ouch not good to hear man.
As for a vented cap usually with the can removed a regular cap does fine. It's fine on my 85mcss and on dad's 84 c10 it built pressure with or without the canister and funny thing is the line aint kinked anywheres. The line in the sending unit isn't either. I can't get air to blow through it good either it's kinda hard, it goes through but barely.