I was in the process of cleaning a project bike's gas cap, and I wondered if some people here haven't learned some of the tricks of the refueling. Assuming you have chosen to keep your locking gas cap, there are ways to operate it which can make your refueling easier, quicker, and simpler.
The pics tell the story. Assume that you are looking at your gas cap, w/the key inserted so it lines-up with the 12 o'clock indexing detent (indicated by an arrow on the outside-top of the gas cap) on the gas cap underside. That would be the 'bump' in the gas cap underside which aligns the gas cap with an opening/relief in the rim of the filler neck. The 12 o'clock position for the gas cap arrow points to the front of the bike.
This is the position in-which you need to place your key in the gas cap lock, to remove your key. It is also the position where you can fully-insert the key into the gas cap lock.
Sometimes a sticky key cylinder will-not-return to the 12 o'clock position, and it's impossible to insert your key into the gas cap. Just insert the key partially, and turn the key slot to 12 o'clock, until you can fully-insert the key.
From here, you are turning your key to the right (clockwise) to open the gas tank. If you are working with a bike which has been sitting for months or years and the key won't turn, I have other posts about how-to handle that. Assuming your key freely-turns, you will be turning the key 90 degrees, to the 3 o'clock position, to move the two gas cap spring-loaded latches in, so they release the cap.
Because the gas cap rubber gasket which seals against the gas filler neck is itself spring-loaded (four springs beneath the rubber-covered washer/gasket), when you get the gas cap key to the 3 o'clock position, the cap should push-upwards, and off the gas tank filler neck. "Fill 'er up!"
Here is a simple way to easily replace your gas cap. Your key is still in the gas cap. When you turned the key to the 3 o'clock position, the gas cap came-off, and the movable gas cap detents on opposite sides of the gas cap, being spring-loaded, push your key away from the 3 o'clock position. The key usually will land in a 1 o'clock position, or a 2 o'clock position. This may depend upon whether your gas cap has corrosion on it, making it sticky. Refer to my other thread about cleaning your gas cap, if it needs-it. Others have also posted about the cleaning process.
To replace the gas cap, you want the key to be in the 1 o'clock or the 2 o'clock position. This will allow you to simply replace the gas cap by aligning the fixed gas cap detent on the underside of the gas cap with the relief/opening in the gas cap neck, and then simply pushing-down on the gas cap, until you hear/feel the two movable gas cap detents "click" where the gas cap is now fastened.Again, to do this, the key should be in the 1 o'clock or the 2 o'clock position, without you needing to hold the key there.
The key will not release from the lock until it is placed in the 12 o'clock position.
12 o'clock key position, note that the key is aligned with the gas cap arrow, which indicates the fixed gas cap detent position, which you need to align with the recess in the gas cap filler neck, to replace the gas cap. The key needs to-be at 12 o'clock to remove it from the lock cylinder.
The 1 or 2 o'clock key position for easy replacement of the gas cap, without fussing with the key. Just align the gas cap arrow to the gas cap filler neck 12 o'clock position, and push-down on the gas cap until the two gas cap movable detents "click," and the gas cap is locked onto the gas tank filler neck.
The gas cap 3 o'clock key position to remove the gas cap.
The pics tell the story. Assume that you are looking at your gas cap, w/the key inserted so it lines-up with the 12 o'clock indexing detent (indicated by an arrow on the outside-top of the gas cap) on the gas cap underside. That would be the 'bump' in the gas cap underside which aligns the gas cap with an opening/relief in the rim of the filler neck. The 12 o'clock position for the gas cap arrow points to the front of the bike.
This is the position in-which you need to place your key in the gas cap lock, to remove your key. It is also the position where you can fully-insert the key into the gas cap lock.
Sometimes a sticky key cylinder will-not-return to the 12 o'clock position, and it's impossible to insert your key into the gas cap. Just insert the key partially, and turn the key slot to 12 o'clock, until you can fully-insert the key.
From here, you are turning your key to the right (clockwise) to open the gas tank. If you are working with a bike which has been sitting for months or years and the key won't turn, I have other posts about how-to handle that. Assuming your key freely-turns, you will be turning the key 90 degrees, to the 3 o'clock position, to move the two gas cap spring-loaded latches in, so they release the cap.
Because the gas cap rubber gasket which seals against the gas filler neck is itself spring-loaded (four springs beneath the rubber-covered washer/gasket), when you get the gas cap key to the 3 o'clock position, the cap should push-upwards, and off the gas tank filler neck. "Fill 'er up!"
Here is a simple way to easily replace your gas cap. Your key is still in the gas cap. When you turned the key to the 3 o'clock position, the gas cap came-off, and the movable gas cap detents on opposite sides of the gas cap, being spring-loaded, push your key away from the 3 o'clock position. The key usually will land in a 1 o'clock position, or a 2 o'clock position. This may depend upon whether your gas cap has corrosion on it, making it sticky. Refer to my other thread about cleaning your gas cap, if it needs-it. Others have also posted about the cleaning process.
To replace the gas cap, you want the key to be in the 1 o'clock or the 2 o'clock position. This will allow you to simply replace the gas cap by aligning the fixed gas cap detent on the underside of the gas cap with the relief/opening in the gas cap neck, and then simply pushing-down on the gas cap, until you hear/feel the two movable gas cap detents "click" where the gas cap is now fastened.Again, to do this, the key should be in the 1 o'clock or the 2 o'clock position, without you needing to hold the key there.
The key will not release from the lock until it is placed in the 12 o'clock position.
12 o'clock key position, note that the key is aligned with the gas cap arrow, which indicates the fixed gas cap detent position, which you need to align with the recess in the gas cap filler neck, to replace the gas cap. The key needs to-be at 12 o'clock to remove it from the lock cylinder.
The 1 or 2 o'clock key position for easy replacement of the gas cap, without fussing with the key. Just align the gas cap arrow to the gas cap filler neck 12 o'clock position, and push-down on the gas cap until the two gas cap movable detents "click," and the gas cap is locked onto the gas tank filler neck.
The gas cap 3 o'clock key position to remove the gas cap.
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