# Need advice - fuel tank filler damaged; CEL light on



## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi guys,

I need help. I was in New Jersey and needed to refuel. In NJ, they have laws that you can't pump your own gas; the attendant must do it. I had the tank filled, gave the guy my credit card, and got the card back after he rang up the sale. He then went back inside (It was mighty cold out.) The problem is, he left the nozzle in the car, and I did not notice this until I started to drive away. Fortunately, I looked back before major damage was done, but by then I had pulled the hose quite tight and the metal ring on the fuel tank filler neck became hopefessly bent out of shape.

Initially, I could not even put the cap on the tank, nor could the fuel door close. I have spent countless hours working on this to bend it back, and it now looks like this:










It now closes fine, the cap ratchets as it should, but, after driving (for some time), I get a warning that the fuel cap is loose, and, some time after that, I get the CEL on. It warns you on the gas cap that this will happen if the cap won't fit:










I've had it at the dealer. When they check it, the system tells them that there are EVAP System Leaks. They then reset the system and the cycle repeats itself. I have had this done several times (at $50 a pop each time), trying to bend it back into a better seal, all to no avail. Interestingly (and most of all, frustratingly), it now went 4 weeks without the fault and I was holding my breath that things were fixed, but it seems that it was the cold weather with differential contraction of the metal on the filler and the plastic on the cap that made it work. Once it warmed to above freezing again yesterday, the cycle repeated itself - fuel cap warning followed by CEL.

The dealer tells me the only way to fix this is a new fuel tank (at $2000 cost for the tank ), so I have been living with the CEL light on. I have looked into the parts - the fuel neck does not come separately from the tank, and the metal ring is crimped on with a bunch of sensors attached near it, so I see how this would be a big deal...

For $2000, I have to date lived with the CEL on, but I am concerned that this may prove problematic if something does go wrong that would normally give me a CEL fault for something more serious I might then miss. Also, the #@$%!!ing light is definitely annoying and detracting from my overall enjoyment of my car.

Any advice as to how to deal with it (beyond "Suck it up and get a new tank") would be most appreciated.

Victor


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## PowerDubs (Jul 22, 2001)

Have you tried adding a thicker rubber gasket o-ring on the cap itself?

I would imagine you won't pass inspection with the CEL on as that falls under the emissions category.

Other than that, I would just be patient and keep working at bending it back into shape little by little.


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks, Josh.

I was considering a thicker O-ring but didn't know how to go about it, as I was worried about the gasoline dissolving the rubber/plastic/silicone components of something not meant to be used here. I also considered trying to add a high quality silicone caulk on the cap but didn't do that for similar concerns. I recently got a cap from an Audi S4 along with a portion of the filler neck (cut off with a Sawsall) from a junkyard to analyze and play with, when the guy took pity on me as I was looking for availability of a used Phaeton tank. (The joys of having a rare car!). Maybe I can take this to an autoparts store and see if they have other O-rings that fit it, as the Audi cap fits the Phaeton.

Any other thoughts? Where would one look for a different O-ring?

BTW, you are spot-on about the inspection. Fortunately, mine was near due, and I took it in (a little early) three weeks ago after my latest fiddling with it and another dealer reset and clearing of codes ($50 ka-ching! plus time and hassles of going there ). I took a "don't ask - don't tell" approach with the inspection station after the dealer had reset the system, and it passed with flying colors. I am good for another year...

Victor


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## Auzivision (Apr 19, 2007)

I'd try to make something out of this or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Buna-N-Sheet-...0?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1297527509&sr=1-10

http://www.amazon.com/Poron-Sheet-R...AXW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297527408&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/DO-IT-YOURSELF-GASKET-KIT/dp/B0002YS98E/ref=pd_cp_hi_0


Local autoparts store probably has reasonable materials as well.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...l&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=67682_0_0_


http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...lpro_5189950-P_N3540_A|GRP60025___#fragment-2



You might get lucky with some free advice, but often the employees working these places are clueless. A decent article on the topic with a few good suggestions:

http://www.motorcyclekb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/tech/943/Gas-Cap-Gasket-material


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Thank you, Kurt.

