When I first got the bike, it had the original gas cap - which is nice, but unless it had a screw inserted into a small hole in the top it didn't work correctly.
Without the screw, the cap would just spin and spin and never come out of the gas tank.
With the screw in the hole it would work ok. But then you would have a screw sticking out of the top of the cap. To me, that is a safety issue as well as an esthetic one. You can't ride around with a possibility of getting hooked/snagged on your gas cap.
At the time, I had more important things to deal with and didn't know what to do with the cap, so I got an el-cheap-o Stant gas cap for $5. It did the job while I figured everything else out.
Now that I have a little time to sort out the problem, let's take a peak. There has to be a way to get this thing to work for me. Otherwise, I will have to get a new cap. I found a sweet looking aftermarket cap with a flip-top. It's actually pretty cool looking, but it costs about $140. Ouch.
The top of the stock gas cap looks decent. It's just the screw sticking out of the top and the rust on the threads. As cool as that aftermarket cap looks, I'd much rather save $140 and keep the original look.
After fiddling around with it for a bit, I discovered that the top part of the cap can be popped off the bottom part of the cap. Once it comes off, the lock mechanism comes right out. Once that is out, you can easily see how it all works. It's actually very simple inside:
The lock mechanism pushes out a small, black plastic tab. The tab slides out to engage a small channel. This is what unifies the top and bottom parts of the cap, allowing you to unscrew it and add some gas. With the cap unlocked the tab slides in and it just spins around and around - just like what it was doing when the screw is not inserted into the top of the cap!
Upon further inspection, I see that there is (was) a little spring that keeps pressure on things to keep them working as they are supposed to. Well my spring is broken, along with a little bit of the plastic around the lock mechanism.
Therefore, my little black tab cannot slide in and out of its channel.
Hence the screw in the top of the gas cap.
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| The screw must be in for it to work. No-go. |
Without the screw, the cap would just spin and spin and never come out of the gas tank.
With the screw in the hole it would work ok. But then you would have a screw sticking out of the top of the cap. To me, that is a safety issue as well as an esthetic one. You can't ride around with a possibility of getting hooked/snagged on your gas cap.
At the time, I had more important things to deal with and didn't know what to do with the cap, so I got an el-cheap-o Stant gas cap for $5. It did the job while I figured everything else out.
Now that I have a little time to sort out the problem, let's take a peak. There has to be a way to get this thing to work for me. Otherwise, I will have to get a new cap. I found a sweet looking aftermarket cap with a flip-top. It's actually pretty cool looking, but it costs about $140. Ouch.
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| Niiiice! |
The top of the stock gas cap looks decent. It's just the screw sticking out of the top and the rust on the threads. As cool as that aftermarket cap looks, I'd much rather save $140 and keep the original look.
After fiddling around with it for a bit, I discovered that the top part of the cap can be popped off the bottom part of the cap. Once it comes off, the lock mechanism comes right out. Once that is out, you can easily see how it all works. It's actually very simple inside:
The lock mechanism pushes out a small, black plastic tab. The tab slides out to engage a small channel. This is what unifies the top and bottom parts of the cap, allowing you to unscrew it and add some gas. With the cap unlocked the tab slides in and it just spins around and around - just like what it was doing when the screw is not inserted into the top of the cap!
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| Top removed from the bottom Yucky funk and dirt, as usual. What is that, a hair?? |
Upon further inspection, I see that there is (was) a little spring that keeps pressure on things to keep them working as they are supposed to. Well my spring is broken, along with a little bit of the plastic around the lock mechanism.
Therefore, my little black tab cannot slide in and out of its channel.
Hence the screw in the top of the gas cap.
That screw went through the top and into the bottom part of the cap, keeping it all together.
Right idea, wrong screw placement!
A better location for the screw would be in place of the broken spring, pushing the tab into its channel permanently, unifying the top and bottom parts of the cap. And out of sight.
Voila!
Right idea, wrong screw placement!
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| Lock mechanism - note the broken spring |
A better location for the screw would be in place of the broken spring, pushing the tab into its channel permanently, unifying the top and bottom parts of the cap. And out of sight.
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| Screw replaces the spring - and permanently engages the black tab into its channel |
Voila!
I can now screw and unscrew the cap into the tank.
Now to deal with the dirt and rust...
I have expert skills in this arena now.
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| Rusty funk! |
Poof! All clean.
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| The very bottom of the cap - looks pretty good now |
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| Top and Bottom assembled |
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| Top view of the cap |
It’s not perfect, but very functional - and original - although I can't lock it. But that's ok. I'm not planning to leave the bike out on the street long enough for someone to get a hankering to steal my gas.
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| Cap installed in the tank |
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