pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
grepper,
Perfect!
Perfect!
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browntown
XS650 Member
Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. Was soooooo frustrated today! I love this forum. Seek and he shall find!
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
Is this actually The Correct method? pushing back from the front (bike's front) under the gas cap directly on the piece that is connected to the cap's hook. I am not sure how you get in between the chromed cap top and this peice, tried every angle there is, and ground the tool to almost a knife edge to get in there.
I have tried for over an hour and got nowhere, I did manage to scratch the paint though. Has anyone drilled the hinge pin...AND sourced a replacement?
I have tried for over an hour and got nowhere, I did manage to scratch the paint though. Has anyone drilled the hinge pin...AND sourced a replacement?
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
Is this actually The Correct method? pushing back from the front (bike's front) under the gas cap directly on the piece that is connected to the cap's hook. I am not sure how you get in between the chromed cap top and this peice, tried every angle there is, and ground the tool to almost a knife edge to get in there.
I have tried for over an hour and got nowhere, I did manage to scratch the paint though. Has anyone drilled the hinge pin...AND sourced a replacement?
I have tried for over an hour and got nowhere, I did manage to scratch the paint though. Has anyone drilled the hinge pin...AND sourced a replacement?
There are 2 types of Gas caps that look the same. 76-79 Standard and the 78-83 Special.
You need to identify what year/model XS650 you have for others to help define your problems...................even on a small thing like a Gas cap.
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
Thanks...Yes, it's a 1977.
Had a tiny indication of cap hook moving but not as per any of the methods described.
I came in directly from the front so the tool would have been slipping under the cross pin mounted on the tank, and touching the cap's hook...but I could only feel the hook move a little.
I will try will an actual piece from a wiper blade, was using a hammered down flat coat hanger (reshaped and reduced the tool's hook part several times also).
bandrews5800,
Scroll down to post #4, HERE, and you can see the differences to the earlier, 76-79 Standard, (like yours), and later Gas caps. The earlier ones have the latch lever covered more than the later 78-83 Specials.
Need to have a more defined bend in a lever, and there isn't much room between the latch lever and the top cover.
Also the Standard Tanks have a recess the caps sit in so again makes it harder to get at the latch
Scroll down to post #4, HERE, and you can see the differences to the earlier, 76-79 Standard, (like yours), and later Gas caps. The earlier ones have the latch lever covered more than the later 78-83 Specials.
Need to have a more defined bend in a lever, and there isn't much room between the latch lever and the top cover.
Also the Standard Tanks have a recess the caps sit in so again makes it harder to get at the latch
Last edited:
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
Hi - are there any definitive pictures of a standard 1977 gas cap - open, showing how the latch (hook on cap) meets the stationary bar on the tank.
From what I can see looking under my cap it doesn't clearly look like the examples shown. But I can only see part of the hook and what looks like a cross piece (rusty metal) that would prevent tampering (as I am trying to do) that seems to block frontal access to the cap hook as it is engaged to the tank bar piece.
thxs.
From what I can see looking under my cap it doesn't clearly look like the examples shown. But I can only see part of the hook and what looks like a cross piece (rusty metal) that would prevent tampering (as I am trying to do) that seems to block frontal access to the cap hook as it is engaged to the tank bar piece.
thxs.
hmusket. Pic of his Standard cap
Standard cap.
As i described there isn't much room between the latch lever and cap top
If you have no key, pushing the part of the sliding plate in that protrudes out the front of the lock assembly should release the latch for you .....
Now, many times this is easier said than done because the exposed portion of plate is tucked up into the cap. A stiff piece of sheet metal with a little 90° bend on the end might do it I think. I've done it with little screwdrivers but it can be a pain to get up in there. Try it on a cap you already have open and you'll see just what and how much you need to push.
Standard cap.
As i described there isn't much room between the latch lever and cap top
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
thxs again - is there any hope in trying to push against the hooked cap arm - near the the yellow arrow left hand top side in pic? (of course while pushing down on cap lock)
If not, it may need a 90 degree bent knife blade to get into that thin gap.
If not, it may need a 90 degree bent knife blade to get into that thin gap.
bandrews5800
XS650 Member
Finally success!
I pushed against cap hook from front direction (as I was asking about above). The other method was challenged by a very stiff sliding mechanism (did spray a lot of penetrating oil, spring seems very stiff even with cap open it's hard to move)
Would recommend this method, from what I can see once cap is opened
- use a flat blunt tool, curved to fit under cap while pressing down on cap.
tool and cap hook pics for ref.
I pushed against cap hook from front direction (as I was asking about above). The other method was challenged by a very stiff sliding mechanism (did spray a lot of penetrating oil, spring seems very stiff even with cap open it's hard to move)
Would recommend this method, from what I can see once cap is opened
- use a flat blunt tool, curved to fit under cap while pressing down on cap.
tool and cap hook pics for ref.
