Gas Cap Removal

[P72Crazy]

Well dang dang dang. I put fuel in the tank, give the cap a twist and it clicked twice then spun. Now does not want to come off either. I've searched the thread but didn't come up with anything. Anyone ever had to remove a defective gas cap that "feels stripped inside" and just spins around in both directions??

[mitymerc]

I would assume that it is a 2 piece unit like an oil filler cap or a child proof bottle.... maybe you can break the top half off so that you can get to the threaded part?

[IPreferDIY]

Never had such a problem myself. The only thing I can think of is put pressure on the cap in different locations while turning it to see if you can get the 'stripped' part to engage in some spot. Eg. push the cap down while turning, pull the cap out while turning, push the cap to one side (and then others) while turning. I would guess you've already tried something like that. If you can't get anything to engage, then breaking or cutting off the top part seems like the only other alternative.

[P72Crazy]

Sounds all too reasonable. I'll attempt it again before I run out of fuel. Guess I'll have to remove the neck and break out the big drill bits. I guess there's a first time for everything!

[slack]

You might not even have to pop the neck out. Maybe you can wedge something in the lip underneath and try to turn or just drimmel out a bit of the side so you can keep something from spinning the inner ring.

Maybe scratch that second point, probably would be better to remove the neck for that, I know I'm not really a fan of cutting stuff near gas fumes.

[IPreferDIY]

I was thinking something along the lines of using pliers or channel locks to break the outer plastic. I never would have thought of removing the neck.

[sly]

use a pulley puller to break the top off... or a hammer-able flat screwdriver to poke through the top and break it off. Once the top section is off, you should be able to get the sealing section off.

[WagonMan]

Why break the top off???? Just punch a screwdriver through the top into the bottom and screw it off!!!

[sly]

to prevent getting bits in the tank in case the fuel pump has no sock (as has been discovered on a few cars when replacing said fuel pump).

[WagonMan]

You are punching the screwdriver on the outer edge, not in the middle. The lower part reaches to the outer edge. Take a look at how the cap is made a cap when you get a chance.

[sly]

and that's the clarification that's needed then. But to avoid punching through the bottom half, top half removal isn't that hard and then you can see the points you can hit to get the cap off and not even risk getting crap in the tank. For someone that's done this more than a few times it may seem trivial, but for someone that's never done it... and can't get the cap off, it's a daunting task.

[DerekTheGreat]

Why break the top off???? Just punch a screwdriver through the top into the bottom and screw it off!!!

What this dude said. Ashley locked her gas cap when she didn't have a key for it and so I just took a flat head and punched through the top part and then got it into two pieces. Once that happened I was able to spin that lower piece right off.

[P72Crazy]

I tried a few methods yesterday to get the cap cap loose. No joy.... It's a standard OE cap, and I certainly don't want to get plastic in the tank or place undo stress on the tank neck assembly (these things are notorious for rusting through from the inside. Thanks everyone for the information. I'll nibble along at it. I don't have the strength in my hands (grip) that I use to so "breaking" stuff if tougher than it use to be.

[IPreferDIY]

I guess it's a Murphy's Law kind of thing. The stuff you don't want to break breaks, and the stuff you want to break won't. Good luck with it!

[P72Crazy]

Ok, I got it off and it wasn't hard at all. I drilled a 1/8" hole through the black plastic shell about 1 1/2" out from the raised portion (grip) on the cap. I inserted a flat blade screw-driver through the hole and engaged the white plastic inner core and the cap the normal twist. Came off like a champ. No plastic shavings, no breaking anything off. Now if I can just remember the new cap is not tethered and not loose it.