Technical Problem with plastic fuel tank caps?

Gang,
Over the years I've had a frustrating little problem with these generic plastic, screw-in, fuel tank caps. It is the same type cap that came with my "Tanks" fuel inlet, which is all metal. These caps also have that annoying click when tight feature, which aggravates the problem. What problem, you say?

After a few months, the cap gets harder and harder to remove and replace. I've got a theory that the newer fuels might be causing the plastic to swell a little and cause the caps to bind in the metal neck threads. And while I've also noticed how ambient temperature changes cause the metal neck to change size a little and make the cap easier or harder to turn, eventually I just end up buying another $2.00 plastic cap and start the process over again.

Anyone else notice the same thing? I think I'm going to start looking for a metal cap instead. Hope they make them. Gary

 

I've never had a problem with them.

 

Never seize?

 

Vasoline will probably cure it.

I really have no idea I just wanted to say that.

 

never had a problem with them and one of my vehicles takes e-85 , its more often people are in a hurry and cross thread or bang the ****ers . or smack the edge like my wife did till I told her to take it easy , the smacking or hard hitting sometimes ******s the edge on it and the tight fit of the pipe will not allow it to thread , often cured by filing the the edge of the cap down and remove the offending bulge .

 

My Honey's car has been doing that. 3 months ago got her a new cap. The other day That ****ing thing was so damn tight I swore it was glued on or cross threaded. But it wasn't.

 

Same problem with older chain saws and other small engines. The manufacturers know it. The newer caps are made of a different plastic. For small engines anyway.

 

$2? I just bought a generic cap for my minivan at the local parts store and it was $11.50.

 

LOL I usually have 2 or 3 layin' in the top of an old tool box. Every time I see one at the gas station I just grab it.

A little off topic for the board but maybe it will help someone one. My bike has late model tanks ( OK late model for me), and one cap is left handed the other right handed. Someone last year managed to get the left handed one cross threaded ( thanks by the way) and that screwed up the threads a little bit. I too my knife and m***aged them a bit to make them work again. I should change the cap and maybe I will but here is something that may help. Take a look at the threads sometimes that get a little bent or get a burr and can be helped with a little careful s****ing with a pocket knife.

 

I dunno. Are you using the ethanol version of fuel? I swore that stuff off and so far I have been able to hold out. I know that in some parts of the US, they force you into it. I have never experienced that and my cars have the same setup now for 12 years.

 

I dunno about any place else but around here you can only find real gasoline in premium and only at select few stations.

 

Yeah, real regular here is $1.89. Corn is not big around here, but oil is.

 

A well placed self drilling sheet metal screw will remove the rachet and then its up to you to tighten enough to stay on...The oil fill on my ot truck had your [op] problem but the gas fill have not had an issue..