Victor


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## PowerDubs (Jul 22, 2001)

Why not simply take the o-ring off the audi cap and put it in addition to the existing one on the phaeton cap?


You can get a used tank from www.Car-Part.com

I ran over a piece of scrap metal a few years ago in one of my other VW and punctured the plastic gas tank. I bought a used tank and had the dealer install it. (this was before I had my own garage and lift)

If I remember correctly, they charged about $400 to install it. (also an AWD car)

Still beats paying retail.


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## VAPHAETON (Jan 15, 2005)

Have you checked with your insurance carrier to see if this is covered under your comprehensive policy? I have a couple of similar things happen to me over the years ( took off a mirror by getting to close to a pillar in a parking garage in one case) and the insurance company paid for the repair minus the deductable. In neither case did they even raise my rates afterword.


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Guys,

I hadn't looked at the cap in a while and began to wonder why I hadn't tried Josh's suggestion as to using the Audi O-ring. Now I remember.

The new-fangled caps don't have separate rubber O-rings like older cars used to. Instead, there is a hard plastic piece that can't be turned or (readily) removed::










The Audi one is the same:










Now I remember why I was considering using a silicone sealant. Kurt's suggestion, however, might work...

Robert's (VAPHAETON) suggestion may be the best. I had frankly not considered that one. I have three kids under 24 on my insurance with multiple vehicles and am paying through the nose (and I mean through the nose!!) for car insurance as is, so I tend to be paranoid about any insurance claim. 

Thanks for all of the advice. I am way ahead of where I was this morning. Any further thoughts, though, would always be welcome.

Victor


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Hi Victor,
This may be way out there but when I work on small equipment like my snowblower which requires it to be tipped up I put some saran wrap or a cutout of a ziplock over the fuel tank then screw the cap back on so it won't vent or leak.
Could that work as a temporary repair until you find a permanent fix?
Also, you're welcome to borrow my Vag-Com or I can take a cruise up and clear your codes for you.
I'm near Newtown...if you're in the area this week...
Good Luck!
JT


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

JT,

I had considered your idea but remain very worried about the gasoline dissolving whatever material I would use to seal this up. I would rather live with a CEL fault than risk getting different chemicals into the W12 engine and potentially causing serious damage that way. Kurt's idea of making my own seal and the links as to what material I could try are very helpful and I will do some more research on those. 

It is very gracious of you to offer use of and help with the Vag-com. I see little point of doing this now, though. The fault will come back shortly unless a more permanent solution is found. Once I try to manufacture something for a more permanent seal, I'll send you a pm. If you'd like, I'd be happy to let you try out the W12 for a spin as a small "thank you". Believe me, it likely that will be like nothing else you have felt before.

Victor


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## Jxander (Aug 5, 2008)

Victor:

Sorry to see the damage from such a freak event. I know you're probably getting a bit tired of more alternatives and are starting to settle on your choice. However, I'll throw out another one. It appears to me that the o-ring in the cap is actually designed to seal on the inner lip of the fill tube rather than the top lip. If this is the case it seems like you might be able to more easily cut a circular rubber gasket and attach it with silicone rubber to the top of the filler tube. You could even level the rubber gasket using a straight edge and pushing down on high spots while the silicone rubber was setting. Thus, tightening the cap would hopefully seal on the outer lip and gasket. Before permanently affixing the rubber gasket, you might be able to try a dry run. If it worked, I'd keep the gasket slippery so the cap would slide and not tear at the gasket. 

Hopefully you'll figure something out. Replacing the tank, at least with a new one, seems a bad alternative. :banghead:

Jim X


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## dlouie (Oct 31, 2008)

Victor,
Maybe you can try consulting a paintless dent repair technician. They seem to always be up for a challenge and might be able to work the metal back to seal properly. Just a thought...

Damon


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Sounds good Victor, keep us posted on your progress!
Best!
PM me when you're ready to VAG it!


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks to all who replied. 

I did take it to a body shop, and I also spoke to another guy who restores old cars. No luck. I was beginning to resign myself to replacing the tank, but really want to avoid that if possible.

