400SE Locking Petrol Cap?

[Lean Machine]

I know this question has come up before but I still haven't been able to locate a locking petrol cap for my 400SE. Does anyone have one they want to sell or know where I can get one or know which other classic car or car has the same one? I don't want to fit an exterior lock to the petrol flap as this is altering it's looks and without a locking petrol cap I worry someone might stuff something in it, or worse still swipe the fuel. After all fuel is a valuable commodity now and in most cases worth more than the stereo. So, gentlemen, any ideas would be most welcome.

Tony. TCB.

[Mr Tank]

Tony

I have a locking cap on the wife's 280i which if I can identifie the make and model will try and get another couple plus post the details up here. As I agree fuel is expensive now, and its funny 20 or 30 years ago petrol locking caps were a high selling item in part shops, but to day they are very hard to find!

Andy

[mrzigazaga]

If all the filler necks are the same then i found that the only locking caps that fit are the same ones as what were fitted to british classic motorcycles..Triumph and BSA..They were made by CEANDESS..
http://www.feked.com/fuel-tank-cap-21-2-chrome-loc...
Another alternative is to fit a different style of filler neck top & Cap as i have done..

[Lean Machine]

Andy. Any information you can give us on the locking caps would be most welcome as I am determined to find one that fits.
Zig. The motorbike cap in the picture looks well nice, in chrome and all that, but how can I be sure it will fit the 400SE. If the diameter of the pipe is 2.5", does that mean it'll fit? The price isn't bad either for this day and age. More information needed before I shell out.

Thanks for your replies gentlemen. I feel this is an important matter for the safety of our cars and hopefully will be solved as I will fit one on mine if I can locate the right one.

Tony. TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Tony...Your filler neck should be 2"..Or 51mm OD, The cap is 2.5" in total diameter..You can always send it back but im sure it will fit..just confirm that it is non-vented before you buy...Ziga

[jmorgan]

Something is knocking about in the old nogging with relation to the metals used. That is the filler cap etc will not spark with the filler nozzle, the metals are of the type that will not do this. Just in case Heath Robinson gets involved or is my brain fried?

[Lean Machine]

mrzigazaga said:

...just confirm that it is non-vented before you buy...Ziga

Zig. Why does it have to be non vented? Surely vented is better isn't it? give it a bit of air circulation, or is the tank designed to have non vented?

Tony TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

Lean Machine said:

Zig. Why does it have to be non vented? Surely vented is better isn't it? give it a bit of air circulation, or is the tank designed to have non vented?

Tony TCB.

Hi Mate...I believe that non-vented is needed to create some pressure, The tank's do have breathers so it balances the air out when the fuel gets used otherwise you would get a vacuum..I think vented could draw moisture in?...Im sure vented caps are used on tanks that dont have breather's..Although i might be talking twaddle....

[Mr Tank]

mrzigazaga said:

Hi Mate...I believe that non-vented is needed to create some pressure, The tank's do have breathers so it balances the air out when the fuel gets used otherwise you would get a vacuum..I think vented could draw moisture in?...Im sure vented caps are used on tanks that dont have breather's..Although i might be talking twaddle....

Hi Mark

Sorry mate the fuel tanks don't have breathers!

The only breathing is done via the breather pipe at the top of the full filler pipe and this then goes over to the opposite side of the car.

Andy

[marcus1875]

Hate to contradict others with much more experience of wedges than me, but....i have a breather in the tank and a vented non locking cap!

[Mr Tank]

Marcus

If your tank is vented, were?

Andy

[MarkS1966]

Hi Tony,
Have you considered hijacking the boot release switch and fitting a locking pin inside the filler cap area?
That way you keep the exterior of the car looking original, the only things you'd need to do are fit a "L" shaped catch to the rear of the hinged filler cap cover and have a locking pin, remotely activated, fitted into the area behind
Not too sure whether anything like this has been tried by anyone else, but it shouldn't be too difficult in terms of engineering, fabricating and installing.
Damn
Now you've got me thinking of it, I'll have to spend a few hours in the garage seeing if it's feasible or not
I'm sure SWMBO won't mind though, as I only had gardening to do
Any excuse to get in the garage is a good one though, especially as I've been away for the last 3.5 weeks!
Let me know if anyone tries this or has tried it in the past.
HTH Mark

[marcus1875]

Hi Andy
My motor has one big tank, no swirl pot, only one filler on the drivers side. What i've taken to be a breather is the pipe which you mention at the filler pipe, but it doesn't go anywhere. It goes through the boot and dangles under the car (when i say dangle, its not trailing along the ground or anything, just pokes out a bit through the body).
The filler has a wee hole thro the centre.
To be fair my car is a bit a wreck and needs a fair bit of work so this is probably not factory fitted. i"ve always just assumed the pipe is a breather.
Could you let me know if this set up is wrong as i plan to restore the car as close to orig as i can afford.
Cheers, Marcus

[Lean Machine]

mrzigazaga said:

...Im sure vented caps are used on tanks that dont have breather's..Although i might be talking twaddle....

Zig. I can understand why vented caps are used on non vented tanks as air has to displace the used fuel, but the filler neck of the tank already has an overflow, which also acts as a breather and helps displace used fuel, so surely vented caps on a vented system shouldn't matter, or am I now talking a load of twaddle?

Tony. TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

Well all i can say is that sometimes its easier to plug a hole than drill one!!!

[Mr Tank]

Marcus

Most of what you have is normal apart from the one big tank. As far as I know only a FHC 2+2 has one big tank, again that doesn't have a breather in the tank!

By the way were is the tank on your car?

So back to the question do the actual tanks have breather, no they don't have breathers so a locking cap doesnt have to be a non venting one!

Andy

Edited by Mr Tank on Sunday 2nd September 08:27

[Mr Tank]

[quote=Mr Tank]Marcus

Most of what you have is normal apart from the one big tank. As far as I know only a FHC 2+2 has one big tank, again that doesn't have a breather in the tank!

By the way were is the tank on your car?

So back to the question do the actual tanks have a breather, no they don't have breathers so a locking cap doesnt have to be a non venting one!

Andy

[mrzigazaga]

Sorry i should of explained it better..Yes the only breather is on the filler neck..But this still acts as a breather for the tanks, On US cars there is a rollover valve which stops air leaking out and only lets in air to replace the fuel thats being used to eliminate vacuum...

Tony i think for arguement's sake buy either!...Ziga


PS:YHM...(BNG)