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Hi All,

 

I have what I think is an odd problem. I will explain it the best I can, so if it seems a little long, I want you to have details.

 

I have a 1998 Legacy L, 2.2, station wagon. Automatic, if that matters.

 

The fuel filler pipe completely rotted in half at the upper end of the pipe. When I removed the dirt and muck holding plastic cover, I could literally see the little flapper in the filler pipe.

 

I found a replacement for it, and installed it. The problem is, on the filler pipe, there is an elbow,facing down, much larger in diameter than any gas tank venting hose I've seen. The vent lines off the tank (there are 3) appear to be 5/16", or smaller.

 

So basically I have 3 lines which appear to come off of the tank with no where to go. They don't fit into the large elbow on the fuel filler. Is there a special fitting that has long rusted away that allows two of these lines to fit the elbow? If so, where does the third one go?

 

So right now, I have a CEL on, due to the open fuel lines. I tried just plugging them (including the elbow fitting) and due to simple physics, it took me about 20 minutes to fill my car with gas. The people behind me were less than understanding.

 

When I look at photos of a filler pipe online (http://www.fillernecksupply.com/servlet/the-209/42066FA030-1995-95-1996/Detail), I seem to be missing something. Is there a fitting that adapts two of the lines to fit in that elbow?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Regards,

 

Jim

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Funny...had er have the same problem on our race car. If I remember correctly, one of the three lines from the tank goes to the canister. Two go back into the filler neck.

 

Finding the right neck would certainly be the best way to go. These things are all over the pick-n-pulls around here.

 

Alternatively, you should be able to stuff the two vent lines into the larger tube, but what to seal it with I'm not so sure. Duct tape and gas are usually not a good mix.

 

We are going to try to solve this same problem this weekend so I guess I can update you with our attempt.

 

Jim

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Okay, so I went to see the braniac behind the parts counter. He was somewhat helpful.

 

There are two types of filler tubes for my year Legacy. One has the elbow (the type I installed) and the other has a little box attached to the side of the filler pipe that the vent lines hook into. Mine is supposed to have the type with the little box.

 

Sigh.

 

The proper filler neck is $146.00. Okay. The freaking little box? $85!!!!!. You gotta be kidding.

 

All I'm trying to do is get the damn CEL to go off. If I airtight my system, will that do it? (P0440 code). I know about the problems I'll have filling it with gas........

 

Please help me out here guys. I don't want to sink $500 in this for the damn fuel filler.

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Jim take a look at the diagram in the service manual link. There is one line connected directly to the filler. The two others are connected to the roll-over valve that is bolted to the filler neck. You could conceivably skip the roll-over valve and route that directly to the canister.

 

Getting the right neck would be your best bet of course.

 

ftp://ftp.caravan.kz/Pub/Auto/SUBARU/Legacy/1999/Service%20Manual/ENGINE%20SECTION/FUEL%20SYSTEM/MSA5TCD99L110.pdf

 

P.S. Put your location in your profile. You might get some help sourcing used parts that way. A filler neck around here would probably cost $20 from a junk yard. (roll over valve included).

 

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m273/chicagozer/Screenshot2011-09-23atSeptember23201190836AM.png

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Chicagozer,

 

That was pretty darn helpful. Thank you. When you say "skip the roll-over valve and route that directly to the canister" what exactly do you mean? I considered using a barbed fitting and looping the two together..... Is that what you meant?

 

By the way, I'm in Pennsylvania. One of the rust belt capitals.

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The roll-over valve that is bolted to the filler doesn't let any gas into the filler. It's just a check valve to prevent gas from going into the canister if the car is upside down.

 

So what I mean is that you can route a line from the gas tank side directly to the canister and by-pass that stop through the check valve. That's how pre-99 cars were. So, yea, a barbed fitting would be fine. You just need to couple the one additional line into the larger fitting on your replacement filler.

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Now I connected the two vent lines that would normally run to the check valve on the filler neck. I also, with some ingenuity, was able to connect the the other line to the elbow on the filler pipe. I have the CEL off for now, but I'm going to go buy a new gas cap today. It is 13 years old, so I want to eliminate that as a possibility.

 

I think I'm going to invest the 70-80 bucks in a code reader too. I do enough work on mine and others to justify it. Are the ones from Advance Auto parts/Autozone okay for the weekend worker?

 

Thanks to all that have been so helpful.

 

Jim

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