Disassembling Fuel Door

[SINIS7R]

Sorry if this was posted before, I could only find how to take it off.

Once I got it off, I took it to a powder coating shop. They won't do the coating until its fully disassembled (in two pieces).
What did anyone do for the rivets and epoxy?

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Plus how do I put it back together after powder coating?

[IHOP]

Good post this is on my to do list for next week!

[BJG32]

I've done several of these.

You need to grind down the 4 spot welds and pry apart. Then i epoxy back. You have to get creative with your clamps to hold in place and use jb weld's strongest hold. The faster hold will soften in direct sunlight on a hot day.

That being said ive done several of these fully assembled too and thats how i prefer to do them. There is a plastic bearing in the hinge, but it just melts a bit but remains fully functional. The door operates exactly the same if done at the right temp.

I've taken a break from car modifications, but If you are looking to do matte black id be happy to do it for you for my fee. I still have my 2 cores. Gloss black can show imperfections and just dont want to mess with that. Im expanding my main business and these projects get tough to commit time to. Matte black is easy enough to get done in an hour or so.

[BJG32]

ALSO...almost forgot. This piece is plated. If they gas out at temps over 300 degrees it will delaminate the plating and ruin your cap. Last i looked these caps are running around $800 so be VERY careful.

[SINIS7R]

I've done several of these.

You need to grind down the 4 spot welds and pry apart. Then i epoxy back. You have to get creative with your clamps to hold in place and use jb weld's strongest hold. The faster hold will soften in direct sunlight on a hot day.

That being said ive done several of these fully assembled too and thats how i prefer to do them. There is a plastic bearing in the hinge, but it just melts a bit but remains fully functional. The door operates exactly the same if done at the right temp.

I've taken a break from car modifications, but If you are looking to do matte black id be happy to do it for you for my fee. I still have my 2 cores. Gloss black can show imperfections and just dont want to mess with that. Im expanding my main business and these projects get tough to commit time to. Matte black is easy enough to get done in an hour or so.

Thanks for the details. I will try to get it apart this weekend.
Also contacted the coating guys and they said their gas out is set at 400 degrees...

[Arizona Vipers]

I've done several of these.

You need to grind down the 4 spot welds and pry apart. Then i epoxy back. You have to get creative with your clamps to hold in place and use jb weld's strongest hold. The faster hold will soften in direct sunlight on a hot day.

That being said ive done several of these fully assembled too and thats how i prefer to do them. There is a plastic bearing in the hinge, but it just melts a bit but remains fully functional. The door operates exactly the same if done at the right temp.

I've taken a break from car modifications, but If you are looking to do matte black id be happy to do it for you for my fee. I still have my 2 cores. Gloss black can show imperfections and just dont want to mess with that. Im expanding my main business and these projects get tough to commit time to. Matte black is easy enough to get done in an hour or so.

How much do you charge to swap out my brushed cap for your matte cap? Thanks.

[BJG32]

$120 for matte black
$140 if you want the letters filled in with viper red, white, or silver.....i also have TA orange.

[BJG32]

Thanks for the details. I will try to get it apart this weekend.
Also contacted the coating guys and they said their gas out is set at 400 degrees...

I ruined a gas cap gassing out at 350*. Make sure they take responsibility. I no longer gas out. That part usualy is not subjected to chemicals, salt etc so any powder bubbles are rare. Powder bubbles show up more in gloss powder which is why i dont want to mess with it. If bubbles show up you just strip and redo.

[SINIS7R]

I ruined a gas cap gassing out at 350*. Make sure they take responsibility. I no longer gas out. That part usualy is not subjected to chemicals, salt etc so any powder bubbles are rare. Powder bubbles show up more in gloss powder which is why i dont want to mess with it. If bubbles show up you just strip and redo.

I would definitely take you up on your offer but I would like satin black not a pure matte. Do you think satin will create powder bubbles?

[Mark1107]

Bjg32 does really good work. Trust his directions. These gas caps are not for faint of heart! 37245

[BJG32]

I would definitely take you up on your offer but I would like satin black not a pure matte. Do you think satin will create powder bubbles?

Yes. I can do that.

Also...i alter the hinge so the door doesn't swing open at full force. "Factory setting" allows the fuel door to open full force which forces it to make contact with the outside ring. This will eventually chip your coating. My setting just cracks the fuel door open at about 15%. This stops that forceful open when you release the gas lid.

[BJG32]

Bjg32 does really good work. Trust his directions. These gas caps are not for faint of heart! 37245

Thanks Mark! If i remember correctly thats one of my early carbon fiber lids. I remember your struggle well...lol.

I've perfected that, but no longer sell them. Takes too much time.

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Here is one i made for my wife's 4C.

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[Mark1107]

That spider 4c door is bad ass! :dude3:

[08viperviolet]

bj sent you a pm thanks

[BJG32]

OP....both cores are now claimed....lol. let me know if you want to get in line....or just send me yours to coat. Can do it in a day.

[SINIS7R]

OP....both cores are now claimed....lol. let me know if you want to get in line....or just send me yours to coat. Can do it in a day.

Can you do satin black? Matte just doesn't do it for me.

[BJG32]

Can you do satin black? Matte just doesn't do it for me.

See post 11, but he difference is so subtle that i think it would be best you work with your local coater so you can see samples. Id rather not risk disappointing you.

