Just before christmas, I've replaced the fluel tank on my impreza 2002 TS hatchback.

 

The fuel tank was almost empty, after the replacement, I did 10-15 miles driving without problems. The trouble started after fueling the car full. after 1 miles of driving, the rpm was going up and down, the car was stuttering and shaking. I was able to drive home and tested the car a low speed with this problem happening more ofter.

 

The next morning I started the car and leave it heat for 10 minutes and when I stepped on the pedal, the car died... So I called the mechanics to have my car towed so they can check the trouble. after verifying everything ( emptying half the tank doing so). They told me it was my Gas cap that was broken and gave a generic one.

 

With the new gas cap and half a tank, everything was fine, car running great. I did almost 250 miles, but being not sure of the gas cap problem, I never fulled the car full, always in the half 3/4 range.

 

Last week I fueled the car full, guest what, starvation again...

 

For now i'm driving without cap and everything's fine, I have the check engine led, but car running great.

 

A original gas cap cost 35$ buck, the dealer needed my serial because they where 2 kind of cap that year and told me I SHOULD by an original...

 

My question: Can a broken gas cap do this kind of trouble ???

Yes,if the vacuum relief valve doesn`t work.

Yes the tank is not getting fresh air as it uses up fuel, so you get a vacume lock. If it is really bad you can crush the fuel tank.

who installed the tank??

 

any chance the hoses got mixed up, kinked, twisted??

who installed the tank??

 

any chance the hoses got mixed up, kinked, twisted??

 

I hope they checked that, because I had to return twice, the first time they told me they did a shampoo and it was condensation, the second time, they told me it was the gas cap. Do I really have to buy a Subaru Cap or I can go OEM ?

I hope they checked that, because I had to return twice, the first time they told me they did a shampoo and it was condensation, the second time, they told me it was the gas cap. Do I really have to buy a Subaru Cap or I can go OEM ?

 

i doubt it is the cap, but if you want to try oem, buy a used one.

 

i'd make the shop that installed the tank fix it. something is not right.

fill the tank near the shop, leave the cap loose, drive carefully to the shop, fastne cap normally and take mechanic for a ride.

 

make sure this will duplicate the problem.

 

they installed something wrong, broke something,or got a bad part.

Probably pinched the breather line.

Tank should not have to breathe through the gas cap.

I'm very unlucky with this car, each time I go to a shop for a fix, I have to return because something is wrong. Is Subaru so hard to work on

 

I'm in the process of buying a new sub, I will leave the old one at the shop so they can check and recheck...

how did this turn out?

Did not have the chance to bring it where they installed the tank and frankly i'm not sure I want them to work on it anymore. If it's the breather line, is it a costly job to have it checked ?

 

I'm still running with no gaz cap, everything seems to be fine.

A little update,

 

Had to go to a subaru dealer for a recall.

Since I was there I asked them to check my tank installation, they analysed the check engine code and told me it was surely a cable piched under the new tank. a 4-5 hour job to check at 110$. So I asked them if I can continue driving without my gaz cap and they told me that it's not a problem. I'm driving like this since then and car's running fine.