Gas Cap Lubrication

[Eupher]

Well, I poked around here and there and found lots of information about this particular problem, caused by the moisture in the mandated ethanol gas that's in my area.

There's a pretty entertaining thread here, under the title "Stove Pipe Knob Removal" or somesuch.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=110.msg236735#msg236735

And there are several Youtube videos that address the issue, and other forums as well.

The moisture in the ethanol apparently causes a reaction in the aluminum that's part of the latch assembly. Over time, a whitish powder appears and it eventually seizes the tabs to the point they won't move. If you need gas and you can't open your gas cap, well, there is a big problem.

I started having trouble with my C14 yesterday when I went to gas up. Will be heading to AutoZone and picking up some lock graphite and maybe some Liquid Wrench.

[maxtog]

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20069.0

[MAN OF BLUES]

Its not the key lock....
Its the internal latching bars and mechanism.. pull the thing off, disassemble it, scrub it well with scotchbrite pads, and grease every nternal latch part with lithium grease...

Ive'm currently looking for a local metal plater thru my vast network of engineering contacts, to offer up an affordable option for some plating that is better than that damned zinc chromate conversion, and jnplated aluminum bars.. I'll post up when I get a good source for plating all the parts that matter.. untill then, scrub, and grease them..

[Rick Hall]

Its not the key lock....
Its the internal latching bars and mechanism.. pull the thing off, disassemble it, scrub it well with scotchbrite pads, and grease every nternal latch part with lithium grease...

Better yet (much better), grease the internal bits with aviation fuel lube. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/ezturnlube.php is but one example. The small 5oz. tube can be handed down to the grand kids.

Rick

[Eupher]

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20069.0

Thanks, maxtog. I had remembered stumbling on this some months ago, but then thought it might've been on the COG forum as I couldn't find it here. Not sure why -- used the same key words as your thread title...

[MAN OF BLUES]

Better yet (much better), grease the internal bits with aviation fuel lube. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/ezturnlube.php is but one example. The small 5oz. tube can be handed down to the grand kids.

Rick

I had some Beoshield aircraft lube years ago that was awesome, used it on all the bikes I worked on back then to lube the gas latches, it held up surprisingly well, but its long been gone from my collection... it dried to a slick waxy coating,  worked awesome on chains also, both m/c and my mountain bikes

[jimmymac]

I replaced mine with a non locking cap. It seems to be working just fine for me.

[Eupher]

Better yet (much better), grease the internal bits with aviation fuel lube. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/ezturnlube.php is but one example. The small 5oz. tube can be handed down to the grand kids.

Rick

Ordered a 5 oz. tube of this stuff. Kinda spendy at $12 plus shipping, but as I don't want to make lubing the gas cap a regular maintenance item necessarily, it should be worth it -- and thanks for the tip.

[turbojoe78]

Ordered a 5 oz. tube of this stuff. Kinda spendy at $12 plus shipping, but as I don't want to make lubing the gas cap a regular maintenance item necessarily, it should be worth it -- and thanks for the tip.

Use the coupon code (error404) at check out and get the 5oz tube for just a little over $12 shipped.
http://www.skygeek.com/united-ez-turn-fuelube-5-oz.html

[jwolffie]

Get some grease from the auto parts store with Moly in it. It is cheap and has cured my sticking latch for over a year now. Dont put it in the key part, take apart the latch, remove the white corrosion and smear some moly grease on the parts that slide.

[seagiant]

Get some grease from the auto parts store with Moly in it. It is cheap and has cured my sticking latch for over a year now. Dont put it in the key part, take apart the latch, remove the white corrosion and smear some moly grease on the parts that slide.

Hi,
         Bingo!

Moly PASTE....even better!!!

[jwh20]

Prevention is the best medicine here.  If at all possible, do NOT let the bike sit for any significant length of time with Ethanol-laced fuel in it. 

See :

http://www.pure-gas.org/

For sources near you!

[jwh20]

Its not the key lock....
Its the internal latching bars and mechanism.. pull the thing off, disassemble it, scrub it well with scotchbrite pads, and grease every nternal latch part with lithium grease...

Ive'm currently looking for a local metal plater thru my vast network of engineering contacts, to offer up an affordable option for some plating that is better than that damned zinc chromate conversion, and jnplated aluminum bars.. I'll post up when I get a good source for plating all the parts that matter.. untill then, scrub, and grease them..

MOB,

Plating small parts is really easy.  You can buy kits or make you own.  I'm for gold plating the thing although nickel plating is probably more practical and will work just as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Plug-Plate%C2%AE-Nickel-Electroplating-Kit/dp/B009XELF08

[maxtog]

Prevention is the best medicine here.  If at all possible, do NOT let the bike sit for any significant length of time with Ethanol-laced fuel in it.  See :http://www.pure-gas.org/For sources near you!

Unfortunately, ethanol-free gas is not available for many people... I would be one of them.  Nothing for many hundreds of square miles, covering millions of people.

[maxtog]

https://www.amazon.com/Plug-Plate%C2%AE-Nickel-Electroplating-Kit/dp/B009XELF08

"We do not recommend plating aluminum directly with our Plug N' Plate® kits."  I think aluminum, which is what the gas tank cap is mostly made of, is difficult to plate with anything.

[gPink]

Maybe anodizing.... http://www.caswellplating.com/anodizing-products/anodizing-kits.html

[maxtog]

Maybe anodizing.... http://www.caswellplating.com/anodizing-products/anodizing-kits.html

Perhaps.... at the low, low price of only $500!

[gPink]

gee max...there's no such thing as a free lunch

[jwh20]

"We do not recommend plating aluminum directly with our Plug N' Plate® kits."  I think aluminum, which is what the gas tank cap is mostly made of, is difficult to plate with anything.

I think the parts in question, the ones that corrode, are not aluminum but "pot-metal" which is cast zinc.  I could  be wrong because I've not checked it but if it is aluminum, then it could be easily anodized vs. plated.

[maxtog]

I think the parts in question, the ones that corrode, are not aluminum but "pot-metal" which is cast zinc.  I could  be wrong because I've not checked it but if it is aluminum, then it could be easily anodized vs. plated.

Hmm, I am not sure now.  I thought it was aluminum based on the feel/weight/hardness/color and white corrosion- at least the parts of the latch that were the worst part of the problem  http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20069.0;attach=24314;image