FGT Fuel Filler Cap From Sticky to Stuck!

[Infantryman]

There was a thread on this a few years ago, but not much since and I wonder how many are suffering from this--and more importantly have come up with a fix?

My fuel filler cap has always been a bit finicky, requiring multiple latch pulls and occasionally a little jimmying with a credit card to pop open. But now, it won't open, period. (I guess I'm not driving the car enough, since it's been several months since I last fueled up!) Pulling the release latch results in the sound of a latch being released up by the filler cap, but the fuel filler cap will NOT come up. Even with some significant application of force under the lid from a credit card or even a nylon spatula, the cover is stuck like it's locked down. I'm down to about 1/5 of a tank of fuel, so this is a real problem now! Nor does pushing down on the cap result in the latch releasing, so if there's some burr in the latch or the catch keeping the latch from fully retracting, that's not enough to free it.

Without having a schematic of the latch / latch-release, I'm kind of operating blind with respect to where some workable pressure might be applied to help it release.

Anyone have any ideas (besides giving up on gas and converting the car to run on six AA batteries)?

 

[Lorenzo]

Sorry, my original post was confusing.

On my car i had the same thing happen,
I went in through the fender well.

Perhaps someone else has a better way,

 

[Lorenzo]

Once you remove the splash shield you will be able to see the cable that is attached to the latch, You either have a brokenn cable or the latch itself has broken.

It's most likely just the cable. The part number for the cable is 40181

 

[Lorenzo]

If your going to take it in for service and you dont think you have enough fuel to make it, you can actually open the front hood, remove your trunk liner, then you will see the rubber hose that connects the fuel filler neck to the gas tank. You can remove the hose and with the aid of a funnel carefully add gas directally into the tank.

 

[Infantryman]

Once you remove the splash shield you will be able to see the cable that is attached to the latch

That's not something you can do from the top (outside the fender) is it?! Right now, I don't even have a good way to lift the car (because it's been lowered and there's just not much clearance for a jack!), and so I'd prefer not to remove the wheel and take out the wheel-well liner...

 

[Lorenzo]

Sorry, You will need to jack it up, remove the wheel, and then proceed with removing the splash shield to reach the problem.

 

[paul b]

That's not something you can do from the top (outside the fender) is it?! Right now, I don't even have a good way to lift the car (because it's been lowered and there's just not much clearance for a jack!), and so I'd prefer not to remove the wheel and take out the wheel-well liner...

Drive it up on some 2X6's

 

[2112]

You Might want to see if you can procure some Shadowman 2 piece fender liners if you end up doing it as Lorenzo suggests. Future access will be much easier that way.