grease gas cap seal?

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My gas cap isn't sealing completely. I had a locking one on there and took it off because I figured the seal went bad on it. Put the original back on and I can still smell fumes a bit. I tried cleaning the filler neck where the seal contacts and the seal of the cap but it didn't take care of it.
This cap was only used for around 3k miles and is just a few years old with what looks like a silicone seal on it (orange) instead of the regular black seal that the locking one has.

My next thought is to try putting a thin layer of dielectric grease on the silicone seal. Is this a bad idea? The only downside I can think of is that it may catch more dirt and need to be cleaned more frequently. Worth a shot?
 
If its already not sealing i think you have nothing to lose, it may soften the gasket enough to work again.
 
MB sells gaskets for their caps. After 30 years sometimes it is needed.

Perhaps the size is the same on all filler necks?

Cut your own gasket from sheet rubber?
 
I would just replace the cap or the seal. Silicone based seals are the one seal type you shouldn't use silicone grease on, unless maybe you are trying to soften the seal.
 
Originally Posted By: Digital2k2
My gas cap isn't sealing completely. I had a locking one on there and took it off because I figured the seal went bad on it. Put the original back on and I can still smell fumes a bit.

What year, make, model?
 
Just seems like if it was a bad seal that the barely used original cap wouldn't do it too. I tried a thin coat of dielectric grease on the seal and it didn't make a difference.

The vehicle is an 09 nissan frontier.
 
I dipped my finger in some Maxlife Synthetic 5w30 and gave the gas cap gasket a quick wipe on my generator.

It's old so I figured why not. Maybe I should have used 10w30... ?
 
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