eeeeeK! petrol cap woes

small problem.....

During Heskeths long winter snooze the lock on his petrol cap has ceased up. I could barely get the key in, and it's not turning so I'm guessing the pins are sticking in the barrel.

I've tried:

* Wd40
* Jiggling the key
* Shouting at it

As it's the filler cap I'm a little reluctant to get the gas torch out...


I don't have enough petrol to go for MOT.... And if I rip the cap off it will fail MOT for having a temporary filler cap

Suggestions???

Over years I've known people to use diesel on siezed items...injectors gate hinges and the like but I think it would need to be left overnight...case of squirting some in...

I was put onto Tri-Flow. The bottle comes a little straw that you can insert into the lock in order to get the lubricant in there to do its job. It worked the treat for all the locks, including the ignition, on my 96 D1 and the F.
https://www.triflowlubricants.com/product/superior-lubricant-drip-bottle

OK.. There is now more diesel, penetrating oil, wd40 and finally plusgas in my tank than petrol, but the cap is off

i cant imagine that cocktail will do much to improve my emission any... I think I might run what petrol is in there through until empty before I put any more in and rebook MOT.

Speaking of which..... As Ive got brand new pads and disks all round which wont have had chance to bed in much, do you think I might get tripped up on braking efficiency?

g7nbp wrote: I've tried:

* Wd40
* Jiggling the key
* Shouting at it

As you have found out, WD40 is a crap penetrating oil!

Use Penetrating oil to free rusted up bits, and WD40 as a lubricant once free

A lock is best left un-lubricated, except for special dry lubricants.

Oil, such as wd40, attract dirt.

Clean out lock with carb cleaner, then use a special pupose lock lubricant.

Do this every year, just before winter.

The amount of crap gone into the tank will be negligiable, but running it low and then filling will certainly do more good than harm.

New brakes (disks and pads) will be fine for MOT, so long as no oil or grease on the faces. If they were old disks, that were scored, then maybe a different matter. Do a couple of "brake runs" on way to MOT to clean them off and will be no problem

My fuel cap lock seized in the Mediterranean heat in Nice one year, not having much with us I used some sun tan oil on the key, worked a treat, and still is seven years later.

After a long lay up I chuck a tank of 99 ron Esso in there. Other brands available but Esso is 1/4 of a mile from here (and having an attached Tesco express one keeps points).

talkingcars wrote: My fuel cap lock seized in the Mediterranean heat in Nice one year, not having much with us I used some sun tan oil on the key, worked a treat, and still is seven years later.

Is your fuel cap lock a nice shade of brown now? :coat:

g7nbp wrote: Speaking of which..... As Ive got brand new pads and disks all round which wont have had chance to bed in much, do you think I might get tripped up on braking efficiency?

When I bought my TF, the brakes were terrible, despite it having the larger AP front brakes. I replaced the disks and pads all round with new fluid. And... TBH, the brakes didn't feel much better! I took it for the MOT a worried man. But it passed!

Now, 2,000 miles later, the brakes are very good and when I took it for MOT this year it passed again. The interesting thing is that the MOT brake figures aren't much different. I don't know what they measure in an MOT but the brakes definitely seem much better now than they did when tested before they had bedded in. It's a mystery to me.

BruceTF135 wrote:

g7nbp wrote: Speaking of which..... As Ive got brand new pads and disks all round which wont have had chance to bed in much, do you think I might get tripped up on braking efficiency?

When I bought my TF, the brakes were terrible, despite it having the larger AP front brakes. I replaced the disks and pads all round with new fluid. And... TBH, the brakes didn't feel much better! I took it for the MOT a worried man. But it passed!

Now, 2,000 miles later, the brakes are very good and when I took it for MOT this year it passed again. The interesting thing is that the MOT brake figures aren't much different. I don't know what they measure in an MOT but the brakes definitely seem much better now than they did when tested before they had bedded in. It's a mystery to me.

Just mention that you have changed them to the examiner, some will allow a bit more error for new pads or discs.
MOT'd my TF last week with my £10 pair of rusty rear brakes from Bitz, which I refurbished for pennies, came up like new and with new pads fitted, only 2% error on the handbrake test and 5% on the pedal...really happy with that one!

Sundance