Spring!

[PPuxley]

Numpty alert. Ive only gone and lost the little spring that holds the key cover on the fuel cap, whilst I had it dismantled to refinish it.

Its obviously not a stand alone spare, but any one got an otherwise trashed cap that can let me have the spring from?
Otherwise I suppose I will just have to buy a £20 Chinese knock off, unless anyone has any bright ideas

[Kato]

Make your own using piano wire, quite a satisfying little task

For small springs like you need I'd usually use a drill bit as the mandral

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133013229...BoCT8kQAvD_BwE

[Mr Gazza]

Kato beat me to it.
I would try a model shop if you have one near you?
From what I can see of mine the wire looks less than 0.5mm.. No wonder you lost it!

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

No wonder you lost it!

It was meticulously ziplock bagged, came back to it - no spring, there was a hole in the bag! Once out the bag, there was no chance of finding it. It was very fine wire, I would think a lot less than .5mm, isn't it?

[slob]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

…I would try a model shop if you have one near you?…

or a florist

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Kato beat me to it.
I would try a model shop if you have one near you?
From what I can see of mine the wire looks less than 0.5mm.. No wonder you lost it!

Ive found this stuff. Question is what guage? The pin it goes around is 1.75mm
https://ebay.us/Vn3DFn
This is a piece of 0.5mm wire wound around the pivot pin of 1.75mm.......does it look about right? And of course Ive no idea what it looks like or quite how it engages. I can see a hole it locates in, in the key cover that flips up, but cant work out how it engages in the main lid.

[Mr Gazza]

It's a little monkey to photograph, but hopefully you can see what's going on.



From under the flap you can see that a leg engages in the hollow block and then there are three complete coils. So 4 wires in that space.



Looking from above you see the three coils and a leg disappearing forwards on the last. (left hand)
That space in the flap is 2mm, so I deduce that the wire is 0.5mm or just under.

I have a picture of the underside of the lid which is dismantled and shows the invisible leg going forward and just abutting the lid with no particular location hole.

I can't post the picture as it's on a word document kindly sent to me by the late Capo.
The document has all you ever want to know about the filler cap, but does refer to the injection model cap which has an additional ring around it, otherwise it's the same.

Send me your email and I'll ping it over to you.

[crust]

We have something like that at work but with a half dozen or so turns, you could straighten some out.

If you can will till tuesday eve some could fall into my pocket during the day

[slob]

Of course the minute you finish fashioning a satisfactory replacement, sod’s law says the original will miraculously show up.
Small missing springs are known as ‘pingf*ckits’ because of the noise of one flying across the workshop. I’ve given up looking for them with my eyes, I usually scan the floor with a magnet, which is much better at finding small ferrous objects.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

It's a little monkey to photograph, but hopefully you can see what's going on.

Perfect, Gazza, Thanks

Originally Posted by crust

We have something like that at work but with a half dozen or so turns, you could straighten some out.

If you can will till tuesday eve some could fall into my pocket during the day

Can definitely wait for that! Thanks, Simon.

Originally Posted by slob

Of course the minute you finish fashioning a satisfactory replacement, sod’s law says the original will miraculously show up.

Was thinking exactly that!

Thanks , all for the responses peeps.
Looking at the Chinese knock offs it looks like the dont bother with any spring!

[Davy]

There’s quite a long tail on that wee spring. I’ve a good pic of it from the underside if you want to see it. I can send the pic to someone who can post it.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Davy

There’s quite a long tail on that wee spring. I’ve a good pic of it from the underside if you want to see it. I can send the pic to someone who can post it.

Thanks Davy. Gazza sent one to me from a word doc he had.
BTW. if you have anything you can see on your computer monitor you can screenshot it.
Ctrl + PrtScn keys on Windows
Cmd+Shift+4 on Mac
On a Mac anyway, its very good resolution (below is a bit hazy because its an enlarged crop)
The document has some very useful info
Its Here

[Mr Gazza]

Thanks for the screen shot tip there pp. The spring is even clearer on your post than in the document itself. I don't even know how to zoom in on a word doc.

Good luck with all the little pingf#ckits.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Thanks for the screen shot tip there pp. The spring is even clearer on your post than in the document itself. I don't even know how to zoom in on a word doc.

Good luck with all the little pingf#ckits.

TBH, I'm wondering if either of them are worth bothering with. The key flap just lays there nicely at rest and lifts up to put the key in. So unless it flips up in the wind as you go along, I may do nothing if I cant find the right makings.

[350TSS]

Small magnetic catches may be a simpler way round the issue