimes, depending on the state laws where you live, a faulty fuel cap can cause a car to fail to pass a vehicle inspection or emissions test. Some mechanics believe that over time a faulty gas cap can lead to serious malfunctions with your car’s engine due to the leaky cap causing sensors to provide the engine with faulty data. On some modern cars, these false readings could possibly damage the engine.

Replacing gas caps on your vehicles can lead to substantial savings by reducing evaporating gasoline and the chances of theft. By providing a tight seal on your fuel tank, a new gas cap might also help everyone breathe a little easier by reducing the level of several harmful chemicals in the atmosphere. Visit the website for more information.

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