1998 V-max gas cap key not turning sometimes

misoguy · Apr 27, 2018

New to me V-max, just getting started.

Key doesn't turn in the gas cap sometimes. First time it happened I hit it with silicone spray and thought I had fixed it. Then it happened again.

Seems like something is catching at 12:00 near the top of the keyhole. Maybe the first tumbler catches?

It is not sticky or gunky. It either will turn, or it absolutely will not. There's something metal on metal that's preventing it from turning.

Is this a known issue? I searched the forum a bit but didn't see any references to it.

Fire-medic · Apr 27, 2018

Take it apart and clean it with some solvent. It can only go back together again one way but take pictures to see how it comes apart so you will have an easy time reassembling it. I've never had to disassemble the Tumblers in the lock but the lever mechanism that pulls the gas cap detents inwards to release the cap need to be cleaned and lubricated.

In a worst-case scenario you might have to remove the gas tank and soak the neck upside down in a good solvent to be able to dissolve the petroleum distillates that gum up the detent throw on the gas cap lock that will prevent you from having to cut the neck of the gas tank off, to be able to get to the mechanism to disassemble it and remove the gas cap.

Once it gets to the point where the detents are sticky and you have a difficult time being able to remove the gas cap, you need to disassemble the gas cap & clean the detents, lubricate them and reassemble the gas cap.

misoguy · Apr 27, 2018

Will do, thanks!

1998 V-max gas cap key not turning sometimes

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1998 V-max gas cap key not turning sometimes

Help Support VMAX Forum:

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