Sign of the times & cautionary tale

Upinsmoke · 05-31-2021, 10:04 AM

Just something for your consideration. I keep our RV in a secured storage lot with locked gate and cameras placed around the property. Even so, I've always had in the back of my mind that either someone would break into the RV (not too likely) or steal my gasoline.

The latter, as I found out today, is much more likely.

I'm not really surprised but my jaws are a little twisted over it. If there is any good to come form it it is that there was less than a quarter of a tank of fuel and I discovered it prior to running out on the highway.

Needless to say, I will have a new locking cap on order before the day is out and will somehow make it more difficult for anyone to even get at the locking cap.

If you've been through this or have any thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them.

**Eagle5** · 05-31-2021, 11:48 AM

I have been thinking of purchasing a locking gas cap myself. NAPA, O'Reilly, and Rock Auto do not seem to list a locking gas cap which fits a 2019 E-450. Amazon does show a ...
Motorad MGC902SK Fuel Tank Cap
... which shows a price of $32.93 from a company called Autoplicity. I am not 100% certain that this cap will fit, so I think I'll check with Roy Robinson tomorrow, and just order it from them.
Eagle5

Mtn Charlie · 06-01-2021, 08:15 AM

Back during the gasoline crises of the '70s, I came out of the front door of my home to discover that someone had cut up my garden hose. My first thought was "Damn kids!!!" Then I got in my truck and discovered that my tank was empty. As I pulled out of my driveway, there was a 4 foot piece of hose that was obviously under the truck. Double damage, gasoline and garden hose. EDIT: I installed a file cabnet lock on the gasoline fill door of my Itasca Suncruiser 37F.

hank857 · 06-01-2021, 09:58 AM

I bought locking cap from autozone, dont remember how much it was though. Anyhow without the lanyard you will place it on the pump or somewhere and more than likely drive off without it! Purched a standard cap about 300 miles later. I would recommend both a standard while traveling and a locking when in storage, But another trick to watch is they will drill hole in tank to get fuel if they really want it!

**Eagle5** · 06-01-2021, 12:26 PM

The Locking Gas Cap I mentioned above from Motorad definitely does NOT fit a 2019 Minnie Winnie 22M on an E-450 chassis. I took a couple of pictures of my standard gas cap (please see below), and the threads are not the same.
I called Roy Robinson this morning, and Gil said that there are two different caps showing in the computer for the same vehicle. The one Gil has in stock has three tabs and is not the same as my cap. Gil has the correct cap on-order for me, and the cost is $36.
FYI; Eagle5

Upinsmoke · 06-02-2021, 01:44 AM

Eagle 5, the one you show with the screw threads is like the one I need to replace. Is the one you have on order a locking cap, and if so, do you have a part number of any sort?
Whomever mentioned having two gas caps, one locking and the other tethered is exactly what I'm thinking.

armullis59 · 06-02-2021, 06:24 AM

Two big worries for the motor coach owner these days.....gas and catalytic converter theft!

Upinsmoke · 06-03-2021, 02:27 AM

Eagle5, got your pm, thanks.

**Eagle5** · 06-04-2021, 12:00 AM

Hi Upinsmoke and others,
I received a call today from Gil at Roy Robinson, and he advises me that he cannot find a locking gas cap which will fit my Minnie Winnie. It looks like mighty Casey has struck-out.
Sorry; Eagle5

Upinsmoke · 06-06-2021, 02:10 AM

OP here. I was able to purchase a locking cap from NAPA. It goes on and locks but whether the Ford chassis recognizes it or not, I haven't checked. It would be nice if it did but it's not critical. As someone else suggested, I'll leave it on while stored and usee the standard cap when traveling.

The NAPA part number is 703-1723 and cost me $20.13.

