Alan

Ron - yes - but it doesn't help - you still need 3 hands...

There are 3 tabs that need to be simultaneously released - they are all buried inside the gas cap. It wasn't designed to come apart !

Alan

Dennis Wilson

Fixing the gas caps we have is great but considering the female design is unique to the 928, a conversion/adapter to the standard male threaded cap is really what is needed. Has anyone checked for a conversion that will allow us to use a $28 cap instead of the $100+ cap we now have to endure?

Dennis

Alan

I rather like the unique "$100+" version when its working - and the new replacement pawl was basically for free... (or close). It seems this is the most common failure associated with these gas caps - and in fact after you have taken one apart - its obvious there isn't much else to go wrong other than dropping it and cracking the shell.

The "$100+" is more like $150 new (or $75) used + rekeying to match... mounts up fast... prob well over $200 for a new one keyed to match.

But its nice to have the right cap with matching keying that works.

Its always interesting to watch the technicians at the emissions stations trying to figure out how to test the cas cap - none have managed it yet. They just note that it "passes by visual inspection".

Alan

JHowell37

If you can take it apart to repair it, you can re-key it yourself. you should definitely be able to re-key it if you have an old broken cap.

Dennis Wilson

Repairing a ten year old cap is OK but wait until they are 30 years old and the plasic has crystalized and the aluminum has oxidized beyond repair that may be difficult. New ones (if available) or even good used ones will be scarce and outlandishly priced. OB owners have already seen this happen on many parts including mufflers, headlight relays, accessory switches and warning displays just to name a few.

My suggestion is simply to look at a conversion which will ultimately have to occur.

Dennis

shadowknight

Please add me to the list I would like two pawls.

shadowknight

I have seperated my gas cap by useing two screwdrivers, small needle nose vice grips and some wd-40. My solution was to spray it down with wd-40, jam two tabs together with the screw drivers and use the vice grips to pull out the insert. It only took a minute to do.

Alan

Shadownight - you are good (maybe I'm too careful with mine...)

I don't know when John will have these - hope you can wait a little while... I just agreed to ship a few around the country for him - I don't know anything on schedule fro more and I assume you will also need to do at least a little "finessing" for the final fit. You can do all this without fully reassembling so its quite manageable

Alan

jpitman2

Mild steel wirecut pawls in hand. Shipping a batch to Alan next week. Watch this space for update and picture.
jp 83 Euro S AT 51k

jpitman2

here you go. Hope they arrive before Xmas...
jp

Alan

John - what is your plan for these.. are you selling these now you have them?

Thats what I assumed you were planning to do here but you make it sound more like a free service...?

I would not expect you to do it without charging for your time, materials & efforts here.

BTW folks since John had agreed to send me one gratis to try out - I said I would help him by shipping them onwards in the USA.

So I will mail them out to you - cheap payment for me for a fixed gas cap!

John - you should name your terms to cover your costs here and payment methods - its not as if this is competitive with anyone since these parts just aren't available in any other form (well unless you buy a whole new gas cap for $150 or a used "pre-stressed" one for $60-$70)

Alan

jpitman2

Alan,
My only overheads so far have been postage, and goodwill at work, which I hope I am not short of. Now that the toolmakers have a CAD drawing of the profile, they just feed it into the wirecutter on a slow shift, fit a mild steel bar and come back in an hour, slice the bar up, and rest is up to us.
jp

Alan

Well folks I have the mild steel ones in hand from John.

word of warning here - these need work to fit. The body size should be good - But I no longer have a dissassembled gas cap body to try it on...

You will need to drill or cut the cam space - this needs to be done in exactly the correct position - you could not do this by hand and will need a drill press (and/or patience & a file perhaps).

To reinstall the spring you will need to drill a deep hole through the body of the pawl from the end.

If you have the broken nylon version you will have a pretty good idea of what you will need to do. For some of you this may be easy - for others maybe not.

I'd be willing to fabricate one for someone as a test - but I will need from you - your dissassembled gas cap lock mechanism & key to fit it (to test operation) - including the broken nylon pawl parts and spring* (* see below options)

I do not need the red outer part or the white inner parts (I have a spare white part I can use to test with). This means you can leave the white part on the car as a temporary solution.

I do not want to dissassemble your gas cap so it must already be apart.

I will make one pawl for reference (and measurement) and the rest of you who have requested pawls can model changes off that version. I'd propose you each make a voluntary contribution to jp for this assuming it works out for you - I'll send details when I figure out how - I'd say about $10 would be nice?

There are actually two options:

1) Replicate the stock nylon part:
Normal spring ratchet operation in the unlocked position (& spins freely in the locked position).

2) An alternate design:
This permanently locks the inner & outer shells (w/ no ratchet) in the unlocked position (still spins freely in the locked position).

(yes I know this sounds backwards but think about it...)

The advantage of the alternate version is:

- Its a little simpler to fabricate - less steps
- You don't need the original spring (In case its gone/broken)
- The spring pressure is hard to get right (depth of drilled hole) and can only really be fully tested with the cap reassembled
- Ratcheting mode with steel toothed pawl may eventually chew up the nylon teeth on the inside white part of the cap - esp if the spring pressure is set too high - this version avoids that risk..

Do I have a volunteer?

Alan

borland

mild steel rusts.

I guess you could assume, if its slattered in grease it won't, but why not make it out of something that doesn't oxidize?

Alan

Well - its a fair point - but right now it is what it is.

John made these and I'm sure easy availability of steel stock was an issue.

The handmade prototype I installed was alloy...

You do pretty much have to slather these in grease anyway for smooth operation - most of the pawl body is captive in the nylon lock and the active part is somewhat self cleaning due to the tooth engagement wether ratcheting or not. Whilst it may not be the optimum material (nor was nylon!) I think the rust risk for most climates is not a huge concern - given the protection from direct moisture accumulation (flap, position & seals).

Alan