- A car's gas tank stores and protects the vehicle's fuel in preparation for conversion into energy. The protection it supplies is from any unspecified premature ignition, as well as from various types of contamination. Moisture and particulate matter are the most common forms of contamination that a gas tank prevents. On most fuel-injected cars, the tank also houses the fuel pump--and in that capacity serves as a vital part of the fuel delivery system.
- Over the history of the car gas tank, construction has progressed from very heavy metals such as brass and steel to some of the lightest materials--including tin, aluminum and plastic. Shape, size and location are determined by the demands of the vehicle's need to provide enough fuel capacity to meet federal requirements for range, which is a vehicle's ability to travel a minimum number of miles between fueling stops. As capacity is determined, the tank's shape, size and location become evident. The ultimate footprint of the tank is determined by safety and undercar space considerations.
- Some cars and trucks have more than one gas tank. Jaguars have left and right side tanks whose filled weight is actually a factor in the car's suspension and steering systems. They are housed by the front fenders. Most dual-tanked systems are controlled by a switch that enables the driver to choose from where to draw the fuel. Gas tanks are rarely repaired. Radiator shops used to repair them, until many of the shops lost insurance coverage because of the incidence of explosions during the repair process. There are some coating techniques now used that eliminate the need for a flame in the repair process.
- If the importance of the gas tank was ever in doubt, the Ford Pinto episode says otherwise. Ford introduced the Pinto as an economy car in the late 1960s. The placement and configuration of the gas tank led to many crash fatalities due to explosions. These explosions occurred during rear-end collisions with speeds as slow as 30 mph. This resulted in a litigation and public relations fiasco for Ford Motor Co. and the eventual recall in 1978 of 1.5 million Pintos. The link provided shows a Pinto being struck from the rear.
- When you fill your gas tank, you engage the gas nozzle at the tank's filler neck. The filler neck may be part of the tank or a removable attachment joined to the tank with a soft gasket. Inside the tank is an electric fuel pump that pushes the fuel to the engine, and a gas tank float that monitors the fuel level and tells the guage on your dashboard how much gas is left in the tank. Surrounding the bottom of the tank is a guard that prevents punctures to the tank. With the exception of vandalism or an absent gas cap, the fuel supply is safe in the tank.
