Locking fuel cap!

[nipper]

Hi all!

 

I have been given the job, among others, of fitting a locking fuel cap to Water Jester, our share boat.

 

I remember a couple of years ago there was a thread or two about fitting lockable fuel caps and there were several versions available.

I remember one type being the "Fuelock", but there are others.

 

I've tried doing a search on here, but as usual have lost patience with the search engine.

 

Can anyone recommend a locking fuel cap and how easy was it to fit?

 

Nipper

[Nickhlx]

Hi all!

 

I have been given the job, among others, of fitting a locking fuel cap to Water Jester, our share boat.

 

I remember a couple of years ago there was a thread or two about fitting lockable fuel caps and there were several versions available.

I remember one type being the "Fuelock", but there are others.

 

I've tried doing a search on here, but as usual have lost patience with the search engine.

 

Can anyone recommend a locking fuel cap and how easy was it to fit?

 

Nipper

 

I have a couple of fuel locks ( Fuelock?)and whilst they do the job I find them pretty fiddly.

 

You have to firstly rotate the cap to a certain position and then lock / unlock with the key, whilst holding the cap in "the certain position" !.

 

It took a bit of fiddling and getting to know this which I know most users would have given up with long before "finding the secret".

 

Flip side of this is it's pretty secure, if for the wrong reasons. I modified mine slightly to make it work a little more easily.

 

I couldn't recommend this as an easy to use product....

 

Nick

Edited January 11, 2010 by Nickhlx

[Keeping Up]

Do you know what size the filler is, and how many screw-holes there are?

 

Basically there are 3 sizes, Fuelock fits the smallest and middle sizes but not the largest. (1³/₈", 1¹/₂", and 2" IIRC)

 

I had the largest size and tried using a Fuelock by making the thread smaller with Plastic Padding, it was easy to fit but something went wrong and it all seized up after less than a year.

 

I changed it for a brass one which is the same overall size but has a smaller aperture. The one problem was having to drill and tap new fixing holes as the original cap had 4 holes and the new one had only 3.

[nb Innisfree]

Here's my homemade version made from brass plate, I used an angle grinder and a hole saw + drills and file. Uses original holes.

 

[nipper]

Mmm!

 

Thanks Nick and Allen.

 

That sounds a bit too fiddly for some of the owners to get to grips with and I can foresee problems ahead with that cap!

 

Thanks also NB Innisfree, That It looks a good bit of kit!

 

If only I had the wherewithal to make one myself, but living down here and the boat in Northampton would pose other problems.

 

I was up at the boat yesterday too, if I wasn't such a muppet I could of taken some measurements while I was onboard!

 

But there must be other designs about surely.,

 

Nipper

[Keeping Up]

But there must be other designs about surely.,

This was the type I eventually got, but in brass - from Canal Shop Man of this forum, at Whilton

[nipper]

This was the type I eventually got, but in brass - from Canal Shop Man of this forum, at Whilton

 

Now that looks good.

Any ideas of the make of the item?

I could possibly manage to fit that, although I'd have to get hold of a tap and die set and some sharp drills!

Nipper

[nb Innisfree]

This was the type I eventually got, but in brass - from Canal Shop Man of this forum, at Whilton

 

What type of screws did you use? I considered one of these but was put off by the need to use special fixings, required to make them difficult to be removed by a thief.

[Keeping Up]

What type of screws did you use? I considered one of these but was put off by the need to use special fixings, required to make them difficult to be removed by a thief.

I used ordinary stainless cross-head screws, then when I was satisfied that the job was complete I drilled out the cross-head to make them unusable. If I ever need to remove it, I will just have to drill the screws out completely.

[bottle]

It does come in brass, I have them fitted to my boat.

 

If you tap the holes and can get underneath the fitting, you can put lock nuts on the bolts or at least one of them.

[GeoffS]

I have a couple of fuel locks ( Fuelock?)and whilst they do the job I find them pretty fiddly.

 

You have to firstly rotate the cap to a certain position and then lock / unlock with the key, whilst holding the cap in "the certain position" !.

 

It took a bit of fiddling and getting to know this which I know most users would have given up with long before "finding the secret".

 

Flip side of this is it's pretty secure, if for the wrong reasons. I modified mine slightly to make it work a little more easily.

 

I couldn't recommend this as an easy to use product....

 

Nick

 

Ive been happy with my Fuelock, took a little bit of getting used to at first. Keep the mechanism well lubricated and it should be fine.

[Giggetty]

Now that looks good.

Any ideas of the make of the item?

I could possibly manage to fit that, although I'd have to get hold of a tap and die set and some sharp drills!

Nipper

 

Do any of these incorporate a vent? My existing (unlockable) one has one; there is no other vent to the fuel tank.

[ditchcrawler]

Do any of these incorporate a vent? My existing (unlockable) one has one; there is no other vent to the fuel tank.

What sort of boat have you got then.

[Giggetty]

What sort of boat have you got then.

 

1986 Delph Marine nb, quite old fashioned, really. The fuel cap has a little chimney with a gauze filter, a museum piece in itself.