Attachments
Glad to see it worked.Ok on an old tank and don't mind if the paint gets damaged
Cut a piece out of a flat sided plastic bottle to fit under the cap and around the neck/latch to protect the paint/tank.
100 miles from home and needed gas.
Had key on keyring, spare key in billfold and standby key taped to the inside of the sidecover.
Does no good to be able to turn the key if the little nubbin on the lock's barrel has sheared off.
Had to invent a method to get the cap open while at the gas station with only the bike's stock toolkit to work with.
I finally got the cap open but was so enraged at the situation that I can't remember how.
It must have been ugly but you can hardly see the marks now.
Now I know that all that's needed is to poke the latch back with a thin screwdriver, but that was back then, before the internet.
Fix was easy though.
Dismantle the cap, remove the lock body, drill a 1/8" hole where the cast-in pin used to be and tap a rollpin in there.
Had key on keyring, spare key in billfold and standby key taped to the inside of the sidecover.
Does no good to be able to turn the key if the little nubbin on the lock's barrel has sheared off.
Had to invent a method to get the cap open while at the gas station with only the bike's stock toolkit to work with.
I finally got the cap open but was so enraged at the situation that I can't remember how.
It must have been ugly but you can hardly see the marks now.
Now I know that all that's needed is to poke the latch back with a thin screwdriver, but that was back then, before the internet.
Fix was easy though.
Dismantle the cap, remove the lock body, drill a 1/8" hole where the cast-in pin used to be and tap a rollpin in there.
mwb122
XS650 Enthusiast
Tried grepper's solution. Took a small thin piece of flat bar I had laying around and made the tool. Second try tank popped open. took out the pins and now any key will work. Thanks
Confession time.....
Lost two sets of keys on one keyring on a forty mile run recently somewhere in the last twenty miles. Two sets of keys and a bauble were too much weight in an ignition that's old and relocated to the side. Imagine my surprise pulling up to the gas pump and not having anything to turn the bike off with- aside from the kill switch, and nothing to pop the gas cap. 5 minutes from home and cursing my idiocy the entire way......ranks with the occasional self injury.
Got home, killed the engine while considering pulling the ignition plug. Scrounged around and found a couple of bastard keys that miraculously worked the ignitions on the three bikes....however, the seat locks and gascaps have always been a mix and unmatched set to the ignitions.
The Special gas caps are easier to pop than the Standards and there's no popping the seat locks. Finding these threads and happening to have a dental pick (Thanks 5 Twins!) I proceeded to probe the seat locks and the Standard gas cap. Success was realized in due time, cylinders removed, brass key guages removed, cylinders re-installed and now I only need two keys for all three bikes.
I did grind the point off the very end of the pick which helped in finding and sliding the brass catch out of the way to remove the cylinders. Now, if there's a way to remove the ignitions cylinder........
Lost two sets of keys on one keyring on a forty mile run recently somewhere in the last twenty miles. Two sets of keys and a bauble were too much weight in an ignition that's old and relocated to the side. Imagine my surprise pulling up to the gas pump and not having anything to turn the bike off with- aside from the kill switch, and nothing to pop the gas cap. 5 minutes from home and cursing my idiocy the entire way......ranks with the occasional self injury.
Got home, killed the engine while considering pulling the ignition plug. Scrounged around and found a couple of bastard keys that miraculously worked the ignitions on the three bikes....however, the seat locks and gascaps have always been a mix and unmatched set to the ignitions.
The Special gas caps are easier to pop than the Standards and there's no popping the seat locks. Finding these threads and happening to have a dental pick (Thanks 5 Twins!) I proceeded to probe the seat locks and the Standard gas cap. Success was realized in due time, cylinders removed, brass key guages removed, cylinders re-installed and now I only need two keys for all three bikes.
I did grind the point off the very end of the pick which helped in finding and sliding the brass catch out of the way to remove the cylinders. Now, if there's a way to remove the ignitions cylinder........
cmyoch
XS650 Junkie
I lost both keys mid ride and converted to a toggle switch only to start. My plans are to add a key switch somewhere on the bike to prevent theft (piece of mind for myself really).
I yanked the tumbler from the gas cap and converted it to where I can use any key or whatever to open it. I carry a small screwdriver in my riding jacket for this purpose. I need to try the fix with a small piece of strap steel for easier access.
Can you take measurements on of the metal strap so I can duplicate it??
I yanked the tumbler from the gas cap and converted it to where I can use any key or whatever to open it. I carry a small screwdriver in my riding jacket for this purpose. I need to try the fix with a small piece of strap steel for easier access.
Can you take measurements on of the metal strap so I can duplicate it??
