Something Fell in the Fuel Tank

New 11/23/2004

Tonight I did something really stupid to my little
baby green 96 show with about 114,000 miles on it. I
decided to add a bottle of fuel injector cleaner to
my gas tank. Well, I was being lazy and stupid, I
opened the cap of the bottle, and just pushed in the
safety seal (which usually just hangs onto the side of
the lip of the bottle), I've must've done this
hundreds of times throughout my life with no problems.
Well, after I poured in the cleaner, I noticed that
the safety seal WASN'T there anymore, it must've fallen
into the gas tank!!!!!
Oh crap, I hope that that small plastic safety seal
doesn't somehow mess up my fuel system.
I was wondering, is it probably ok to just leave it
alone, doesn't the fuel pickup in the tank have a
filter? Or wait until my car stalls when the external
fuel filter gets clogged from the plastic seal????
Not sure what to do, thanks everyone!!!!!

Ken
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The filter on the pump should keep it from doing any damage. I wouldn't worry about it unless something starts to give you trouble.

Luigi
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There is a filter sock on the intake of the Fuel pump and the pump itself is inside a housing that probably wont let that piece close to the filter anyhow.
I wouldn't worry too much.

Eric Lehmann
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As long is it allows enough fuel to flow through it. A co-worker of mine told me a story once of a guy that got a leaf in his fuel tank. The thing would get sucked up to the filter, it would not be able to pass through it, but it would block the fuel flow and the car would stall. Then of course with the suction gone it would float back up to the top, and the car would restart, only to have it happen again a while later. He replaced just about everything in the fuel system at a cost of a couple thousand dollars before he replaced the tank and found the leaf inside. As long as something like that doesn’t happen it probably won’t hurt you. There is a fuel filter in the fuel line also a bit forward of the tank. It won’t cause any damage, but if your car starts stalling, check there first.

Mike

97 ES
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Cavity View

Eric Lehmann
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Thanks everyone for the replies, I feel much
better already knowing it probably (hopefully) won't
be a problem. I just took sho out for a little (20
mile) drive just to see if I would get any hesitation
or anything, but thankfully, everything seems fine.
Thanks again everyone for your responses and the
pictures also!!!!!

ken

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