So here's what happened... the fuel filler neck was seeping a tiny bit of fuel so I ordered a new hose and new seals (the big black rubber band-like things). I unclamp the filler hose and pull it apart only to realize that the tank is mostly full and fuel starts gushing out the filler tube. God I'm a dumbass! So I jam the filler hose back on, clamp everything back down and decide "I'll wait to do this job until after I've used most of this tank of gas". I then notice that a chunk of one of the filler neck seals is laying on the edge of the tank. I then think to myself "Hmmm... I wonder if the rest of it is still around the filler neck or did it possibly fall inside the tank." This is the point where removing the filler neck with the tank full drops to #2 on the charts for stupid things I've done. Our new #1 hit is that I DROVE IT TO WORK knowing there was possibly something bad floating around in my gas tank. Well I ALMOST got to work when my sweet little convertible decided now was a good time for me to learn my lesson. The engine loses power, and after I get it safely on the side of the road it stumbles and then dies, not to be restarted again. It is then that I realize that these little cars do indeed have a sense of humor and no tolerance for negligence. $75.00 to get it towed to work, $50.00 to rent the U-Haul auto transport trailer to haul it back home, learning not to be stupid and not to ignore known issues... priceless.
Tomorrow, after I return the auto transport trailer, I will be draining the tank and removing the little chunk of rubber seal that finally floated down and blocked the tank outlet. I'm confident this is the case since after the tow truck picked it up at a fairly steep angle (and the debris floated away from the tank outlet), the car started right up to drive it on to the transport trailer.
Life is full of little lessons, learning this one could have been a lot worse.
