Stuck Gas cap tumblers?

ErnieB

ErnieB

erneST
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
36
Location
Smiths Grove, Ky (Bowling Green)
Bike
04' ST 1300
Hey guys,
I have searched around the site and the interweb....lotso good info...but not what I need ?
04 ST1300, I had the "usual" intermittent sticking gas cap problem like a lot of people.
Sometimes the key wouldn't turn, shoot a little oil in there and OK.'
Sometimes the key would turn, then the lid popped up some, then pull it the rest of the way up.

Well, now, the key won't turn, oil didn't help, PB Blaster didn't help.
Gentle tapping / vibration and oil didn't help.

I took out the 3 "real" tank cap bolts...thinking I could remove the complete cap assembly...nope.
I can spin the complete assembly 90* either way, but still can't remove the damn cap.

Any suggestions now?
I hate to drill out the tumbler, especially if that is not the issue.
I have read were the issue could be the tabs inside the tank...but I thought vibrating, rotating the lid would help?

I am tempted to start drilling...I have 1 bar of fuel on the gas gauge.

Any help would be appreciated....
Thanks,
:04biker:
 
ErnieB said:
Gentle tapping / vibration and oil didn't help.
Click to expand...

Don't put oil, PB Blaster, WD-40, Wesson or anything else like it in locks. That kind of thing attracts and holds dirt.

Drilling the lock out isn't going to help if the locking mechanism is stuck. Have you tried pushing down on the lid while turning the key?

You might also consider having a duplicate key made on an Ilco blank before going much further. The Honda keys are incredibly soft and will break if pushed too hard.

--Mark
 
Just didn't want you to end up with a stuck gas cap and a key broken off in it. :)

Mine sticks a bit, too, and usually pressing down on the cap with some good left-right jiggling with the key frees it up.

--Mark
 
My tumbler doesn't hang but the gas cap does a bit on the nose. Started doing it after I mounted the Tank-Lok adapter for my tank bag. Loosened the bolts a little and it's not too bad, I can live with it. I just pull backwards on the cap as I lift it.

Might want to take the whole bike to a local lock-smith and have them try their magic fingers. They can make a copy of the key too before anything breaks.
 
I had the same thing on mine but maybe not as bad but when I had a couple of keys made he suggested to bring the bike to the shop and he would spray some Teflon in the lock. Actually he did all the locks and boy what a difference. I had this done a year ago and still works great.

You may ask as to why I had him do it and just not by a can of Teflon spray. One he offered and two the can was $20 and he said I would never you it all in my life time.
 
I had a lock that wouldn't open on my gas tank a few years ago eventually had to break the pins in the lock to get it open I now have a screw on gas cap no lock to worry about. If you do break the lock keep in mind a new one will have a different key than the rest. What we ended up doing was putting a large screwdriver into the lock and turning with a big wrench until the pins snapped then I was able to open the cap this happened on the way to Moonshine several years ago.
 
This is the classic symptom of key wear. The key is used more often in the ignition so the key wears at the same rate a the ignition tumblers.

The problem is the key wears quicker than the tumblers in the gas tank lock because you only use the gas tank lock occasionally. So what you need is a new key. If you have a spare you haven't used, try that. If not, get a new one from the Honda Dealer (don't use the old one as a template to cut a new one as it'll just transfer the wear).

Been there, done that and got the T-shirt!
 
One bike I rebuilt recently experienced a similar problem. I pulled the key out of the ignition, where it was when I bought the bike, and opened the gas cap to check for rust. Tried to remove the key and put it away and the key would not come out. I tried closing the cap and pressing while pulling on the key....stuck tight. Ended up driving out the hinge pin and taking the cap to a locksmith. He couldn't remove the key without risking damage to the cap, so I ordered new locks and a new gas cap. Should have cut up the old cap/lock to determine what failed.
 
You will probably have to go to dealer to get a blank key. Most lock smith's do not have that style key anyway. It is unique to Honda.

I bought 2 key blanks from my local Honda dealer and took them to a locksmith to have them ground. so far they are working great.

Do a search - there are several threads on here about sticking gas caps.

Good luck.
 
ST-Traveler said:
You will probably have to go to dealer to get a blank key. Most lock smith's do not have that style key anyway. It is unique to Honda.
Click to expand...


The problem, don't look under Honda. It is an old Datsun key form.
ILCO X265 HD109
or
COLE DA23

I think you will find most locksmiths will have one of these.

The Honda topcase is a blank also used for VW gas-caps. Go figure.
 
Thanks, your info is what I am looking for.
We plan on riding next weekend to Bristol....don't think I would have enough time to order a new cap and get it in by then.
If i break the lock, can I use a screwdriver in the mean time to open the tank?

My last resort is to take the tank off and "hope" if I turn it upside down, the gas in the tank may act as a solvent and help free up the "dogs" on the underside of the cap.
There is a MC salvage yard about an hour from me, I can probably get a cap from him, but yea the different keying would be a pain again.
If the upside down trick doesn't work, I may try your idea with a big screwdriver.
I am not sure if the lock is stuck or the "dogs" or ears that actually move on the bottom of the cap.

I don't care if the lid locks or not...I leave the ignition key in all the time anyway....
That may have contributed to the "worn key" syndrome....
Thanks,
 
Last edited:
If you break the pins the tank will not lock it will close but not lock I rode like that for 4 days until I got back home and changed the cap.
 
T_C said:
The Honda topcase is a blank also used for VW gas-caps. Go figure.
Click to expand...
Nooo! I ended up buying a new lock with two keys from Givi when I bought my OEM Pan-European top box... a VW gas cap key would be way cheaper and simpler than replacing the whole lock...
 
Snave said:
Nooo! I ended up buying a new lock with two keys from Givi when I bought my OEM Pan-European top box... a VW gas cap key would be way cheaper and simpler than replacing the whole lock...
Click to expand...

I don't know... I think I spent $2 a key for mine. Cost adds up. ;)

One local locksmith did not recognize the key, but another shop did. Ilco X132
Also, Mellow has it documented in a sticky.
 
50c6b6197dc2b8c086f08592d86fdaee.jpg


5393c5bde6c3da632a6a52d4e4511a33.jpg




Slingshot Racing screw on gas cap. One of the best mods I have done. Makes gas stops a lot simpler. About$50.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
I'm surprised nobody told you not to waste your time with taking the tank off to turn it over. If you are on one bar, there is no gas in the upper tank. St-1300's have a upper and lower tank. About 2.5 gallons in the lower. If you have been jiggling, wiggling, etc. to get the cap open for a while now you likely have worn that key out. I agree with other poster. Try your "new" key. Relieve all pressure on the tabs by pushing down. Also have those screws all loosened up. There is a fix for those sticking caps. It's actually not the tabs that are sticking. It's the front part of the "cone" that sticks down into the tank opening. I took my cap off and did a little filing and have never had a problem since.
Dennis
 
SteveST1300 said:
I had a lock that wouldn't open on my gas tank a few years ago eventually had to break the pins in the lock to get it open I now have a screw on gas cap no lock to worry about. If you do break the lock keep in mind a new one will have a different key than the rest. What we ended up doing was putting a large screwdriver into the lock and turning with a big wrench until the pins snapped then I was able to open the cap this happened on the way to Moonshine several years ago.
Click to expand...

Do you have an Oberon gas cap? Have you had a tip over w/ a full tank? I found my Oberon leaked when i tipped over in my garage w/ a full tank. The leak was from under the frame of the cap where the frame meets the tank. It was not between the screw out part and the main body of the Oberon assembly
.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom