Fuel tank: What does the plastic ball do?

[Dan Stanley]

I have a MPI fuel tank that I need to use. However, the plastic ball that sits within a cage inside the filling pipe has come loose and is now rattling around inside the tank.
Im assuming that the ball stops the fuel surging up the filler neck on cornering, or is some kind of anti-syphon device. Wouldn't the standard nova fuel cap stop fuel from escaping if it surged up the filler neck?
Will the tank still be usuable with the ball not in it's cage?
I cant see how I can easily repair it.

Any info or advice is welcome.

[mowgli]

i reckon its very necessary as an anti syphon device. not just antitheft, but also from a safety point of view. i wouldn't want fuel sloshing up the filler pipe.

i did get one back in place once using some plastic pipe pushed down a filler neck, then i got the ball onto the end with some string, via the sender hole, and popped it back in place. i believe you can get the plastic collar, that the ball fits in, out easily enough

[Dan Stanley]

If the plastic cage and collar comes out, then I could easily retreive the ball. I may even be able to repair the cage again. Have you ever removed the cage/collar? It didnt look like it would separate to me.

[chrisd1986]

I took the plastic cage ont of mine using a pair of pliers and repared it with cable ties

[paul james]

It was a right pain getting the thing out of my old tank to put in the new one I had bought. Eventually with a lot of wd40, using pliers and a liberal amount of swearing it came free. I couldn't find new ones to buy anywhere, so you'll want to try and get it out in one piece if you can.

[chrisd1986]

It was a right pain getting the thing out of my old tank to put in the new one I had bought. Eventually with a lot of wd40, using pliers and a liberal amount of swearing it came free. I couldn't find new ones to buy anywhere, so you'll want to try and get it out in one piece if you can.

Mine wasnt that bad at all, must of been lucky

[bazil]

You don't want to be loosing yer ball !!

http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy181/Bazil_2468/random2/c2ad20c6.jpg

[Dan Stanley]

^^^ FREAK!!! lol

[staggy_gsi]

My gsi didnt have one and fuel used to slosh out and down the quarter panel when cornering. I forgot to address this problem after paying to have the car resprayed, and all the paint came away after about 6 months!