So I noticed I was almost out of gas on my commute this morning. I decided to fill up before heading into work, but when I got to the station, something terrible happened (que dramatic sound clip).
I went to take my gas cap off and noticed that it just clicks and doesnt actually spin off. At first I thought I was being an idiot and spinning it the wrong way. Nope, it does the same thing when turned clockwise, like it should. So I guess somehow my gas cap gave up, and now I cant get it off.
Anyways, just wanted some ideas. I assume I can grab a new gas cap from most any parts store. Aren't they pretty universal? How do you guys think I should go about removing the old one? I could grab a file, and just file a crack into it until I can pull it off, or I could take a hammer to it but I dont want to risk damaging something.
Thanks for taking the time to read about my latest woes :(
Drive a sheet metal screw into the outer (enragingly free-to-spin) part of the cap to lock it to the threaded bung.
Then forget about it and use the cap that way the next 7 years.
This happened to a guy at work on his BMW. Then he noticed that the gas tank had collapsed in on itself. Turns out that his vent line was clogged. I hope that this is not the case here.
Good news: your fuel pump is probably awesome.
Try melting the plastic cap? 
No, you only do that if there's a spider....
The screw trick is genius. Why did I never think about that?
In reply to JohnRW1621:
Open flame around the gas tank. Probably not the best idea :P
In reply to Desmond:
Back in high school (a loooong time ago), one of the guys in my class checked the fuel level in the gas tank of his moped with a lighter.
He didn't have to get a haircut for quite a while afterwards.
So yes, not that good an idea.
One bit of warning - when I had to replace the cap on my '96 I ended up have to trim off the flat part sticking up from the middle of the cap as the fuel door didn't clear it. My car had an aftermarket aluminum door on it, but I'm not sure it would have cleared a stock NA one either. No idea on an NB though.
Dusterbd13 wrote:
The screw trick is genius. Why did I never think about that?
yea this would have been useful when i had the same thing happen on the oil fill cap of my f250, i ended up just trying to loosen it for about 10 minutes until something inside of it finally grabbed and spun loose
Desmond wrote:
In reply to JohnRW1621:
Open flame around the gas tank. Probably not the best idea :P
Pfft. No worries.
To kill a spider, man sets fire to car and Michigan gas station
I was able to jam a knife I carry in the glove box into the top of the cap and get it to lock. Thank goodness, at least I'm not stranded. Now I just need to buy a new cap soon. I've never heard of this happening before...
The screw is the way to go with a screw on cap. I've also just pounded a screwdriver through locking ones when the owner has lost the key.
I needed a better locking cap in 1977 when I got a ticket for burning purple gas in my truck...Got called out of class to receive it.
As an aside, what percentage of the board has any idea about purple gas?
I'm assuming it's something like red diesel.
