Any S4 Fuel Cap experts
#31
Instructor
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Boisbriand, Québec, Canada
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The problem is your cap. Mine was exactly like yours depicted on your first post (right side picture). The end was missing. I changed the rubber seal and it did not solve the smell issue.
In my case, the gas smell came very obvious after negociating a tight left road curve. A car following me reported gas coming out from the cap access as I was turning. I bought a good condition gas cap and the gas smell issue was gone.
The other part of the story is that I wanted to swap my original gas cap lock to the other. I managed to break the end when snapping the assembly back in place I had tried fixing the broken end with various types of glues and none would hold more than a few days due to fuel vapors. I still hate myself for this.
My advice: find a good condition used gas cap and don't change the lock! That's what I just did!
Michel
89 928 S4 ROW
In my case, the gas smell came very obvious after negociating a tight left road curve. A car following me reported gas coming out from the cap access as I was turning. I bought a good condition gas cap and the gas smell issue was gone.
The other part of the story is that I wanted to swap my original gas cap lock to the other. I managed to break the end when snapping the assembly back in place I had tried fixing the broken end with various types of glues and none would hold more than a few days due to fuel vapors. I still hate myself for this.
My advice: find a good condition used gas cap and don't change the lock! That's what I just did!
Michel
89 928 S4 ROW
#32
Electron Wrangler
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I think I may have a replacement white part only (used). I bought a damaged cap years ago and I think i have this left over - let me know if you are interested?
Not sure if you already bought the other one as a replacement..
Alan
Not sure if you already bought the other one as a replacement..
Alan
#37
Drifting
Sory to hijack this thread. I had gotten the metal locking pawl from Alan and was going to do the trimming part of it this weekend. I had the broken one in the car so that I can take it to Home Depot and get a drill bit to fit the hole and a larger one to cut the main part of the 'C'. Anyway, my wife took the car for a drive and found this broken piece of plastic in the cup holder and proceeded to throw it out.
So does any body have a broken plastic pawl that they are willling to part with, so that I can get the lock in my gas cap to work?
Thank
So does any body have a broken plastic pawl that they are willling to part with, so that I can get the lock in my gas cap to work?
Thank
#38
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Location: Boisbriand, Québec, Canada
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Not sure about want you need exactly. Do you see what you are looking for in this picture? PM sent.
Last edited by mirousse; 04-03-2013 at 06:45 PM.
#39
Rennlist Member
#40
Rennlist Member
My original nylon pawl - rear face of gap (away from teeth) is 3.5mm thick. The gap, measured along the centre line is 11.25mm long. Note that the front face of the gap (nearest the teeth) is curved, but the rear face is flat, except for tiny lips at the ends , which I dont think are functional. IIRC I have used an 11mm drill to make this gap, but you need to make a real effort to prevent your drill wandering off centre at all, and have the blank pawl very well restrained from moving - I ruined a couple of blanks along the way here.
Using 11mm and 3.5mm rear, the drill centre would be 5.5+3.5=9mm from the rear face along the centre line. If testing the turning action of the lock takes too much force, or it jams, some filing of the rear face (of the hole) closer to flat might be needed.
Early on I did manage to produce a couple of hand made pawls that did not need a spring, but the hole/gap needs to be matched to the end of the lock casting to do this.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
Using 11mm and 3.5mm rear, the drill centre would be 5.5+3.5=9mm from the rear face along the centre line. If testing the turning action of the lock takes too much force, or it jams, some filing of the rear face (of the hole) closer to flat might be needed.
Early on I did manage to produce a couple of hand made pawls that did not need a spring, but the hole/gap needs to be matched to the end of the lock casting to do this.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
#41
Drifting
Mirouse,
I Ned the middle plastic piece that is usually broken. In the picture it seems yours is also broken, but does not show the other broken piece of the part.
JP,
Thanks for the info. What is the diameter for the hole in the back of the pawl? How deep is it?
I Ned the middle plastic piece that is usually broken. In the picture it seems yours is also broken, but does not show the other broken piece of the part.
JP,
Thanks for the info. What is the diameter for the hole in the back of the pawl? How deep is it?
#42
Rennlist Member
The hole is 5.3mm dia (yes, 5.3) and 12.5mm deep . The spring OD is 5.2mm . a 5mm drill is loose in the hole, a 5.5 drill wont go in. Probably a number drill closest might be best - looks like a #4 is dead on 5.3mm.
Let us know how you go with this , so others can learn from it. I have another batch of blank pawls on hand if Alan runs out.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
Let us know how you go with this , so others can learn from it. I have another batch of blank pawls on hand if Alan runs out.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
#45
Rennlist Member
Drill press is a good start, BUT you also need to make sure the vise is locked down firmly on the table, and run the drill at the right speed, and have it very sharp, and feed it slowly. While it might sound good to start with a small drill and work up to the final size, maintaining a consistent centre can be a challenge. I have been tempted to get a small milling machine for jobs like this, but really cant justify the cost yet.
I hope somebody volunteers an original pawl for you to work from, but I can assure you the steel replicas are with a few thou of the original in plan and end elevation. The hole in the rear end almost touches the bottom face - ie at 5.3mm dia, its centre is probably 2.7mm from the bottom. In practice I have found its location in either vertical or lateral planes not too critical - probably with .25mm will be ok. Note that at the rear of the slot for the pawl in the nylon tumbler holder there is a dimple for the spring to centre on...at least in some I have seen.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k
I hope somebody volunteers an original pawl for you to work from, but I can assure you the steel replicas are with a few thou of the original in plan and end elevation. The hole in the rear end almost touches the bottom face - ie at 5.3mm dia, its centre is probably 2.7mm from the bottom. In practice I have found its location in either vertical or lateral planes not too critical - probably with .25mm will be ok. Note that at the rear of the slot for the pawl in the nylon tumbler holder there is a dimple for the spring to centre on...at least in some I have seen.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k