[SINIS7R]

See post 11, but he difference is so subtle that i think it would be best you work with your local coater so you can see samples. Id rather not risk disappointing you.

Sorry missed that post! Okay if you can do satin I will keep you in mind. But I do want to try to DIY it first! ;)

[BJG32]

No worries. Not looking for the work...just wanted to help if i could. Watch those gas out temps.

[Arizona Vipers]

OP....both cores are now claimed....lol. let me know if you want to get in line....or just send me yours to coat. Can do it in a day.

Sure please put me on the waiting list!

[BJG32]

Done....

All others, mods are going to be in my DMs any minute yelling at me for this. Please just DM me if you want a powder coated cap in matte black. Happy to help you get it done right, but im not wanting to piss people off. Sponsorship costs are just too much for the little work i do.

[BJG32]

Op.... im doing some caps now. I misquoted safe temps. Temps over 400 degrees are dangerous.... not 300 as i said before.

[SINIS7R]

Op.... im doing some caps now. I misquoted safe temps. Temps over 400 degrees are dangerous.... not 300 as i said before.

Okay that's good to know! I just dropped off the cap at the powder coaters. So I prepped the small stainless steel piece to have chamfers in the pilot holes. My plan was to use JB weld and then center punch it out a little. Do you center punch the caps you do?

[BJG32]

I no longer disassemble them, but center punching is z good idea. JB weld (strongest hold) works great.

Did this one last night. No reason to break the oem welds.
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[SINIS7R]

For anyone that is interesting in doing this themselves here's the steps I took after the gas cap is removed:

1) Pull spring off the hinge
2) Dremel'd / Ground the OEM 4 "rivets" (they were just aluminum cast posts peened down)
3) Used isopropyl alcohol to breakdown the epoxy that hold the hinge to the door
4) Wiggled door side to side till epoxy broke loose
5) Cleaned all parts off and added chamfers in the small hinge piece (this will allow JB weld to overlap nicely). Also removed the black plastic tube from hinge and foam strip on back side
6) Masked off back of hinge piece and 4 post location on door when powder coated
7) Got parts back and cleaned a 4 post location / hinge piece with isopropyl alcohol
8) Place black plastic tube piece around hinge
9) JB welded all around the 4 posts (added a good amount to push through holes in hinge piece)
10) Put spring back on hinge piece and place over 4 cast posts and push firmly down (I practiced this a couple of times before putting the JB weld on)
11) Held parts together with clamps placed on the spring tab location
12) Replaced foam piece with window insulation foam
13) Took gasket off gas goose neck and placed on fuel door assembly (I think its easier this way to reassemble)
14) Put fuel door back on car

37708377093771037711

[SINIS7R]

Also for anyone in the Michigan area, I would recommend Dun-Right Q.C. Coatings. The fuel door came out great on the car! :cool:

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[IHOP]

Also for anyone in the Michigan area, I would recommend Dun-Right Q.C. Coatings. The fuel door came out great on the car! :cool:

37712

Looks great!

[Sniper]

“If they gas out at temps over 300 degrees it will delaminate the plating and ruin your cap.“
If I have someone do my cap, is it ok for them to chemical strip the cap first and then powder coat like the normal process is or do they just powder coat the cap the way it is?

And 400 degrees is ok putting in oven fully assembled?

[BJG32]

“If they gas out at temps over 300 degrees it will delaminate the plating and ruin your cap.“
If I have someone do my cap, is it ok for them to chemical strip the cap first and then powder coat like the normal process is or do they just powder coat the cap the way it is?

And 400 degrees is ok putting in oven fully assembled?


No need to strip the stock silver. Their is no clear coat. I actually no longer take the caps apart to coat. I coat the entire piece leaving hinge intact. The plastic bearing in the hinge gets soft, but holds its shape and cools with complete functionality retained.

You can chemically strip and coat. I coat with matte black. If i want gloss i do the same but use a 2k clearcoat. This eliminates the need to gas out and possible bubbles. Gloss can expose gas bubbles, matte doesn’t. After having to strip several gloss messups I adopted the aforementioned technique.

[Sniper]

What does gas out mean?
And the powder coater said temps can fluctuate in oven so getting exactly 400 degrees probably won’t happen and it needs to be at least 400 to cure properly.
How did you spray the inside and outside? My pc is saying he is going to hang it with the lid almost fully closed and try to get everything inside…

[Sniper]

And chemically stripping won’t do anything to the plastic bearing in the hinge?
Because he said he’s going to dip it in the stripping chemicals.

[BJG32]

What is he stripping? There is no clearcoat on the silver caps?

I wouldn’t soak the hinge in that stuff. It’ll destroy the plastic.

[Sniper]

He said for best result, he will chemical strip it.
You said you can chemical strip and then you said you wouldn’t soak it in that stuff.
I’m trying to understand what you mean so I can pass along and not damage my gas cap.
How would you chemical strip it and not ruin the plastic bearing?

[BJG32]

I’ve coated at least 50 gas caps. Chemically stripping is 100% not necessary. Clean with acetone and coat it.

Dipping it in a chemical bath of airline stripper or stronger will eat the bearing.

Just tell your coater about the plastic bearing. If he thinks its safe, then go for it. Completely unnecessary risk though. He has to think there is clear coat on the existing cap. There is no other reason to strip it.