| danandcarol |
Odd thing happened with my gas cap when filling up today. Lots of clicks but wouldn't tighten up. Seems to be on there good enough, but just keeps clicking. I filled up about a week ago and it was fine then.
Does anyone know if it will cause any problems by not tightening completly? |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by danandcarol
Odd thing happened with my gas cap when filling up today. Lots of clicks but wouldn't tighten up. Seems to be on there good enough, but just keeps clicking. I filled up about a week ago and it was fine then.
Does anyone know if it will cause any problems by not tightening completly?
It should click forever.
Is it tight before the clicks start? |
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| danandcarol |
| It used to tighten up after about 3-4 clicks. Now it doesn't tighten, just keeps clicking. It's not tight before or after the clicks now. |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by danandcarol
It used to tighten up after about 3-4 clicks. Now it doesn't tighten, just keeps clicking.
Was probably your imagination.
It tightens by turning and then starts clicking when it is tight enough.
The 3-4 clicks rule is to make sure you have it properly tightened. |
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| danandcarol |
| Guess what I'm trying to say is this ... it has always "tightened up" after about 4 clicks (i.e. would be really hard to turn after 4 clicks or so). I don't know whether it was supposed to do that or not ... but it always has since new. Now I could probably click it indefinitely. From what you say, though, sounds like this is okay (?). |
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| N_Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by danandcarol
Guess what I'm trying to say is this ... it has always "tightened up" after about 4 clicks (i.e. would be really hard to turn after 4 clicks or so). I don't know whether it was supposed to do that or not ... but it always has since new. Now I could probably click it indefinitely. From what you say, though, sounds like this is okay (?).
I guess you had a bad gas cap.
I would get a new one.
While you are at the Honda dealer, go out in the lot and give a few a twist. |
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| youbetcha |
quote:
Originally posted by danandcarol
Guess what I'm trying to say is this ... it has always "tightened up" after about 4 clicks (i.e. would be really hard to turn after 4 clicks or so). I don't know whether it was supposed to do that or not ... but it always has since new. Now I could probably click it indefinitely. From what you say, though, sounds like this is okay (?).
It is like a really cheap torque wrench, once you've tightened it to a certain point, it skips to keep you from tightening any further. |
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| krygny |
I still don't get it. :confused: It should be, at least, somewhat tight after only one click. Otherwise, how would it click at all? :8:
If, as you say, you couldn't click it indefinitely and it would continue to tighten, there was (and maybe still is) something wrong with it. Then again, if your CHECK ENGINE light never came on, there's probably nothing wrong at all. |
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| N_Jay |
Not to argue, but I bet it is a perception issue.
Either the cap has recently got a little easier to "click" or he just never turned it further the 3 or 4 clicks, and now that he has noticed it goes further it seems like a change.
Why would it tighten after 3 or 4 clicks consistently? You don't "un-click" it when you take it off!:4: ;)
The human mind is very good at playing tricks on itself. We build beliefs and myths all the time. |
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| netman88 |
I think you should do 4 clicks.
I used to do 2 then the gas cap light goes on. It had disappeared after I did 4 clicks and drove around for 5 days.
If the seal of the cap is wormed out, you will need a new cap. |
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| iivtecracerii |
i think he's saying that before, after 4 clicks the cap would be tight and wouldnt click anymore...but now it just keeps clicking forever.
either way, its normal for it to click forever. if it worked any other way before, it was not working properly. but as long as the check engine light isnt turning on after fill ups, then you're fine.
i screw it till its snug, then give it a big twist and it clicks like 5-10 times. whatever, no need to go OCD and count out exactly 3 clicks. |
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| whizmo |
The clicking is just a plastic rachet on the human side that engages plastic teeth on the vehicle side. At a certain torque level the rachet releases. The reason you click it more than once is because it's a cheap mechanism and there is probably some variability in the torque on any single click. But there is no point to clicking it more than a few.
The only reason we have these silly caps is because the evap emission controls require that the cap seal with the tank and the mfgs don't trust people to be able to screw the cap on tight enough to seal. And they don't want people to haul out vice grips when they get a CEL thinking that tighter is better.
Gas caps are cheap. If you suspect anything is wrong with yours, I'd just replace.
- Mark |
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