Reinstall gas cap

[felice]

Alrighty, this is driving me bonkers. I'm trying to reinstall my gas cap, and it just doesn't want to make a nice, tight seal. I can get the black gasket on to the flange (although it loves to flip off), but once I set the entire assembly into the tank, it won't seal. I've gotten almost to the point of tightening all of the tiny set screws, but the cap just keeps wanting to pop out.

Anyone have any trick to this? Should I be using a rubber mallet here, or some kind of liquid sealent/grease? I just remember how tight of a seal it was when I took it off, and I don't see how it got that way.

I should've paid more attention when I took this thing off...

[Rameses]

Wipe a little bit of motor oil (or some other kind of lube, motor oil has always been what I've had handy and it works well) on the black rubber ring and green o-ring before you jam the cap assembly into the tank.

 

[Pancake81]

I just had the same problem man. THe trick for me was that I had put that black rubber ring on the wrong way. If you really look at the cap set-up there is a way it will go on that it will not interfere with the tank. Ok, I know that doesnt make much sense; but I was putting the black ring on one way and trying my damndest to gett hat fricken thing in the hole. I was hitting the rubber mallet stage as well. Then my buddy comes along and roles the black ring into a different position, and viola, dropped in with barely any force.

The point I am trying to get across is that you dont need to smash it in. Just look and think, because when it is right it will slide in with ease. And yes, a bit of motor oil will make it that much easier  . Bes tof luck and give a shout if you need me to retype something clearer.

Heath

[felice]

I've used every lube except for astroglide and it still won't work. The problem isn't the black gasket or the green o-ring; I even took off the black gasket and tried to install it that way for the heck of it, and it still won't fit. I can get it past the green o-ring, but no further. None of the tiny set screws are in the way, either.

I'm starting to think that the accident that caused a dent and subsequent repainting of my tank altered the width at the opening ever so slightly, making it an even tighter fit than stock.

I just bought a rubber mallet, and I'll give it another shot when I get home tonight. I must be doing something wrong here. My guess is that there's some dude at the Ducati factory that does only this all day long and has his own magical method.

[Rameses]

I mean, with oil on it, you still have to use a good bit of force to get it in there.

But I've always been able to get mine in by beating it with the heel of my palm.

[uclabiker06]

I just had the same problem man. THe trick for me was that I had put that black rubber ring on the wrong way.

I pretty much made the same mistake but I think with another part.  Then I flipped it around and put it back on the other way and it worked....very frustrating indeed.

[felice]

sweet mother of mercy- it's in. i ended up sanding the neck in the tank a bit and then using a mallet. I have no idea if the sanding got rid of any paint residue/overspray or not, but I'm just going to choose to believe that it did....

[teddy037.2]

sounds like the paint brought the dia of the hole in a lil'bit.

lube'd o-ring (I used WD40, iirc) should have the cap slide in w/hand pressure

[Pancake81]

Nice work man. I know how frustrating that can be