Metal Gas Cap Pawl Installed
12-27-2009, 01:46 PM
#46
Rennlist Member
No offense taken Paul. All totaled I had about 4-5 hours in getting my cap apart, fitting the new pawl, and re-assembling the cap. Last time I checked a new cap with key is about $150 plus shipping. A new cap keyed to your car via the VIN is around $300. As JP pointed out in his recent post, you could use a drill to cut the bulk of the material out and create the front rounded portion of the cavity. A steady hand could do it without a drill press and end up with something functional in less than an hour.. My goal was to end up with a working set-up using COMMON tools most of use have in the cabinet. As far as reproducing the plastic part accurately in steel, that is just my own type-A personality coming out. If I did not have JP's excellent blank to start with it would have taken significantly longer. Plus, now that I have the entire process of shaping the blank figured out I bet I could shave an hour or more off the total time.
As Jay said, a "time vampire", but a good learning experience in fundamental metal working. The modern lathes/mills/shapers just save time and increase precision. In the very old days it was all done by hand.
Mike
As Jay said, a "time vampire", but a good learning experience in fundamental metal working. The modern lathes/mills/shapers just save time and increase precision. In the very old days it was all done by hand.
Mike
12-30-2009, 08:08 PM
#47
Rennlist Member
Before we completel,y leave this, there is another way to make a pawl such its not under any spring loads. My first attempt was to make one without needing a spring to work. This requires a top cavity such that the pawl is retracted by the lock tumbler (normal rear wall thickness), but the front face is as close as possible to the tumbler cam, while still allowing the tumbler to turn properly. I found this meant the sharpish corners of the cam needed a little rounding to fit into the smaller cavity, and be able to just turn the 180degrees, and push the teeth out far enough to grip the white body of the cap. I still have one made in alloy I think. Anyway , we have a solution, and now a couple of people who can implement it as needed for those who dont have the skills or tools. For most of us, there will always be something that is beyond us, and we need help to accomplish. Thats why we are here to share things, IMHO.
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k, P110 Brian Long.
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k, P110 Brian Long.
12-30-2009, 11:22 PM
#48
Electron Wrangler
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To get a new Porsche gas cap with matching key is an expensive option as just pointed out - even then all you have is a new stupid nylon pawl just waiting to fail... its a poor design in the materials that were chosen - in metal its an OK design...
Clearly this solution is quite a bit better than new... so is it worth it...?
I'm happy I did mine and still greatfull to JP (BTW I sent a few more of these out in the last few weeks).
As JP said - I also just drilled mine with a drill press and used a milling bit also in the press for fine tuning. No really elaborate tools were needed but electric hand tools are difficult to control so I prefer the press and hand files... obviously a dremmel can be used succesfully but its a little more challenging...
Alan
Clearly this solution is quite a bit better than new... so is it worth it...?
I'm happy I did mine and still greatfull to JP (BTW I sent a few more of these out in the last few weeks).
As JP said - I also just drilled mine with a drill press and used a milling bit also in the press for fine tuning. No really elaborate tools were needed but electric hand tools are difficult to control so I prefer the press and hand files... obviously a dremmel can be used succesfully but its a little more challenging...
Alan
03-22-2013, 04:11 PM
#50
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BTW - I have plenty of blanks (from jp) availabe still... PM me if you need.
You do need to drill & finess a little - but its a "mostly there" starting point in mild steel.
Most of the difficulty to rekey a gas cap lock is getting the old barrel out (red part off the white part) - unless you order a totally new re-keyed one ($$$$).
For me putting a new (still crappy) one in wasn't worth it - it wasn't a money or time thing at all - I never want to have do this one again.
Alan
You do need to drill & finess a little - but its a "mostly there" starting point in mild steel.
Most of the difficulty to rekey a gas cap lock is getting the old barrel out (red part off the white part) - unless you order a totally new re-keyed one ($$$$).
For me putting a new (still crappy) one in wasn't worth it - it wasn't a money or time thing at all - I never want to have do this one again.
Alan
Last edited by Alan; 03-22-2013 at 06:27 PM.
03-22-2013, 09:08 PM
#52
BTW - I have plenty of blanks (from jp) availabe still... PM me if you need.
You do need to drill & finess a little - but its a "mostly there" starting point in mild steel.
Most of the difficulty to rekey a gas cap lock is getting the old barrel out (red part off the white part) - unless you order a totally new re-keyed one ($$$$).
For me putting a new (still crappy) one in wasn't worth it - it wasn't a money or time thing at all - I never want to have do this one again.
Alan
You do need to drill & finess a little - but its a "mostly there" starting point in mild steel.
Most of the difficulty to rekey a gas cap lock is getting the old barrel out (red part off the white part) - unless you order a totally new re-keyed one ($$$$).
For me putting a new (still crappy) one in wasn't worth it - it wasn't a money or time thing at all - I never want to have do this one again.
Alan
03-22-2013, 10:56 PM
#54
Alan,
I need to PM you about this as well... I have an old one that is semi working.
sg
I need to PM you about this as well... I have an old one that is semi working.
sg
