Fuel flap stuck

[Lankstarr]

Guys,

I couldn't open my fuel flap when I went to fill up. After eventually persuading it open through the rear arch I discovered that it is not the 'common' cause of the casing snapping or even the pulley wire going wrong.

The actual flap just appears too big!? It gets stuck on the bottom rhs which was the cause of it not opening and if I adjust the screws even marginally to reallign it then the LHS rubs and creaks when I open and close it - I don't want to rub the paint off!

Are my fingers too fat and I just don't have a fine enough touch to reallign it or can anyone else think of a different reason? I don't see why I should all of a sudden have to reallign it as it has always been fine in the past - another cause perhaps?

Thanks

Luke

[simonprelude]

Any chance that someone has bumped the car ??
Heat expansion of the surrounding metal (fuel flap is plastic afterall).

Apart from that, don't know, sorry :(

[Lankstarr]

It took me a while to pluck up the courage to check for a bump but thankfully it all looks straight and no signs of any unwelcome colours anywhere.

Good thought about heat expansion but the surrounding Alu wasn't hot to the touch so I suppose that wouldn't be hot enough for it to expand.

Thanks for the ideas though:D

any more for any more?

L*

[WhyOne?]

Presumably all those extraq layers of paint on your car will have narrowed the clearences as well!

[DAVEMAT]

Had the same problem myself last week, a tad embarassing i must say, everyone admiring a car you can´t put petrol in.
When I did manage to open it I just bent the metal spring open a little more, and jobs a good un

[Mr_Spanners]

Instead of just lifting the fuel flap release lever try flicking it (pulling it and letting go v.quickly). This should 'ping' the door\flap open and allow you to either bend or relocate the spring or realign the door completely (10mm socket needed).

~Phil.

[Lankstarr]

Thanks guys,

I managed to get it open by pulling the cable from inside the rear arch and pushing the LHS of the cover. I will try the spring bending technique but at present cannot seem to find a place for the cover to sit without rubbing on one of the sides - it has been fine for the last year so there must be somewhere it can sit!

Not that I want to sit on it or anything but the actual flap wobbles up and down a bit when open; I can't see how to get in there and tighten this up as it looks liek a sealed plastic unit. When as centrally located as I can manage it is only the bottom RHS that rubs slightly so maybe it is this sagging of the flap that needs firming up. Hard to explain but how solid are your fuel flaps feeling!?

Thanks again for the speedy responses - I've got some of the good stuff in there now so no major panic and thanks to Paul who suggested a matchbox to hold the lever open whilst you ease open the flap... saves me getting under the arch every time I need to get it open until it is sorted!

Any more ideas or similar experiences are welcome - I'll try bending the springy thingy when I get out of work :)

Thanks

Luke

[TheQuietOne]

Presumably all those extraq layers of paint on your car will have narrowed the clearences as well!

That's a bit harsh isn't it...:rolleyes:

[WhyOne?]

That's a bit harsh isn't it...:rolleyes:

.....but true ;)

[Lankstarr]

leave my paint out of this and go get all of your stone chips filled in:twisted:

[WhyOne?]

Git!

(Blimey! I got a 'message is too short, please post at least 10 characters' error when I simply tried to call you a 'git'. This leaves all manner of short and to the point abuse out of bounds :()

[Lankstarr]

it'syouyouyouyoyu

[Lankstarr]

younnnnnnnnnnn

[Lankstarr]

who's eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Lankstarr]

the hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Lankstarr]

GIT :cool: eeeeeee

L* - no holds barred member privileges:p

[Kevin]

For seven, or is it eight now? years I have had the car, I have always had the problem of the fuel cap not opening. It's one of those idiosyncrasies that other car owners tell us we don't have, with our precision Japanese made car.

So, don't complain, make it a feature.

[WhyOne?]

GIT

Smart eeeeeee

[WhyOne?]

arse!eeeeeee

[AR]

Luke,

Same thing happened to me yesterday before a run, it was the spring. I finally managed to bend the spring back and get the right tension.

Get some paper towel and use it to hold the fuel filler lever in the upright position. The go to the fuel flap and press inwards on the side closes to the front of the car. It should flip, either get a new spring ( apparently other Honda's work ) or bend it back.

Hope it helps,

AR

[reg]

Luke,

Same thing happened to me yesterday



Had the same thing. It refused to open so I had someone hold the lever and used a credit card with some masking tap to lever it open. The spring had moved slightly. After tweaking it a bit all has been well since. New springs are pence, if it is rusty or weak go get a new one and jobs done!

[AR]

Had the same thing. It refused to open so I had someone hold the lever and used a credit card with some masking tap to lever it open. The spring had moved slightly. After tweaking it a bit all has been well since. New springs are pence, if it is rusty or weak go get a new one and jobs done!

I meant to but I can't be bother to take in the chassis number, stand in line for 30 minutes and then be told that is not available! If it was as simple as driving up to them and showing them the spring.

Have you got the part number by any chance?

Cheers,

AR

[Lankstarr]

do I hear a call for group buy !?

I have tried bending it out to no avail, I think I may have inadvertantly misaligned it by trying to realign it as my initial fix:rolleyes: I knew undoing those screws was a bad idea!

Hopefully I can compare spring position and flap alignment with fellow NSXers tonight and get it sorted.

Kevin - If mine was always like it I would be happy to live with it but there must be a soln as it's been fine until now! Does seem a funny thing to just "go", I'm sure I could have woken up to a worse trait to have to live with but I will battle on to get my popper fixed for now!

Thanks again for all the help guys, if it does turn out to be a new spring required then I'll bring a bucketful to JAMESFEST!

Thanks

Luke

PS I'll be sure to get a special lightweight one for you Ary ;)

[reg]

Have you got the part number by any chance?

AR

Hi,

TBH it was going in for the thermostat and I mentioned it to the dealer. They had one and IIRC it is the same spring as fitted to a whole heap of fuel caps. I will do some digging on the invoices and see if there is a ref.

[simonprelude]

Is this the one ??

74994-SL0-000

[cas]

Hi,

Just sorted this problem on mine. It is unlikely to be the spring - unless it is broke. What I found is that after a time the plastic collar around the fuel hose moves. So try this slacken the four retaing screws and push the whole thing as far as it will go in the direction of the back of the car and then tighten.

cas

[Lankstarr]

That appears to be the kiddie - thanks Mr Honda parts guide, you're always there to help... one of the forum's biggest assets:D ( i was tempted to swap assets for something else but now is a time for praise not slander ;) )

CAs - I havn't tried playing with those screws yet but I will have a tinker thanks!

L*

[AR]

Cheers Simon,

It is the spring for sure lads, I bent the one and it works perfect now. But I will get another one soon.

AR

[Senninha]

Hi Luke,

Is our roadside repair still working ok?

Regards, Paul