It is in the way, just squeeze it out.
How to: Remove rubber around the gas flap
- Thread starter Stan
- Start date
will do ... thanks!
jmackro
Well-Known Member
I agree with Chris: it will be in the way. Just lube it up with something like spray silicone and it will slip out of and back into the boot with a little persuading and wiggling. One of the easier steps in this ordeal.
I pulled it from the front and wriggled the vapor nozzle through the boot.
In the video i posted in post #40 (with a bunch of explanations), you can see that install of the fuel door can be done with the rubber boot installed.
With my suggested modification, you can even single handedly while videoing it with the other hand
I hope this doesn't hijack the thread but I'm interested in tips for adjusting the fuel door. Hold your noses if you are offended this is an EV conversion but the only thing that changes is the boot has been cut to just be a gasket now, and the door bolts are easy to access.
Brand new boot/gasket. Appears same thickness and maybe even softer/more pliable than the original. But the door won't close unless forced/held. Thoughts?
Brand new boot/gasket. Appears same thickness and maybe even softer/more pliable than the original. But the door won't close unless forced/held. Thoughts?
Attachments
Jeff, I cut the leading edge of the gasket with an x-acto knife as that keeps the door from closing at the trailing edge.
jmackro
Well-Known Member
I like HB Chris' solution: cut back the edges of the gasket. I re-used my old gasket which has been squashed by the door for probably my coupe's entire 56 year life, yet the door still sticks out a little. At least with an e-car, you're not worried about gas fumes leaking out past the gasket!
@jefflit , one reason why the lid sticks out, may be if it was forced open too far. This may happen e.g. if you walk into the lid while in the open position.
That plate holding the 3 threads is only spotwelded on the forward vertical edge of the fuelopening in the fender. If you force the fuelflap open to far, that plate will bend the edge of the fender along the vertical line of the spotweld, changing the angle of that plate.
The new 'closed' position of your fuel door is now a few degrees more 'open', depending on how far the plate was bent outward.
That plate holding the 3 threads is only spotwelded on the forward vertical edge of the fuelopening in the fender. If you force the fuelflap open to far, that plate will bend the edge of the fender along the vertical line of the spotweld, changing the angle of that plate.
The new 'closed' position of your fuel door is now a few degrees more 'open', depending on how far the plate was bent outward.
It will snap before it will bend.
Ah, I see i was unclear (probably)
The alu cast hinge part indeed will break when bent.
But i was trying to point out that the reinforcement spotwelded and glued to the quarterpanel gets bent. It's this part, encircled in green in the pic below, looing at the quarter panel form the inside. I've also located the spotwelds with green circles, which show that they are roughly along a vertical line:
in this pic you can see that the front side of the reinforcement has a tab under which a foam type glue seems to hide (in my car). This makes sense, as a full spot weld would be visible on the outer surface; glue isn't. (encircled red in the pic below
pic from the inside, minus the rubber boot:
Slightly off the topic of removing the boot:
I removed the door so I could remove the boot for painting the car. As was noted by one of the posts above, the spring tries to over close the door (presumably so it has some pressure holding it closed. This makes it VERY easy to scratch the paint when re-installing it. I found that, as also noted elsewhere in this thread, the door is bi-stable. It wants to be either open all the way, or closes all the way ("all the way here meaning there is residual pressure from the spring holding it open and closed.
I found that in the all-the-way-open state the edge of the door will contact the outside of the quarter panel.
When I reinstall this after paint, I plan to tape some heavy cardboard on the panel in that area, and tape the edge of the door at the hinge end before I install it. This is especially important when re-installing it with he boot in place, since that just makes the entire thing more challenging.
I removed the door so I could remove the boot for painting the car. As was noted by one of the posts above, the spring tries to over close the door (presumably so it has some pressure holding it closed. This makes it VERY easy to scratch the paint when re-installing it. I found that, as also noted elsewhere in this thread, the door is bi-stable. It wants to be either open all the way, or closes all the way ("all the way here meaning there is residual pressure from the spring holding it open and closed.
I found that in the all-the-way-open state the edge of the door will contact the outside of the quarter panel.
When I reinstall this after paint, I plan to tape some heavy cardboard on the panel in that area, and tape the edge of the door at the hinge end before I install it. This is especially important when re-installing it with he boot in place, since that just makes the entire thing more challenging.
jmackro
Well-Known Member
You're right, the door can easily scratch new paint upon reinstallation. And your idea of taping some heavy cardboard on the panel in that area, and taping the edge of the door at the hinge end before you install it makes perfect sense. Except:
You will discover that there simply isn't enough room between the front edge of the door (when it is open) and the body ahead of the door opening to accommodate heavy padding. All I could get in there was a couple layers of tape on each of the body and door edge surfaces. That's why you need to fix that bi-stable hinge in its almost-open position with a bolt or screw+washer.
I think that when you have a touching condition of the fuel door to the painted outside, that something is wrong.
E9's didn't leave the factory in that condition ; hence there must a reason why yours is doing that + it seems to me a solution awaiting to be discovered
Possibilities:
the reinforcement on the inside of the quarter panel (rear fender) with the 3 thread studs is bent a tad into the trunk area. Bend it back and check?
Or
I've never checked, but could the hinge wears out in such a way that the more frequent the door is used, the more it can rotate towards the painted body side while in the open position?
E9's didn't leave the factory in that condition ; hence there must a reason why yours is doing that + it seems to me a solution awaiting to be discovered
Possibilities:
the reinforcement on the inside of the quarter panel (rear fender) with the 3 thread studs is bent a tad into the trunk area. Bend it back and check?
Or
I've never checked, but could the hinge wears out in such a way that the more frequent the door is used, the more it can rotate towards the painted body side while in the open position?
Actually the touching condition occurs during installation, when the hinge nuts are loose. Once they are tight it doesn’t touch
I was thinking of the Rhino paper ( like heavy masking paper) used to protect flooring during construction. Sturdy enough to not get gouged, but thin enough to work
jmackro
Well-Known Member
Right! Sorry if my message wasn't clear. I wasn't saying that my door hits the body every time I open it to fill the gas tank. Only upon installation.
When you are trying to get the door-hinge assembly into the opening and shoehorn the hinge around the seal on the boot, there just isn't much clearance between the front edge of the door and the outer edge of the hinge, even with the hinge fixed in its optimal position. Some door-body contact is inevitable as you work on it and this necessitates protecting the paint.
ScottAndrews said:
Whatever works for you. I first tried a strip of 1/8" thick masonite taped to the body, but that was way too thick. A couple of layers of blue painters masking tape on the body, and a strip around the door edge was what worked for me.
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More ways to skin a cat!
Good to hear you found a solution.
Good to hear you found a solution.
The painters tape and the screw/bolt holding it partway open was the ticket. I too was worried about scratching paint but the tape did seem to protect it well
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll take a look at the bracket with the studs and a look at the gasket. I suspect the latter. All that said, it is amazing how predictably parts fit on new cars compared to our old ones. Panel alignment windows, gaskets, etc. are all so much more precise now.