Where Can I Find A Locking Gas Cap?

GoldenMotor.com

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
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Hi. I'm looking for a lock gas cap for my Happy Time teardrop fuel tank, maybe a Stant brand available at Checkers. Anyone using one and have a part number? I thought about taking my tank to match caps, but the workers there wouldn't want me to open the shrinkpaks until I find the correct cap.


Thanks for help.
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Honey, it's just a bicycle. and i REALLY need it to excercise, and to ride it to work.(hehe)
 

Walter F.

New Member
Jun 4, 2008
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Connecticut
I bought one from an online dealer, "scooterpartswarehouse" or something like that with scooter in the name. It was $17 plus $8 shipping. it has a little metal door that folds down to cover the keyhole when the key is removed. This is not much help but they do make them and they fit our tank. I think I might have googled locking gas cap... to find it or there may be a picture of one here on the forum . I'll look...found it... you can to. Go to the "forum search" right above chat room, click on search titles only, then enter Locking Gas Cap, and like magic your answer appears. You can't trick this ol' bloodhound into doin' all your sniffing for you. Happy Hills & Trails, lock up the women & children & gas!!!!! Walter F.
 
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the_edge150

Dealer
Aug 21, 2008
289
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Monrovia,CA
if you put it in a newer car, 1980s + , you will most likely clog a fuel injector is what i have heard. but my worries is not if someone takes my gas, but if someone puts something IN it. i have had on my dirtbike where someone put some diet coke in my gas tank and messed it up bad
 

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
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Locking gas cap is for dummies who want to put something IN your tank, as "the edge_150" stated. If someone really needed my tank's gas, I'd disconnect my line and give it to them. The other two engine tanks would be full and could drive me another 30 miles.

Thanks for the info, Walter and fairracing. Exactly what I'm looking for.(^)
 

Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Locking gas cap is for dummies who want to put something IN your tank, as "the edge_150" stated.
Good point. You never know when some idiot that hates motorized bike might come along and "out of spite" dumps something into your tank.
I'm not so lucky because my work requires me to drive a car, so I only do recreational riding so I'm always in seeing distance of my bike.
 

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
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Well, I ordered the locking gas cap from that website and it arrived today.

The cap doesn't fit. The casting tabs that fit in the tank's two slots is too wide, so you can't push the cap down to lock and twist. Darn!

I'll MAKE it fit!^5
 

5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
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Walter, this cap is a locking twist-on type. At the open position, the movable spring-loaded steel tabs align with the tabs under the gas cap. These tabs are cast into the bottom of the cap near the rubber gasket and are 180 degrees from each other. When the cap is in your hand, the key will twist 90 degrees clockwise, which turns the spring-loaded steel tabs 90 degrees. The cap is now in locking position, and this is the only position that the key can be removed.

The problem is that the tabs cast into the cap just below the rubber gasket are too wide to drop into the slots in the tank's hole. Each tab must be narrowed maybe 2mm(.080") with a dremel tool. It is extremely labor-intensive to file the tabs down because the file can't get to the tabs easily under the gas cap. Another option is to widen the slots in the tank's hole, which is probably what I'd do.

Once the cast-in tabs clear the gas tank's slots, I should be able to press down to overcome the spring-loaded steel tabs, twist the cap 90 degrees and lock the cap.

This particular locking gas cap is not a bolt-on; it has to be modified to fit.
 
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5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
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One disadvantage of using a locking gas cap is that the locking tumblers is in the way of fabricating a fuel-level indicator by drilling thru the gas cap.

I just MIGHT drill the brand new tank near the gas cap location and fab the gas gauge with a "Jack in the Box" antenna ball rising and lowering to indicate fuel level.^5
 
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5-7HEAVEN

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2008
2,661
240
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Well, I filed open the slots in the gas tank's filler neck. It was MUCH easier than filing down the gas cap's cast tabs so that the cap would fall into place.

Walter, you're correct. It is not a twist-on cap, although the key and locking mechanism twist 90 degrees to secure the cap.

I'm done. It was well worth the $17 to me.

What's sweet with this cap is that besides securing the tank from jerks, the keyhole is not airtight. If you suck on the cap, there is a vent which will prevent vacuum lock. The problem I had was so bad that the new engine would quit working after a few miles of running. Jakesus on this site recommended loosening the cap for a few seconds, which worked each time the engine died. The new engine would restart in a few pulls until the next few miles and die again.

I renovated the entire fuel system by installing a Happy Time auxiliary tank and 3/16" steel lines which tap into both engines' 30-oz. tanks. I also removed the HT's fuelscreen and the tanks' fuel filters. That, and the vented cap should relieve the new engine's vacuum leak.