**Eagle5** · 06-06-2021, 11:24 AM

Hi OP,
I looked at that gas cap at NAPA on-line:
703-1723
and I see that the thread profile doesn't have "the nub." Yes, I believe your plan to use it only when stored might be best. There may be fuel-spill considerations of which we are unaware.
Thanks, Eagle5

Wyatt · 06-06-2021, 01:07 PM

When we bought our rig, that’s one of my first purchases. I didn’t know which one would fit my Ford chassis, so I bought the same one that fit my Bronco and it works fine. It’s amazing how many parts my Bronco shares with the Ford F53 Chassis, oil drain plugs, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mtn Charlie · 06-06-2021, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt

When we bought our rig, that’s one of my first purchases. I didn’t know which one would fit my Ford chassis, so I bought the same one that fit my Bronco and it works fine. It’s amazing how many parts my Bronco shares with the Ford F53 Chassis, oil drain plugs, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You'd be surprised how many car parts, now a days, are common even for different auto manufacturers. Takata airbags went into millions of vehicles from about 20 different manufacturers. My first new car was a '69 Firebird. After 3 years, the turn signal switch failed. I priced it at the Pontiac dealer and it was about $39. Being handy, I decided to remove the steering wheel and see if the switch could be repaired, withou being replaced. It couldn't . Now, I would have to put it all back together to go back to the Pontiac dealer. There was a Chevy dealer about a block away. Since they were both GM cars, I decided to see if he could get the part. I tossed the switch on the parts counter and asked if he could get me one. He looked at it and said "Camaro turn signal huh ? I have it in stock." It was exactly the same switch but only cost about $29.

Upinsmoke · 06-07-2021, 01:44 AM

OP here. These two pics show what I was greeted with upon discovery and my solution. When I have a chance I'll take the RV for a spin and see if it throws a code for missing/loose gas cap. With the way I drive I'm not too worried about fuel spillage.

Alta Sierra · 06-07-2021, 11:26 AM

Hi,
There is an old saying: "If there is a will, there is a way". If thieves really want something, they will find a way... recently a friend of mine had his older Class A motorhome in a storage lot. He and his wife put it in that storage lot when they were moving about 40 miles away. A few weeks ago, they went to bring the motorhome to their new home. What they found when they arrived at the storage lot was that someone had tried to break into their motorhome, but they were unable to 'jimmie' the 'vintage locks' on the entry door.

After my friend had tried unsuccessfully to start the motorhome, they noticed that the fuel gauge was sitting on 'Empty'. When he had parked the motorhome there, it had 1/4 tank of gas in it. He went out and checked his locking gas cap, and it showed signs of tampering, but it was still locked in place. So my friend and his wife left the lot, went into town, and bought two five gallon gas cans, filled them with gas, and returned to the motorhome. After putting 5 gallons of gas in it, it still would not start. He went back out and noticed that there was gasoline on the ground under the motorhome.

Further investigation revealed that the thieves had cut the gas line near the gas tank and drained the 20 or so gallons of gasoline from that cut section in the gas line. He and his wife drove back into town and bought what they needed so that he could temporarily repair the gas line. Then they were able to drive their motorhome out of there after that.

After they returned home, they contacted the owner of that storage lot, and that is when they found out that every RV in that storage lot had been 'vandalized'. Many of them had been successfully broken into, things were taken from their inside area, along with the gasoline in every one of the motorhomes having been drained, 'in one way or the other'.

Wyatt · 06-07-2021, 11:33 AM

Yeah, like most locks, the locking gas cap is a deterrent, not a force field…

Busycakes · 06-07-2021, 03:17 PM

Same happened to me.

Storage facility very near home doesn’t have cameras, only a locked gate. All space renters have keys.

Always fill tank before putting unit in storage. Next trip went out and tank was at 1/4 full, 60 or so gallons gone. Immediately installed a locking cover to fuel.

Facility also allows storage for non RVs, including some landscape businesses. My suspicion is one of those contractors stole the fuel but no way to prove it.

Most of the class A’s are DP units. Only a couple gasoline units like mine.

Lesson learned.

fadilale · 05-27-2022, 08:06 AM

Motorists often encounter this! The perpetrator crawls under the car, makes a hole in the bottom of the gas tank, then puts up a special low canister to fill the fuel. A few minutes later, the fuel is drained, and the intruders move on to another car. And this way, they can empty the tanks of a dozen cars in the wee hours of the morning. The cars have holes in their gas tanks. By these characteristic traces, you can identify the criminals and correlate them with other episodes when they do get caught. The first time this happened to me was when a company came to me to buy my house https://www.thepropertybuyingcompany.co.uk/. Several men took advantage of the moment. The police often catch criminals like this!

Morich · 05-27-2022, 09:14 AM

It's always a struggle to figure out how to protect things but the worry on my Rv is less than my house while I'm gone!
If you've ever watched a fireman walk through the front door, it can give you chills when you see how weak the trim that holds the locks on doors!