At this point, I will try some of the material in Kurt's links. I plan to soak pieces in gasoline for some time before I use the stuff to make a gasket. The addition of alcohol to the gasoline also throws a wrinkle into things as far as dissolving this stuff goes. The last article that Kurt linked has some of the exact issues I was worrying about - deterioration of the home made seal. If that gets into the engine...

Next I plan to play around with options of attaching the seal, be in on the cap or on the rim. Then, another reset...

My fall-back position had been a used tank. Now, the insurance possibility is number one fall-back, then the used tank.

I will let you know what happens. Too many times on different forums I run into threads where people ask for advice and then they never followup with the final outcome, which leaves us all hanging.

Thanks again,

Victor


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Victor R said:


> The new-fangled caps don't have separate rubber O-rings like older cars used to. Instead, there is a hard plastic piece that can't be turned or (readily) removed:


Victor, that is very strange, because the sealing capability of hard plastic is very limited. My own fuel cap is identical and the seal has a similar shape, but it is made of a rubber type with a very low hardness. It is a lot softer than other seals, like Buna-N. Perhaps a new cap with a new seal could solve the problem already, as soft rubber is more capable to seal non perfect shapes.

Willem


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Willem,

I checked it again. There is definitely a difference between the plastic on the majority of the cap and the seal area. The former is absolutely rigid; the latter does has some give. It is hard for me to stick my fingers in there to fully assess it, but I would not describe it as "soft".

Your point makes sense, however. On the other hand, the seal did not hold for any time when the weather was warm whereas it did in below freezing temperatures. One would think the rubber would be softer in warmer weather and more rigid in the cold. I originally attributed the temperature difference to different shrinkage/expansion properties between rubber and metal, which I still think may be the issue.

I had tried the Audi cap on the tank and had the same problem, so I do not think a new Phaeton cap will help. Still, it might be another thing worth trying. I believe I am close, though, as the seal held for a long time in the cold. This makes me hope that there is only a minor fix needed to solve this once and for all...

Victor


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Victor,
If you did go the insurance route wouldn't the insurance company attempt to recover the damages from the service station? It seems like it was their fault. Did you report it to the station?


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

I just took the ring off with a dental pick. It is not an ordinary O-ring, but one that has a groove all around its circumference. It was really easy to get it off 6 ºC (43 ºF) and is particularly flexible due to the presence of this groove, allowing it to follow uneven surfaces more easily. I don't think that this seal is easy to obtain as spare part, but you might be able to reversely insert it back into the tank cap, so the other side which was never exposed to gasoline can be used as fresh seal. (assuming it is symmetrical)

Willem


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## rbn3 (Dec 29, 2007)

*OBD II reader*

Get yourself the cheapest can bus compatible OBD II reader you can find (about $50). Then every time your cel comes on you can see the code and turn it off. You will know if it is the same one every time (as it was in my case). As you work on the problem this will be invaluable. A zip lock bag over the filler might work to pass the inspection by keeping the CEL off. Just remember the cars computed stores the code though about 20 driving sycles before it clears (even while the light is off). In Illinois they test the cap on their very fallible instrument, but not the filler neck. An old MB (92 500sl) failed the cap test. I had to drive back 20 miles to the inspection station and waste half a day to pass with my new $8 cap. Burned a few gallons and created unncessary pollution along the way.


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Willem, 

You are much braver than I am! Based on your pioneering, I will look at taking the ring off the Audi cap and see if I can put in on the Phaeton cap in addition to the one already there. (This may have to wait until next weekend, though.)

John,



> If you did go the insurance route wouldn't the insurance company attempt to recover the damages from the service station? It seems like it was their fault. Did you report it to the station?


Have you been to gas stations in NJ lately? This one, like many, is run by recent immigrants. I talked with the guy who pumped the gas and he stated it was my fault as I "drove off during his pumping". The other guy who worked there confirmed the first guy's story after they had a more lengthy sidebar conversation in a language I didn't understand. There were no other witnesses. I didn't take it further, and it has been many months now since this happened. 

I probably should have posted here sooner, but I was under the delusion that I could fix this myself. When I couldn't, I looked for a used tank on-line on as many different sites as I could find, all with no luck. It is only when my only option looked like a new tank that I came here, hat in hand...

rbn3,



> Get yourself the cheapest can bus compatible OBD II reader you can find


I assume that this is something like the Vag-Com? I am totally unfamiliar with what Vag-Com devices are, how they work, and what they allow one to do. This episode has piqued my interest in these, however, and I plan on reading up on them.

