How to remove the gas door?

[Net4n6]

Somehow and someway my gas door crooked. It doesn't flush with the body of the 4runner. My truck didn't have body damage or anything to the body.

The crooked door caused the paint to scratch in the creaveage between the gas door and the body. I want to take the door off, touchup the scratch and install the door back. I don't want to leave the scratch to long. It will rust through the body.

Thank you for the help.

 

[SkylineGTRracer]

Same with mine but the previous owner did that when they put gas in it. (idiot) there is no rust on mine yet but I want to take care of it. I suppose its spring loaded, I could be wrong but thats what I think and I was quoted $180 to fix it.

 

[Net4n6]

Bump for me and Skyline

 

[VNT]

bump it up for me too. I bought mine with the tank door out of alignment too, previous owner abused my baby

 

[offshorebear]

I have the same problem

 

[MikesToy]

Mine is a tad bit crooked. It doesn't rub nor scratch the body but i think it just blends with the curvy body side.

 

[CookieRoe]

so no one has a DIY on this? Before taking delivery, I asked to have it fixed but nothing was really done. I got an extended warrantee with it, I'll bring it in the next couple of days.............this fix should be straight forward I would think.

 

[dpodo]

from the parts diagram, it looks the whole door/hinge assembly gets riveted to the body, but I don't know for sure. My fuel door was screwed up too, but I managed to reshape the hinge bracket by using a thick wooden dowel to push/reshape the bracket so that the hinge was aligned better. Much improved from before; a shot of lithium grease after I was done and it opens/closes much more smoothly now.

1) Quarter panel Right 2) Qtr outlet vent Right 3) Fuel door
4) Fuel door Spring 5) Fuel door Stopper 6) Release cable
7) Release cable Retainer 8) Release handle 9) Qtr extn Right
10) Trough Right

The "Fuel door spring" is the plastic/metal piece that clips to the center of the hinge to force the door to pop open when the fuel door lever is pulled. MSRP on the fuel door is 49.00. This diagram is from toyotapartscheap.com (drill down from the 'QuarterPanel' link).

 

[SecretAgent]

you're right. it's riveted to the body. the only way to realign it is to bend the hinge.

 

[scottm]

I used a combo of plastic spacers and pushers to bend mine back 'till it doesn't rub and looks ok. Hadn't considered cutting the rivets, I don't think taking it off would make it any easier to bend into shape.

 

[RaptorRunner]

I wanted to post a reply to this sooner, but I didn't get my activation email until a week later.

I had this problem with my newly acquired 2006 4Runner. The door was bent so bad that it was squeaking and rubbing against the body. It definitely chipped the paint. It bugged me because I couldn't open the door wide enough to put the pump in when I got gas.

I got it quoted to be fixed at the dealership for about $150 ($60 for the fuel door assembly and the rest for paint and labor for the installation). Obviously, I didn't want to fork up that much money for a minor problem. The solution I came up with was to bend the pin that makes up the hinge until it was fairly straight. I ended up putting dents on the sheet metal. This bugged me, so I ended up buying one of those chrome fuel door covers (3m stick-on type).

Below is a picture of the hinge I am referring to...

 

[dpodo]

Agree that manipulating/bending the hinge bracket is the thing to do. It takes some fussing and you need to be careful to avoid flexing or dimpling the sheet metal on the door cover, but it's something you can definitely do yourself.

 

[K.C.]

Somehow and someway my gas door crooked. It doesn't flush with the body of the 4runner. My truck didn't have body damage or anything to the body.

The crooked door caused the paint to scratch in the creaveage between the gas door and the body. I want to take the door off, touchup the scratch and install the door back. I don't want to leave the scratch to long. It will rust through the body.

Thank you for the help.

Mine is exactly the way you described it.

It isn't flushed to the body, it's crooked & scratches since Day One...I just left it.

 

[Net4n6]

I don't believe there are many people have this problem. I am afraid the place that got scratch will rust. In a long run, rust will "eat through" the body.

 

[TiN]

I have this same problem with my fuel door; it rubs loudly when opened enough to get the gas nozzle in there... The paint has gotten down to bare metal and now it is beginning to rust. Is it still the consensus that there is not an easy way to get it off? May try bending it and then Plastidipping it if not.

 

[Net4n6]

Almost 6 yrs later from my original post. I am bringing this thread back to life. Until now, I still couldn't fix the problem. It is getting worse. Members here had mentioned that it bent to the point that they couldn't open the door all the way to fill up the gas. Mine got to the worse now.
Has anyone find the DYI fix yet? I bent the bracket but it was only temporary. The problem came week later. I afraid that I adjust it too much, I will pull the "door" off the welding.

 

[ULCajun]

Got my first fill up the other day and had this same problem. Searched through all the threads with no answers. The door is riveted to the body so i have no idea if you can just put another one on. It's super annoying. I'm going to try and bend it tomorrow

 

[truckhigh]

It was really easy. My paint was failing on the door and I just repainted it. I'm still waiting for the paint to fully cure.

1. Drill out the rivets. There is 2 and I used small bit then went a little larger.
Max 6mm equalivent
2. Pull the metal ring out and push rubber seal towards center the inward towards vehicle.
3. I cleaned brushed and painted it
4. I replaced rivets with a 10mm head with m6 1.0 bolt and nut. Fit pretty snug This is what I had and you can use what ever you want. But I recomend stainless
5. Slide a nut behind and hand tighten.
6. Align gaps to body then torque it down.
7. Reinstall rubber boot

Sorry pic is wrong. The 2 gold looking bolt heads are what I replaced.

 

[ua330]

Well the previous owner of mine actually bent the sheet metal of the cap, guess I will be removing this thing.
[MENTION=2243]truckhigh[/MENTION], did you reach through the wheel well to get the nuts on the other side?

 

[truckhigh]

Well the previous owner of mine actually bent the sheet metal of the cap, guess I will be removing this thing.
[MENTION=2243]truckhigh[/MENTION], did you reach through the wheel well to get the nuts on the other side?

You can't reach it through there. Just push that rubber gasket back and you can reach around it. From there you can use a box wrench to tighten.