How to remove the gas cover?

[Net4n6]

The gas cover (not the fuel cap) keep rubbing the body and scratched the paint. How do I remove it to touch up the scratched area of the body? It is a known problem here but I have not seen the instruction on how to remove it yet.

I want to paint the scratches before they rusted.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

is it down to bare metal/is it visible with the door closed? my gas door did the same thing, and while it isn't down to bare metal, i do live in NE and it has not rusted at all, if yours isn't bare metal i wouldnt worry about it unless its an aesthetic thing.

 

[TechWrench]

The gas cover (not the fuel cap) keep rubbing the body and scratched the paint. How do I remove it to touch up the scratched area of the body? It is a known problem here but I have not seen the instruction on how to remove it yet.

I want to paint the scratches before they rusted.

The hinge frame for the gas door is attached to the body with two large pop rivets. You have to drill out the center of both rivets to remove the door. Do not try just removing the pin that is the hinge pivot, it won't remove easily (believe me I know). When you have finished the repairs, pop rivet the hinge mount back in place. You can get the rivets at the dealer, but you will need a large, straight in pop rivet tool to install them. I found one at Harbor Freight which worked well.

 

[mightyduck]

The hinge frame for the gas door is attached to the body with two large pop rivets. You have to drill out the center of both rivets to remove the door. Do not try just removing the pin that is the hinge pivot, it won't remove easily (believe me I know). When you have finished the repairs, pop rivet the hinge mount back in place. You can get the rivets at the dealer, but you will need a large, straight in pop rivet tool to install them. I found one at Harbor Freight which worked well.

Whats the benefit to riveting it back in vs just bolting it back on? seems like it would be way easier to just bolt it on...

 

[TechWrench]

Whats the benefit to riveting it back in vs just bolting it back on? seems like it would be way easier to just bolt it on...

I think using bolts/nuts would certainly work, but I would want to use stainless fasteners with Nyloc nuts. The pop rivets were easy to install with the right rivet tool, and cost less. It is your choice.

 

[mightyduck]

noted --- thanks.

 

[wsgoat]

Whats the benefit to riveting it back in vs just bolting it back on? seems like it would be way easier to just bolt it on...

Nuts and bolts work just fine. I used a stainless 10-32 phillips head with a serrated flange nut, its held great. Tricky part is pealing back the rubber spacer around the filler neck and catching the nut on the screw.

 

[mightyduck]

Nuts and bolts work just fine. I used a stainless 10-32 phillips head with a serrated flange nut, its held great. Tricky part is pealing back the rubber spacer around the filler neck and catching the nut on the screw.

Yeah, accessing the back-side of the body is definitely my biggest concern with this. I'm worried that if I pull the metal ring off from around the rubber gasket/spacer around the filler neck that the ring will break or the rubber will rip or something of that sort....ie more problems. Is it generally pretty obvious/intuitive how you get the rubber away from the body? whats the hardest part about getting it back on? any tips/tricks would be appreciated!

also, I saw someone mention that you can access that area from the where the jack is located inside the car...i'm going to give that a try.

 

[Berty_K]

M6 Rivnuts worked great for me: McMaster-Carr