Hi everyone,
The plastic parts of my fuel cap have swollen presumably due to exposure to high ethanol content fuels whilst on the continent this summer. It is now really difficult to remove/replace and I am sure that pretty soon the day will come when I cannot remove it (or replace it which I guess would be the better situation). Does anyone know of a suitable replacement? Or is a repair possible?
Hi Richard there is a very easy mod to cure this it was very common on some of the cali’s and stone’s if you google it it will hopefully bring up the post for it or you could search within this site mickandrita2013-11-17 21:08:21
Richard, I no longer have my Cali EV that had that type of cap BUT I had exactly the same problem.
I honestly thought I was going to snap the key trying to get the cap off on the journey home after buying the bike. 200 miles from home, no fuel and cannot get the cap off.
Take the cap off and look carefully underneath and it will be pretty obvious how it all comes apart by simply removing a metal roll pin.
Once apart you will see that there is a plastic part that slide over an alloy piece when the key is turned and this in turn secures the cap to the tank.
The issue is that this plastic piece expands and gets to such a point that you are liable to snap the key.
Once apart get a small file and some fine grade wet and dry paper. CAREFULLY remove excess plastic from offending piece until it slides over alloy piece as originally intended and then finish off plastic with wet and dry to give very smooth surface.
Once done it will give no further problem.
Sorry that I cannot explain any better but I did this over 3 years ago and no longer have that type of cap.
In all honesty 15- 20 mins will do it . Do not buy a new one.
Found this, here you go.
LINK TO PHOTOS OF FIX
Kind Regards Daz
DazGuzzi2013-11-17 21:47:59
Probably a bit of plastic designed to be immersed in diesel, not petrol, like the plastic fuel filters fitted to most models around 2005 on.
Don’t know if this will help.
http://www.motoguzziclub.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18443&KW=Nevada
Working Link
Brian UK2013-11-18 16:44:07
Ah I get it now ~ it’s the bottom area in this photo, not the stopping peg part.
Thanks everyone. Attacking components with a big file! My mechanical skills are certainly up to that! Unfortunately, my list of jobs is growing longer just as the days grow shorter:-(
I’m guessing the problem occurs when the two parts hit corner to corner because one of them has expanded, so maybe just needs like a slope or a chamfer. (?) So they are then able to overlap. Reason for edit: typos
Mike H2013-11-19 21:05:02
Hi everyone,
As always your collective advice and expertise was spot on. My cap is now repaired and functioning perfectly. Fully agree with the comment on the wildguzzi site that the plastic is very hard! I eventually gave up with the file and set to with a Dremmel rotary grinder. It is not just a case of a slope or chamfer, Mike. A considerable amount of plastic has to be removed. When I took mine apart the plastic part was jammed inside the alloy moulding and I had to use a large screwdriver to prize them apart. The plastic has to be removed from the circular lip which runs inside the alloy moulding and the main flat bearing face in order to let the positioning pegs drop into their recesses and give a positive “click” action at each end of the 90 degree key movement. maintaining the surfaces perfectly round/flat is less important than removing sufficient plastic that the plastic piece fits back inside the alloy moulding without binding.
Well done that man. Money saved and a sense of satisfaction as a bonus.
Darryl
I have to re-do mine every year or so, I think the plastic expands? Maybe it’s something to do with ethanol?
Guy told me he put white grease in his Jackal’s cap, I’ve tried this but it still gets stuck. One time on a long haul I had to undo the 6 Allen screws that held the whole assembly to the tank each time I wanted to refill it.
Last weekend I re-did mine and reassembled it to the wrong angle. It took me ages to work out why the key would only come out when it was UNlocked. McFuzzi2013-11-30 15:52:18
Damn! Not looking forward to redoing it every year. I lubricated mine with petroleum jelly when I put it back together. It was just the word “petrol” that made me think it would be OK in there!
This is mad, you can get these exact same kinds of caps for cars (got one for the Clio 'cause the locking flap won’t [lock]), not yet heard of any of them seizing up. Always a first time of course.
Once I sorted mine it never needed touching again. Remained easy to operate and moved freely.
Of course, Guzzi probably fitted caps which were intended to work only with diesel, like the in tank fuel filters.
[QUOTE=Mike H]
This is mad, you can get these exact same kinds of caps for cars (got one for the Clio 'cause the locking flap won’t [lock]), not yet heard of any of them seizing up. Always a first time of course.  [/QUOTE]
This is the best news. Which year of Clio, Mike?McFuzzi2013-12-02 22:56:11