gas cap COVER

H

hinmo24t

New member
hey everyone, after trying to straighten this thing out, before taking it to a body shop, i figured id ask:

my gas cap has to be preyed open after i pull the release lever - which i can do by hand. after closing it's uneven and driving me crazy because it ruins the lines on that side of my truck which is otherwise in top shape for an 04. i have played around with the clip that goes over the release pin, it is easy to bend but with it bent to just be able to clear the release pin, it still doesnt stay closed properly. Has anyone dealt with this? is there a forward hinge or something that i have to adjust?

pia

 
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hinmo24t said:
hey everyone, after trying to straighten this thing out, before taking it to a body shop, i figured id ask:

my gas cap has to be preyed open after i pull the release lever - which i can do by hand. after closing it's uneven and driving me crazy because it ruins the lines on that side of my truck which is otherwise in top shape for an 04. i have played around with the clip that goes over the release pin, it is easy to bend but with it bent to just be able to clear the release pin, it still doesnt stay closed properly. Has anyone dealt with this? is there a forward hinge or something that i have to adjust?

pia

Click to expand...



I tried to adjust mine. It was off like that and constantly scraping the body when you open and close. It’s very sensitive and it broke when I went to tweak. I had a body shop replace. Money worth spending as it drove me crazy.
 
Mine eventually broke off at the hinge. I think I just got a cheap replacement off Amazon. It came primer black. A few coats of paint (matched paint numbers by checking out codes on door jam), and it was back on in no time. Looks pretty good, especially on a 15 y/o vehicle.
 
@drallen , interesting. you had to drill out some rivets? any risk in drilling out hardware next to a potential fuel source? i might look into that, didnt think of it...thanks
 
hinmo24t said:
@drallen , interesting. you had to drill out some rivets? any risk in drilling out hardware next to a potential fuel source? i might look into that, didnt think of it...thanks
Click to expand...

They are just aluminum rivets, so they drill super easy, and don’t make sparks. If you are concerned though, just put a damp rag over the gas cap while you are drilling them out. Just make sure to use the correct bit for the diameter of the rivet shank. I can’t remember if it’s 1/8”, or 3/16”, maybe someone who’s done it recently will say. Just drill the center and the top plates (flared part) will come right off.

I ordered a brand new OEM assembly from a Toyota dealer on eBay, and after inquiring about the rivets, the parts guy through in a new pair. I have yet to change it though, only because I haven’t gotten around to painting it yet. My original hinge broke when I tried to bend it to straighten it so it wouldn’t rub the paint like what happens to most people. Must be an inherent flaw in the design of the hinge. Now, I’m just super careful opening and closing it when I get gas and I make sure it is aligned properly as I close it. It looks fine now that I straightened it, which is why I haven’t bothered to fix it, but I’m definitely going to this season once I get around to painting it.
 
[MENTION=209958]Terminator03[/MENTION] thanks for the info. i didnt see the assembly on Amazon so maybe ill look on ebay.
 
Ha!
On my 4R, the gas cap door FLEW OFF during the test drive!
So, they replaced it for free!
(matter of fact, it is STILL primer black)

I know that doesn't help your situation...
but I had to share the story.
 
Ausumm said:
Ha!
On my 4R, the gas cap door FLEW OFF during the test drive!
So, they replaced it for free!
(matter of fact, it is STILL primer black)

I know that doesn't help your situation...
but I had to share the story.
Click to expand...

Haha, that’s funny! I’ll bet the hinge was completely broken, and they just stuck the door back in place so it flew off once the air got under it going down the road.
 
Yeah, I just drilled out the rivets and just used regular short bolts of the same diameter to fasten the new one. I thin i was able to move the filler next to the side (might have to remove a few more bolts) in order to fit my hand behind and secure the nut. Probably a 20 min job all said. Longest part was the painting, drying, sanding of new door. I did all the painting off the car. Just hung the new door assembly in the garage and hit it with several light coats of paint throughout the week.
 
thanks for all the info. i happened to massage it better than i have before and got it pretty flush this weekend. the thing is, once i pop the release to fuel up, theres a good chance ill have to pry with my fingers and itll be out of shape again...could be replacing it in the future unless i happened to get it back to normal.
 
hinmo24t said:
thanks for all the info. i happened to massage it better than i have before and got it pretty flush this weekend. the thing is, once i pop the release to fuel up, theres a good chance ill have to pry with my fingers and itll be out of shape again...could be replacing it in the future unless i happened to get it back to normal.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you're missing the spring that pops it partially open when you pull the release, or the spring is broken, it's just a piece of spring steel.

Fuel Door Spring - Toyota (77360-02020) | Toyota Parts
 
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On my 2003 4Runner, the spring fell out on one of my refuel stops at the gas station. Luckily, I saw it and picked it up. Then I had a hard time opening the door. So I popped the spring back in place and now it works like a charm.
 
i think i am missing that! tough to see it from the parts diagrams. i do see a pin-release off to the right of the refill bay, no metal spring though...
 
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