Thanks, guys.

Victor


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Guys,
Do they use ethanol blended fuel in Europe?
Ethanol apparently causes myriad issues with seals, I'm wondering if the harding of the seals Victor is experiencing is related to the ethanol fuel here in the USA?
If so, a new cap with a new seal may do the trick!
I just checked my Phaeton, the rubber seal on the cap is VERY pliable. I wonder why?


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

johnt26 said:


> Guys,
> Do they use ethanol blended fuel in Europe?
> Ethanol apparently causes myriad issues with seals, I'm wondering if the harding of the seals Victor is experiencing is related to the ethanol fuel here in the USA?
> If so, a new cap with a new seal may do the trick!
> I just checked my Phaeton, the rubber seal on the cap is VERY pliable. I wonder why?


Yes, the new EU directives talk about 5.75% non-mineral fuel, so I guess that is all ethanol present in our fuel. France started last year and Germany started this year with 10% Ethanol, available as SP95-E10, where 95 is the RON number (=about 86 MON or 91 AKI). So you can still choose if you want to, as for now the E10 is still "special" and not everywhere available.
I have a feeling that the German engineers are well aware of these developments and have taken this into consideration in the design and material choice for seals already long ago. With such a lot of car manufacturing in both France and Germany, this makes a difference.

As you wrote, the cap is very pliable and I think this is done because the air is sucked out to avoid emission. So then there will be some back pressure (atmospheric) on this pliable seal, which helps to press it against the lips of the tank tube. Pure theory of course...

Willem


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## Auzivision (Apr 19, 2007)

OBD-II scanners have dropped so much in price they should probably be in everyone’s tool box just for peace of mind scanning. I’ve seen this one on sale for $18 from time to time:

http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiSca...VOVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297715929&sr=8-1

This will work on all cars sold in North America from 1996 to present for check engine lights and other basic OBD features. No way will it come close to replacing a vag-com, but it is handy for quick checks. I can scan my Phaeton with one of these faster than it takes to boot my laptop.


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

> I just checked my Phaeton, the rubber seal on the cap is VERY pliable. I wonder why?


It is because I am an idiot. Not the first time I made a stupid mistake; definitely won't be the last, either. Following Willem's lead, I took the O-ring off also. (I used needle nosed pliers.) This is what it looks like:










My only excuse as to thinking it was rigid: it was on the cap tight, there was no room to feel it well (especially when considering my big mitts), and I did it in the cold. Nevertheless...:banghead:

Looking at it, though, it may be a little challenging to get a second ring on the cap, but I intend to persevere! Fortunately, I was able to cancel my order for the neoprene sheet from Amazon as it had not shipped yet.

Victor


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Update :banghead::

The second O-ring didn't do anything. I was able to get it on the cap, but could not get two rings into the same groove. It did fasten with the two rings and felt "tighter" going on, but the leak still happened.

I had already tried some of the other suggestions offered on this thread, but did pursue them further. To date, I have had it at two VW dealers and three body shops, as well as having a guy who restores old cars look at it, all of whom tell me they know of no way of fixing this.

I am continuing to work on "rounding" the filler neck back into shape and have ordered the neoprene sheet to see if I would be able to fabricate a better seal, but I am unconvinced that this will work and am still worried about "gunking up" the W12. I have also searched EVAP leaks on other car forums, but the solutions offered typically entail buying a new gas cap (nothing wrong with mine, and I did try the Audi cap with the same result) or replacing the filler neck (not possible in the Phaeton without replacing the entire tank). After John showed me how easy it was to clear the CEL with his Vag-Com, I did invest in a unit to clear the code myself, to avoid the hassle and the $50/visit dealer cost I had been incurring. I now don't have to deal with the light constantly, but this is no way to live... A friend suggested I just place a piece of black tape over the CEL, but (I think) he was kidding.

