HELP! Blew oil cap sky high...

[John76]

On 2/6/2021 at 6:08 PM, Hans said:

I don't understand is why the pressure didn't blow either end of the breather hose off,

The breather hole represents a very small area compared to the larger area of the cap.

This would be the weakest area (per square inch) and hence the "blow".

NEVER put the air cleaner on after dumping gas into the carb! 

Dump gas the right way, as expressed by everyone above.

Bombs away,

John

[Hans]

8 hours ago, John76 said:

The breather hole represents a very small area compared to the larger area of the cap.

This would be the weakest area (per square inch) and hence the "blow".

 

John

The pressure wave would have to through the breather to get to the cap. Not to mention the carb plates.

[jimk]

My brother told me of the situations where in North Dakota cold weather that people would dump so much gas in  the carb trying to start.  The car towed into his shop would have the gaskets blown out from under the valve covers from a puff in the crankcase.

[tzei]

Same thing happens when breather hose freezes up - foutain of oil emerges. 

[M3M3]

so if turning the car over with the starter will not pump gas into the carb with a mechanical pump.......sure seems like the best way to prime the carb would be.....get rid of the mechanical pump and use a more effective electric one....no muss, no fuss, no pouring raw gas down the carb throat, no explosions....

[man_mark_7]

5 hours ago, M2M3 said:

so if turning the car over with the starter will not pump gas into the carb with a mechanical pump.......sure seems like the best way to prime the carb would be.....get rid of the mechanical pump and use a more effective electric one....no muss, no fuss, no pouring raw gas down the carb throat, no explosions....

Yup - that was the first upgrade I did when I got my '02 a couple years ago.

[Vicleonardo1]

I used to spray starter fluid and keep the air cleaner off for every startup when the car sat for awhile. No issues with a couple of spritz and go. Maybe its a bit more measured than pouring gas into the carb. 

Since I drive my 02 more regularly now, and  since I now have an excellent mechanic I just hit the gas pedal a couple of times and she goes. The gas pedal ritual probably doesn't do a thing with my mechanical gas pump, but it works and I ain't messing with it. 

 

Playing Sherlock Holmes here, but was it possible the Oil cap tabs may have already been slightly bent leaving a less than optimum seal, thus making it the weak link in the pressure chain, creating the projectile erupt forth from its original location only to cease its rapid ascent when it encountered the ceiling. 

[M3M3]

5 hours ago, Vicleonardo1 said:

I just hit the gas pedal a couple of times and she goes. The gas pedal ritual probably doesn't do a thing with my mechanical gas pump, but it works and I ain't messing with it. 

that is actually how it is supposed to be done.  pumping the gas pedal once causes the pump jet to shoot a tiny bit of gas into the carb.  that, turning it over to get the fuel pump working, pulling the choke(if there is one) and pushing gas pedal down a little should start a car.