Can't keep the gas IN the car???!

[Akodo]

So my new Bird gave me its first unexpected hiccup yesterday. I put gas in it, filled it up, and noticed a strong odor when I got to work. Gas had flowed out of the neck and down the side of the car. Cleaned it off, re-seated the cap, but when i drove home, same thing. And this is with it down about a quarter of a tank.
I assume I'm looking at a bad cap here, or could it be something else? What could cause this?

Possibly related, though I haven't tested it out, the guy I bought it from said that at a quarter of a tank, its actually empty. Not sure if this is a sending unit or tank problem, this is the first tank of gas I've put through it.

[meissen]

Your problem with it going down the side of the car is the gas cap - you need to go to a parts store and they'll get you the right one. I can't remember if ours is a vented gas cap or unvented gas cap but you have whatever one ours isn't supposed to have. I had the same exact problem with mine and went to Murrays and they got me the right gas cap.

If your gas tank is truely empty at quarter of a tank, then the needle on the gas gauge is off more than normal. Normally, when you fill up your tank the gas needle will go about the width of a quarter of a tank PAST the full line on the gauge. So, when you're at quarter of a tank, you're not empty empty but you're only a few gallons (if that) away from being empty. What I have always done with my cars is to pop the lense off of the gauge cluster while the car is running and immediately after filling up the gas tank, popping the needle out while it's reading way past full and then pop the needle back in so it's right at the full line. That way when your needle reads empty you have a few gallons left.

[Fbomb]

Filler neck if not the cap? And Brian you can pop the lens right off the cluster while everything's still in the car?

[meissen]

I've never tried - I've always popped the lense off by removing the gauge cluster from the car entirely.

[Akodo]

I'm going to look at the gas ggauge later tonight. It didn't go past full when I filled it up, but I'm not sure if theres a peg there to stop it or not, I'll have to look.

The gas cap seems to be the origional, its still attached to the car with the little strap thingy. But the gasket on it looks like it might be going bad, so I'll try a replacement cap, see if that works.

Thanks guys!