my Gas Cap sucks!!!!
 

Ok guys help me think....I really don't like the design of the gas cap. I dropped my bike the other day and I lost about 1/2 of my gas before I could get it up righted again. The cap stayed on, but fuel still poured out of it.....am I the only one with this problem? Do I need to get a new cap.
My cap does not Screw on.

I have thought about a few of ideas....do any of these sound possible?

1. Screw a thin Round Rubber/Plastic Disk the same siaze as the fill hole to the Bottom of the Gas cap. So it would act like a stop/flap inside the tank when the bike is laided over...

2. JB weld the a screw type fill over the existing Gas fill....Possibly cut one out of an old plastic tank and attached to my tank over the old fill?

3. Get a Tank from an old XR200. Is there a specific year that will attach to our bikes?

4. Will a Tank from a Chinese Dirt bike fit. The type with the screw cap?

This all concerns me, because in the next few months I plan on doing some Enduro/Trail type riding, I am sure I will drop my bike at some point, and I do not want to be there trying to pick my bike up, while it is pouring gas on the ground....

#1) This might work so long as the flap hangs down while riding so you don't shut off the cap vent.

#2) JB Weld, bad idea IMO. Epoxy, now that might work!

#3) Nope, unfortunately.

#4) Best solution! If you can find a strickly OFF Road bike, with the same frame and plastic as ours. I have yet to see one :cry: .

If it makes you feel any better, my Roketa cap sucks too. Sucked from day one, still sucks at 3000 miles and a new tank at 1000 miles. Not only does it leak if tipped over, but it barely fits anyway. The cap is smaller then the tank opening and if you don't get it just right, one side pops up and doesn't seal at all. My solution had been to stop dropping the bike 8O .

I know....But it is tuff to do...I will research and see if I can find a material to use for the flap....I was thinking the same thing...it has to be flibsy, pliable, so when the liquid pushes against it it will shut it off/slow down the pour.....I will let you know what I come up with.


EDIT: :idea: I just thought of something :idea: ....Maybe a piece of rubber off of the side of an old rubber work boot....I have a pair collecting dust in my garage. I will have to try it this weekend....

I would try cutting an extra gasket to go under the one on the cap. I would first try styrene and would use the original seal as a template. I would place the new gasket first, then the original gasket so the fuel would only contact resistant rubber! You can even split the ring to facilitate assembly.

A coffee can lid would be my first material of choice :wink:

The additional thickness might make the spring tension tighter.

Let me know if I am way off base with this,
Tigertamer

maby some sort of pvc pipe fitting with corse threads to epoxy into the inner diameter of the tank, and build your own cap to fit

only problem is finding a plastic fitting that the fuel wouldn't rot and the bike wouldn't shake apart:(

I modded a cap from a marine tank. Wasn't perfect but when the bike went over it didn't leak more than about 10 drops! The stock cap was a joke till the key mechanism broke 300 miles from home. I had to break it to fill up and go. I used several layers of a plastic, poaking a hole in a different spot on each layer. An elastic band from a bunch of broccoli and I was good to go. I got a marine tank cap for my return trip :D

do you have a photo?

okay, this is an untried method but: you know those little pipe plugs you can get at the hardware store?? (the kind with a wing nut that screws down and expands the rubber to create a waterproof plug? what if you got one of those and drilled a venthole and ran a vent tube up to the forks? i dunno, my bike doesnt even run so... not worth trying for me. might work though

wow some of the greatest redneck patch artists arn't even located in the south. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Great Idea! chinariderinthesky! I might have to try the Plug with wing nut.....they are called test plugs. I think it might work.

here's what they look like. I could paint it black and drill a small 1/16-1/8 hole thru the top and thru the rubber. it might work. I am unsure of how much air need to be in the tank .... :?:

http://plumbing.hardwarestore.com/52...and-plugs.aspx

Are you sure the cap is fully seated when you put it on? I've dropped my bike several times (completely upside down in a ditch once!) and it barely looses any fuel. Could be a bad cap too, I'd try fixing it before I replaced it with some cobbled up band-aid patch.

JB Weld is epoxy.

remember your cap is indeed supposed to suck! whatever you decide to do makes sure the tank is properly vented. otherwise you just might be starving the bike of fuel when your all powerfull cap works and seals.

on the other hand if the fuel expands, you will have a whole other issue. of dealing with a pressurized tank. probably more of a mess will occure than an issue.

:oops: All of New2riding's photos were tossed out when Iron took over. All tanks are different. Mine was craptacular! :lol: Do you have a local bike shop that can search their catalogues for something that will work?

I keep thinking that most things dissolve when exposed to gas and the best patch idea may come apart shortly after its put into service.

Here is an interesting cap.
Acerbis Dry Break conversion fitting
If you have enough flat surface to mount it to the tank and could get some stainless steel bolts/washers around it to secure it this would be very nice.


Just my 2 minutes of looking at this problem.

EDIT:OHH yeah that little nipple in the middle of the cap is where the vent tube goes and it would be best with an inline check valve.