E350 gas cap

[Harvey51]

The original gas cap on our Ford E350 gradually failed to seal. For a few years a bit of grease on the seal kept the Check Engine light out but finally it made the check engine light always on and useless.

Original gas cap

I bought a new one at Greg’s, a local auto parts place but it caused the check engine light, too. And the replacement didn’t have the groove to fit the plastic part that holds the cap when unscrewed. So I set it on the bumper while getting gas ... and of course it soon got lost.

I bought another one at Canadian Tire and it worked well (no light) but had no groove so I lost it, too. I went back to Canadian Tire with VIN and got a cap that did not fit. It had threads on it instead of the smooth original and just would not tighten. Back to Greg’s and their part system offered the same thing with the threads. What to do? Some busy body must have changed the parts listings in the last 6 months!

No alternative parts store within an hour’s drive so I went to a friend who owns a towing business for advice. We took a walk in his wreck storage lot and he found a wrecked Ford truck that had an exact copy of my original gas cap, which he gave me. Of course I gave him twice the price of the useless ones at the parts stores.

If you have a Ford, I suggest you take good care of your gas cap and/or buy a spare while you still have the original - I think I saw the correct cap on the store wrack but didn’t have my original with me to be sure. Keep a photo of it, anyway.

[Harvey51]

I missed the Ford dealer due to it being closed on Labour Day but would have driven back to the city another day had I not found one at the towing place.

The CarlD one looks way too short but you never know unless you try it. It looks similar to the ones on Amazon

[Chum_lee]

opnspaces wrote:
I don't like replacing fuel caps or radiator caps. It seems like the replacement are never quite right. I'm curious, did you try a Ford dealer for the replacement?

I know you already replaced your cap, but for others who might be in the same boat. Anytime I have to deal with a non tethered cap I place the cap on the fuel pump at the station. At least that way if I forget it there is a chance it's still there when I come back. Or at the very least it won't have fallen off and been run over in traffic. 🙂

As someone who used to work at a Ford Dealer in the parts department, I can't tell you the number of times people came in complaining that the (oil, gas, power steering, brake fluid, etc.) new cap they just bought at Autozone, Pep Boys, Car Quest, O,Reilys, (insert other retailer here) didn't fit right, leaked, set the check engine light, was lost, etc., etc., etc.

Best bet, . . . . . get the right OEM part from the dealer who sells your particular brand of vehicle.

Chum lee

[opnspaces]

Would this one possibly work?


Link to CarID

[opnspaces]

I don't like replacing fuel caps or radiator caps. It seems like the replacement are never quite right. I'm curious, did you try a Ford dealer for the replacement?

I know you already replaced your cap, but for others who might be in the same boat. Anytime I have to deal with a non tethered cap I place the cap on the fuel pump at the station. At least that way if I forget it there is a chance it's still there when I come back. Or at the very least it won't have fallen off and been run over in traffic. 🙂

[Lwiddis]

Still getting used to my new Silverado’s capless filler