LPG Filler Cap Stuck !!

[Kingham]

Took the van over to my local Jet fuel station earlier today, to top the LPG up in preparation for heading to Arisaig at the weekend and couldn’t get the plastic filler cap off. After a good few minutes of blocking the pumps, I gave up and pulled the van round to the back of the station, where I worked it loose with pliers and a screwdriver.

After filling the LPG tank, thinking it might be the fault of road salt and crud, I gave the filler cap and the filler aperture a good clean and found that the cap was still very reluctant to go back in place and I will likely need my tool kit handy to remove it in future.

As daft as it sounds, it looks like the plastic cap has swollen and is too big to fit the aperture..... or perhaps the van is shrinking ?? ?

Before I order a new cap, I’m going to run a file around the outer edge of this one, to see if it fixes it. Has anyone experienced similar ?

 

[DJT]

Took the van over to my local Jet fuel station earlier today, to top the LPG up in preparation for heading to Arisaig at the weekend and couldn’t get the plastic filler cap off. After a good few minutes of blocking the pumps, I gave up and pulled the van round to the back of the station, where I worked it loose with pliers and a screwdriver.

After filling the LPG tank, thinking it might be the fault of road salt and crud, I gave the filler cap and the filler aperture a good clean and found that the cap was still very reluctant to go back in place and I will likely need my tool kit handy to remove it in future.

As daft as it sounds, it looks like the plastic cap has swollen and is too big to fit the aperture..... or perhaps the van is shrinking ?? ?

Before I order a new cap, I’m going to run a file around the outer edge of this one, to see if it fixes it. Has anyone experienced similar ?

Just a thought but have you ever used WD 40 on the cap?
This would cause the plastic to swell !! I know from experience and now only use silicone spray.

 

[DavidG58]

We lost the spring from ours, I am sure it was a complete coincidence but it also seemed to be a tighter fit without it

as I regularly left my cap when refuelling I bought a bag of 10 last time I lost it, since then of course never lost another ??

 

[Kev and Christa]

I had the same problem with mine a couple of years ago.. I smoothed it off with a piece of sandpaper and did the same with the inner fitting and polished them both. I also cut off the plastic tie which keeps the cap attached. It has been fine since.

 

[Gromett]

I had the same problem. I ended up sanding it down with a fine wet and dry. A year or two later it happened again. Sanded it again.
I think they swell but not sure why or how.

I think it must be exposure to LPG?

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[Camdoon]

2 replacements for £6.45 at Amazon.

 

[Kingham]

Just a thought but have you ever used WD 40 on the cap?
This would cause the plastic to swell !! I know from experience and now only use silicone spray.

Never used WD40 or any lubrication on it.

 

[Pausim]

WD40 is not a lubricant, it is a fast drying contact cleaner. It can penetrate and help free things but a mechanic friend told me to clean it off after use and then lubricate with something like a silicone greese.

 

[Pausim]

Just found this article about WD40, it does have a reputation for damaging some plastics.

10 Surprising Uses for WD-40 (and 5 Places It Should Never Be Sprayed)

Everybody knows WD-40 is the go-to product for silencing squeaks, displacing moisture, preventing rust, and loosening stuck parts. You probably have a can

gizmodo.com

 

[Lenny HB]

WD40 shouldn't affect ordinary plastics like abs, it's nylon that you shouldn't use it on.

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[Googlebot]

Ours did the same and I sanded it. Used silicone spray to lubricate it but perhaps the previous owners had used something else?

 

[Deneb]

Mine did the same after only a few months from new. I removed it with some force and filed/sanded around the edge of the cap then wiped it with vaseline. Never happened since

 

[Stewart J]

Mine does the same only in winter when temperatures are low, sanded around it which has helped.

 

[Kingham]

Filed, sanded and refitted, so all is well until the next time !

 

[Zigisla]

Mine is very similar and difficult to remove sometimes. What if found was that the spring behind pushes the cap slightly sideways and it jams. If you push on the side that is slightly raised then it comes out straight and a lot easier. I do however, keep some snipe nose pliers in the driver's door bin.

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