I checked with the insurance agent and he tells me this "should be" covered under my comprehensive coverage, but he won't commit as to whether or not this repair would raise my rates. The latter is a real issue for me as I have two male drivers under 22 on my policy, one of whom has an at-fault fender bender accident on his record. Also, his brother has managed to accrue some points for speeding. Moreover, my darling daughter is also on the policy with her own issues... With all of this, it may ultimately be less of a hit if I just pay out of pocket for a replacement tank.

I have been unable to locate a used fuel tank for a W12. (I guess not too surprising given that only about 500 of these were ever sold here.) Does anyone know if the V8 tank is the same as the W12?

Any other thoughts?

Victor


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## Jxander (Aug 5, 2008)

Victor R said:


> Update :.......... Does anyone know if the V8 tank is the same as the W12?
> 
> Victor


Victor:

I went to the following VW dealer parts link and found only one listing for a Phaeton fuel tank. So this leads me to believe that the W12 and the V8 share the same tank. It was roughly $1250.


https://www.1stvwparts.com/partscat.html

I understand what you're going through. No one wants to waste money, especially when you still have young adults still at home. However, most of our Phaetons are still too nice to start cutting corners on repairs. Once you start that path it generally becomes a slippery slope that is difficult to recover from. :banghead:

Good luck.

Jim X


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## TX170754 (Jun 5, 2010)

Victor,

Have you tryied Audi, apparently the fuel caps are the same, so if you can find a used one maybe somebody could only replace the filler neck...or maybe the tanks are the same, I would be surprised if VW "re-invented" the tank only for Phaeton.

Just an idea,

Good luck.
Dan


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## Motorista (Oct 28, 2005)

*Perhaps it's not the filler cap*

Victor,
I've been pondering this thread for a while, and I'm simply not convinced that the MIL light is going off because of a lack of proper seal between the cap and the filler ring. I think instead this might be due to further, hidden damage between the filler neck and the flexible hose leading from there to the tank: I'm surmising that the gas pump nozzle might have pulled the entire filler neck up and sideways enough to wrench it partially loose from the hose, possibly in the area very near to the top of the neck where VW designed a path to recover and recirculate gas vapors. 

Here are the reasons for my suspicion:
1) your reporting that the problem went away in very cold weather. In my experience of over 5 years with the car, I once experienced a mil light/loose cap problem despite a perfect and tight seal of the cap, when going from a heated garage into extremely cold weather (by coincidence, this also happened in NJ !). In that case I did not even bother to reset it, I simply drove three full cycles, after which it reset itself. I surmise that the extreme and very sudden change in temperature caused a drop in internal pressure in the (still perfectly sealed) tank that the Phaeton's very sensitive cpu interpreted as a loose cap.
2) if I recall correctly, the tank pressure sensing system is not merely monitoring for pressure but rather fro pressure variations over units of time: this again would confirm my hypothesis.
3) judging from your photos, the filler neck ring, though damaged, does not seem in such bad shape to cause a seal problem with the compliant rubber ring in the cap.

So, you might want to put the car on a lift and see if you can visually check the path of the filler and its related hoses for any damage or disconnect. If you find something, perhaps it could be fixed. If not, I'm afraid I too would have a new tank installed, despite the price.
Stefano


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## johnt26 (Dec 3, 2009)

Hi Victor,

I wonder if you could isolate the problem by definitively sealing the fuel tank at the cap.
Some of the methods mentioned early in this thread may work, I know you are concerned about contaminating the tank and/or engine.

When I change my fuel filters in my (gas) boat, I bring home the filters in one quart ziplocks freezer bags so I can properly dispose of them. The fuel and filters sits in the bags for 24 or more hours without an issue.

So, my thought would be to cut a piece of ziplock freezer bag or other suitable material and duct tape it in place in lieu of the gas cap. Then clear the CEL and code and see what happens.

Hopefully someone else a lot smarter than I am can chime in as to whether or not this might work.

Best of luck, I hope you tackle it soon!

If not maybe we can do a fuel tank swap between your two Phaetons at the CTG to see if the problem clear follows! 

BTW, I'm writing this in the back seat of my Phaeton while testing my new "Duracell" 175 watt pocket inverter on my wife's MacBook Air. My wife even brought me a glass of wine, she knows better than to fight garage projects!  The inverter stores nicely in the spot for the first aid kit which I moved to the trunk. EDIT: the inverter fits in one rear ashtray, the CLA cord in the other!


