Clutch Cable Wing Nut and Threads Put a Hole in my Gas Tank

[coreyajones]

Here's one for you bus guys. I replaced the cork gasket in my OE VW stamped gas cap while on a 4.5 hour trip from OKC to Dallas after Dubs on Auto Alley. Cap fits much better and I'm thinking it will help reduce the gas smell in the garage. Once home, the gas smell is worse than ever. After 45 minutes, I check the cap and a swoosh of air moves when I turn the cap. I determine my OE cap isn't venting even though it is a vented style with the wavy edge inside it. So I order a new vented cap. However, gas smell never goes away. The next day, I figure out my tank is leaking. The pressure with the new gas cap gasket made it leak. So I pull the engine (23 minutes, I'm getting rusty) and pull the tank to find that the clutch end and wing nut have been rubbing the tank. It wore a hole in the metal under the tank and apparently created a weak spot on the tank. Once the tank is out, I can see it's been repaired before. This is a Brazilian bus so anything goes. There was gas residue and peeling paint all under the tank. So I've ordered a new tank with the rubber underneath and the fiber pads. I'm going to put some sheet metal to cover the hole. I also tried bending the body metal up a little. Has anyone else had this happen? I couldn't find it in a post.

[coreyajones]

[Joey]

Looks like you have one of those extra long clutch arms. Get a stock one - problem solved.
_________________
Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[BarryL]

What he ^^^ said. How on earth did you dare weld that?

[coreyajones]