jdwest

Just a quick heads up. Those of you that think you are safe from fuel theft/tampering are in a state of denial. I work for a law enforcement agency and have a marked patrol car that parks either in my driveway or garage every night. Unfortunately my truck won't fit in the garage or it would be. So, it sits in my driveway in front of the garage under motion activated lights. Any way, my wife woke me up this morning as she was leaving for work and told me that the fuel filler door was open and the cap was on the ground. It looked like someone attempted to siphon some fuel off but was scared away durring the process, or possibly was trying to "stick it to the man" and add some extra to the tank. I didn't find any evidence that sugar or anything else granulated was used. Fuel pressure is still good. I'm hoping that the AD2 filters will catch anything if it was put in the tank. I'm pretty sure it is someone from my neighborhood who has been keeping track of my/wife's schedule, which is frightening in its own right. I'm sure it happened between the time I went to bed and she left for work, so between 3am and 0650am. The first thing I did this morning was get a locking filler cap! It's cheap insurance and under $20. I really hope this mouth breathing idiot was really just trying to steal fuel and not up to more malicious activity, but who knows.

Guys and gals please remember we really do not know who our neighbors are any more, especially with the revolving housing market. Please stay extra vililant and be safe. Hopefully this posting will save a few of you the worry this situation is causing me.

9812vram

I have a sign that reads "Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again" nailed to a tree on my driveway. (Country home) If anyone asks, it's a joke. But I'm serious in the fact that I have a wife and kids that live in my house and I will protect them and my property.

In our municipality, there's been a huge rash of theft lately. They caught a couple of the guys already and they had maps marked with arrival/departure times, how many vehicles, if there was a dog, etc. Scary stuff. This is my back yard, where I thought I knew the people (Although I suppose it's not necessarily them). Someone tried to get us already too about 2 years ago, but my dog took care of that lol I never even had a chance!

It's true. We don't know our neighbors anymore.

chaikwa

Thanks for the heads up AND for your service to the community jdwest!


Here's the sign that we have all around our property. And when people ask me, I tell them it's NOT a joke, which it's not. Doubt I'll ever have to test the legality of it but I won't hesitate to if the need arises. It's already somewhat stemmed the tide of infiltrators, (altho not totally eliminated), from the giant meth lab they call a trailer park behind our property. The local Sheriff's Dept enjoys training out here because they can kinda watch the activity in the park from here while they 'train'!

9812vram

Hmmmmm...... I think it's time for me to get a different sign....

whiskers

I think I'll try your sign Chaikwa ! In TX we can pop a cap on ya just for being on the property now days. We live rural and are always locked and loaded.

NJTman

I have a locking fuel cap on my tank, but I installed it for another reason.... which was to prevent someone from putting gasoline in my diesel tank, as it forces me to get out and unlock the tank while filling at the local fuel station.

Reality is, if the perp is smart enough, they just puncture your tank, and bucket the fuel out of there. The fuel cap only deters really stupid criminals, or somewhat honest, or desperate people who are having thoughts of doing something really stupid....

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012...cle-fuel-lines

BigIron70

Locking cap only keeps the honest thief from stealing your fuel, channel locks will take off any locking gas cap. But like anything else if they want your fuel they will get it. Best theft deterrent device below.

SIXSLUG

Sounds like some moron that knows your career choice and is too spineless to deal with it.

He may just be messing with you by making you think something was taken/added to your vehicle.

Anyway, messing with law enforcement officers around here is asking for it.

Sugar won't get thru your fuel filter, just clog it up.

Maybe time for a game camera or night eye to alert you someones near your truck.

If its a fuel thief he will just drill a hole in your tank.

Hodge

I'd be more worried about your wife leaving that early in the morning with them possibly out there. For a time, maybe you should get up and walk out with her as she goes to her vehicle. These idiots aren't above hurting people for a little bit of money.

nolafishr

That is one of the first things I did when I got my truck was a locking fuel cap, even with that they will try to steal the fuel. It is a shame the things people are doing today!

Jim Lane

If you have a 1st.Gen you are pretty safe against anyone siphoning your tank because of the way the factory Anti-Rollover Valve is installed in the filler neck.


Looking at it here would be if the truck was upside down, the green ball would roll up against the seat of the valve and prevent the fuel from spilling back out the neck.

Are you are wondering why there is an air fitting in the filler neck?

The previous owner had a 100-gallon transfer tank in the bed and only he know why he did what he did, I guess because he had one.

I am going to remove it and using my wire feed patch the hole.



Here it is in its operating position with all of your wheels on the ground, see the ball has now rolled off its seat allowing the fuel to flow past it and into the tank.



This device also acts a very effective anti-theft device, now you can rest and know there is no way anyone is going to stick a hose down your filler neck and siphon away your precious fuel.

This should also prevent anyone from "dipping your tank" without you knowing.

File this as: Maybe Useful Information

Just thought that you might be interested.



Also here is how I watch my truck, house and all of my property.
Take note of the time in the top left corner,




While in my driveway my truck is under constant surveillance by no less than 5 video cameras from 5 different angles all capable of viewing in total darkness from a total of 16 cameras, all video inputs are fed into 3 separate web based DVR's all powered by their own 1.5kw battery backups, the remainder of the cameras monitor the house and property including the approach to the street 300 feet away.

The trucks alarm a slightly modified off the shelf High End system having an external antenna for extended range.

When this scumbag decided to open my truck at 5:00 A.M. in the rain, he was politely greeted by the wail of a 30-watt/ 130-db siren and a 130-db ultrasonic pain generator aimed directly at his head from withing the camper shell, there is also another 30-watt/ 130-db siren under the hood and another 130db ultrasonic pain generator inside the cab, If for some reason his hearing might not have been damaged during the attack all of my LED's and Silver Stars also strobe to cue him visually.

I believe this same person tried to break into my truck 3 years earlier with the same results.

I can also arm the alarm while driving.

If I leave my truck to go into a store I always leave the lights on to draw attention to the truck.

The crime around here is getting crazy, there have an alarming number of abductions on teen and toddler girls, our Wal Mart is full of freaks that touch our kids.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktl...,6510301.story

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktl...,5054759.story

They also stoled the catalytic converters off the pickup trucks the next street behind me.

Jim

infidel

2nd gen all the way up to 2003 also have the rollover ball that prevents a siphon hose from being inserted.
Bet the newer ones do too but have never looked.

SIXSLUG

I really don't miss Southern Cal. I miss some things but not the populus.

Nice set up Jim.

ET RAM

That rollover protection does not stop them. I parked my truck in Kissimmee, at second home, and left with wife for a short trip in the van. When I got back I went to fill the truck and discovered I was missing 10 gallons. I did not notice the fuel filler at the time.

Thinking about it back home, I thought that they had to get by the rollover protection to get a hose down. Well when I checked my fuel filler I found that the guts had been pullled out. I now have a clear filler pipe going to the tank. They probably had 2 five gallon containers.

I am going back in a few weeks and will use a game camera to see if I can video them in the act. I will probably look for a locking fuel cap too.

That air fitting in the filler neck may have been used to pressurize the fuel tank. Only purpose I can think of.

Jim Lane

So are you saying your anti-rollover valve ball is missing? was it removed or punched into the tank?

If it was punched down the neck I would think it would lodge somewhere in the filler neck.

You could easily MIG an electrical "reducer" washers or a disk of expanded metal of to the end of the filler neck to prevent anything from entering the tank, I would engineer it as to not too restrictive for when I am refueling.

I would set up a camera and booty-trap the tank.

Jim