How to make gas cap easier to lock?

I have a 2015 F3 SM6, I am having a hard time getting the gas cap to lock and get my key out without breaking the key. It takes a lot of downward pressure to get the key to turn while pushing down on the minimal area around the cap. Do any of you have a remedy for this? I prefer to keep the locking cap.

Kind Regards and safe Riding Willie……

Silicone grease the O ring

F3 gas cap closing

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by Rattlebars:
1. Like the starting procedure, the gas cap closing has a specific sequence. After fueling, flop the cap back down into the hole. Turn the key clockwise to 3 o'clock until the cap drops almost all the way down. Turn the key anti-clockwise as far as it will go to 1 o'clock . Press down on the edges until it clicks. Turn the key anti-clockwise the rest of the way to noon then pull it out. Ready to roll.

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. I use this method and find it works well after I filed the lock tabs on the cap.

Additional ideas:
2. A bit of oil in the mechanism and Vaseline on the rubber also made a difference.

3. I took the locking lid apart and filed the sliding contact parts to reduce the locking tab thickness.

4. There was also a post that recommended making shim washers from the metal in a pop can. The washers are placed under the bolts that hold the gas cap lid in place.

Good Luck..

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Originally Posted by Vincef329

Silicone grease the O ring

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Thank You

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Originally Posted by Haze

F3 gas cap closing

Quote:

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by Rattlebars:
1. Like the starting procedure, the gas cap closing has a specific sequence. After fueling, flop the cap back down into the hole. Turn the key clockwise to 3 o'clock until the cap drops almost all the way down. Turn the key anti-clockwise as far as it will go to 1 o'clock . Press down on the edges until it clicks. Turn the key anti-clockwise the rest of the way to noon then pull it out. Ready to roll.

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. I use this method and find it works well after I filed the lock tabs on the cap.

Additional ideas:
2. A bit of oil in the mechanism and Vaseline on the rubber also made a difference.

3. I took the locking lid apart and filed the sliding contact parts to reduce the locking tab thickness.

4. There was also a post that recommended making shim washers from the metal in a pop can. The washers are placed under the bolts that hold the gas cap lid in place.

Good Luck..

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Thank You Haze, I will follow your recommendations.

I did all of this and just got tired of it all... You can always replace the cap assembly with the one from Lamont and be done with it!

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Originally Posted by Vincef329

Silicone grease the O ring

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:agree::agree::agree::agree:

take the key out before you close cap

Thanks for all the great idea's, I will give them a try.

This is a reply to a several month old thread. However, I know a number of people continue to have problems with latching the fuel cap. I had that problem again today and I also learned that the fix is easy and quick. It turns out that the rubber sealing gasket rides on a spring loaded guide and the mechanism gets sticky making the latching difficult or impossible. The simple fix is to lubricate the slide with a good multipurpose oil. A few drops above and below the gasket and then working it up and down until it moves freely will make latching the cap a one finger operation. I plan on carrying a bit of oil with me from now on in case things get sticky again.

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Originally Posted by fatboy

take the key out before you close cap

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WOT! Yeah - Nah :wrong:

Taking the key out before closing the cap locks the latch mechanism on my 2017 F3.

You will be unable to close the cap.