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Once again, thanks!

If this is not the bent metal top on the filler neck, I'm in trouble. As far as I can tell, Dan, the Phaeton tank looks unique to the car. Moreover, it looks hopelessly complex:










It is made of one solid piece of plastic made of two layers: a tough outside layer with an intimately attached inner lining that is impervious to chemicals - here are photos of the Audi neck I got. The whole thing is remarkably strong and solid and was not easy to saw through with the Sawzall. It also has all sorts of sensors, tubes, and other gizmos attached - note the wire sticking out that was cut off in the first photo:


















Messing with anything but the metal top is well beyond my experience, let alone talent or ability. I will take your suggestion, Stephano, though, and have the dealer look at it the next time I bring it in. You may well be right. I did find loose hoses as the culprit for the CEL and EVAP faults on other forums, and your thought that there are alternate explanations for the different behavior depending on the ambient temperature makes sense. In fact, differential expansion of vapor gases with temperature makes much more sense than my hypothesis of differential expansion and contraction of solids. Moreover, there was significant trauma to the neck when this happened, and it could have done damage to some of the wires also. (I was lucky I didn't rip the gas hose off of the pump, so I am counting my blessings despite all this.)

$1250 or even "list" of $1360 on the site you linked, Jim, sure sounds a lot better than the $2000 the dealer quoted me (looks like another reason I won't ever go back there). I was able to find one (and only one) used V8 tank - in North Carolina - $550. On the other hand, as you note, it is probably not worth looking to pinch $$ too tightly here...

For now, until I bring it back for other service, I will plan on just continuing to see if I can fix this myself with patience and with repeated clearing of the fault. John, your idea of sealing it to troubleshoot is worth a try. It may prove that Stephano is on the right track. At this point, I do favor his hypothesis. Unfortunately, this all looks like it might be heading to a new tank...

I'll keep you all posted how things go.

Thanks again,

Victor


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## Zaphh (Jul 5, 2008)

If you try to seal it with a piece of plastic bag or such, use a thick one. We don't know what kind of depression is used in the tank.

P.


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## amcabbott (Jul 22, 2011)

*gas cap*

how about thinking outside the box. a large expansion plug used in plumbing might be a little odd but will seal great


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## Expoman (May 15, 2011)

Most likely I am too late on this thread but for what it's worth the material that is the most resistant to solvents and fuel is a Dupont material called Viton.

Best
Steven


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

You guys are not too late.

Basically, I have been living with this and periodically clearing the fault codes to get rid of the light. I can't see replacing the entire gas tank for this.

I'll look into your suggestions and follow up...

Victor


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Resurrecting an old thread as I found a link to it in a recent discussion* here*.

I was never able to get this fixed and got tired of constantly clearing the faults with the VAG-COM, so I have been living with it. My Phaeton tech is aware of this and clears out the faults before inspection, but the last time, the faults wouldn't clear and it turns out that filters were clogged and resulted in poor air-mixture causing an additional fault. I have been concerned that this might happen and obscure a "real" check engine need but had gotten complacent. 

I plan to regularly clear the faults from now on with my VAG-COM to avoid any repeat of this sneaking up on me.

Victor


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## Paldi (Sep 4, 2004)

Simple, put the Audi cap gasket on top of the Phaeton gasket. Then you will have a double thick gasket. That should do it.


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## dlouie (Oct 31, 2008)

Here's thinking outside of the box. The filler interface is formed sheet metal that's crimped around a plastic neck. I'm thinking you could carefully remove it and epoxy another one in from a donor car or epoxy a custom machined aluminum piece. 

Damon


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## Victor R (Jan 7, 2010)

Paldi,

I tried your suggestion in 2011 and it didn't work.

dlouie,

I tried variations on what you suggested but gave up when I worried about the gasoline dissolving washers. I did not try an aluminum version.

The filler neck is more complicated that just being a funnel. I actually get a "check fuel filler cap" warning before the check engine light eventually comes on. I think it requires some air to get through, so a total occlusion is unlikely to work.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. Any and all thoughts are welcome.

Victor


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