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Broken Gas Door Cover

akvanden

Member
Joined
February 18, 2009
Messages
22
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0
City, State
Rochester, MN
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001 Explorer Sport
I went to fill up the other day and it felt strange opening the gas cover to get to the cap. All of the sudden the the spring broke or gave way because now it just flaps open whenever it wants... nothing to hold it close. Has this ever happened to anyone before? Anyway I can fix the spring?
 



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If I remember correctly...you open the fuel filler door and as you're
looking at the fill pipe...you'll see 3 hex headed bolts around the
outside of the fill pipe. (One I believe had the fuel cap tether
attached to it). Remove those bolts and you have to work the
fuel door assembly out from the quarter panel. The assembly
contains the fuel door itself as well as what appears to be
a rectangular box (the piece that goes around the fuel pipe).
I also believe that there was a vent pipe or hose hooked to
the bottom of the rectangular box which I believe just slid off
the fitting. (You have to lie on your back and look up underneath
where the fuel door assembly is to do this). I went to the dealer
to see if I could just get the spring...but they wanted to sell me
the whole fuel door assembly for 60 or 70 dollars. They told me
you couldn't buy the spring separately...but I found out later on
that if you look up some of the on line ford parts vendors...they
do show that a spring is available. (It's listed under 'quarter panel and
components" on the ftepartsguy.com page.)

Not knowing that the spring was indeed available separately...
I finally ended up doing was going down to NAPA and picking
up one of their torsion springs...part # 770-2126 for $1.69.
Had to put a couple of 90 degree bends in the legs of the
spring...and it worked like a charm. Sure beats the more than sixty
dollars the dealer wanted for the whole fuel door housing assembly.

It took me a while to figure out how to bend the NAPA spring to
get it to work correctly...so you actually may be better off with
the original spring if you can get it.
 






Awesome, thanks for the detailed info!
 






The fuel door assembly is not easy to get out. I took the three screws out but cannot get the assembly out due to the flanges that 'snap' it into place. I feel like if I want to I could get it out but that would mean breaking the plastic flanges themselves....
 






ok, I got it off.... and went and bought a spring. Now if I only knew what one looked like I could start bending the spring to work.....
 






Ok, I figured it out. Went and bought a spring at advanced auto parts (spring about the shape of a quarter ). Cut off 2-3 coils, bend the ends to 90 degree angles using vice, and it works perfectly. Attaching pictures incase anyone else is wondering what it looks like. Sorry, on camera phone but you'll get the picture... literally.

IMAG0095.jpg

IMAG0096.jpg
 






I just finished this fix and it was fairly easy. I got torsion springs from NAPA but also found them at my local True Value after the fact. To bend the arms, you need to be fairly careful, I broke off the first try.

Start the bends about 3/8" from each end of the spring tail and make the bends go down towards the spring not up and away. This will make it sit better in the housing. When you're finished the tips should be about 1 1/4" apart. Fit one end into the small hole in the arm and the other into the hole in the case and your good to go.
 






I want to thank you, I appreciate the fix for the fuel filler door! Again my cancer surviving husband of 41 years needed some help figuring out the fix for this broken spring. Couldn't get the spring from anyone but Napa and 1 of the post said use that one 1.69. This worked like a charm and was an easy fix. A little bend on each end and it was a perfect fit! We are so greatful we found this website. My husband was a Ford mechanic many years ago and is still able to fix things with good help and directions. It's the figuring out that give us trouble nowadays. Again you all are the GREATEST! I thank you, very much. misspeggy
 






Hello,
I checked Napa web site for the spring, using # 770-2126 and couldn't find it. I went to a nearby Napa dealer and they couldn't find anything either. The local Ford dealer will special order the spring but it's $30.00 so that's out (out of principle). Any suggestions?
 






mcb630- I just checked the Napa site & it's listed. The spring is made by Balkamp-
 






Thanks det107 - tried again and it's there. My keypad is skipping a bit and I didn't check the number I entered. Napa Canada doesn't list this part. Napa Online lists it but I don't think they ship to Canada, at least I haven't found out how.
 






Thanks! this was easy, and I'm not very good at these type of jobs.... cost $1.19.

But for some reason my check fuel cap is still on.
 


















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