Broken Gas Cap Tether Fix

[brus brother]

The gas cap tether on both my 05 and 08 outback broke. getting forgetful and not wanting to leave it at a gas station or on the roof of the car...

I searched around on the web and found someone making a replacement for about $10. Subaru only sells the cap which comes with the tether for about $26.

I saw a youtube video where they lapped the broken ends, glued them and used small zip ties.

I have a simpler solution and time will tell if it is durable.

I didn't use any adhesive but just jammed the broken ends into a small piece of chain saw gas line. I don't know the exact id of the line but it was a real tight fit and seems to be holding. If it fails I might consider some silicone or other adhesive like M-1.

sorry picture attached out of focus.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

But the plastic is brittle from age and will likely fail again adjacent..... 

 

With Subarus propensity for discontinuing late model parts these days (alarming things for 2000+ models are going NLA) I would get a new one while you still can. Use the part number to find it cheaper online and order 2 to reduce shipping. 

 

Plastic is only good for so long before you just need to let it return to the earth whence it came. 

 

GD

[brus brother]

@GD, I admire your tenacity.

However, the thought of squirreling away one (or two) spare parts for every possible scenario, for the day they may become useful, is beyond the storage capacity of my attic, basement and garage.

I will continue to cobble together solutions and remedies when possible but at some point realize that there does come a time to say "when".

[1 Lucky Texan]

I got an after market 'universal' one for my WRX.

 

It came from a parallel universe since I had expand the spring wire and use pliers to put a 'recurve' on the ends to prevent them digging into the cap's plastic. It does hold the cap but it's still not a great solution.

[GeneralDisorder]

It's easier, if you are worried about things becoming obsolete (like I always am) to get a lathe, and a mill, and learn how to create anything you might need. A gas cap is really just an exercise in lathe formed threads, some milling, and knurling. Aluminum.... And replace the plastic lead with a bit of chain.

 

But it's easier to just buy a new cap for both your rigs, replace them now (not store them) and push that machining battle back another 15 years.

 

When necessary this is how it's handled. But I can't hardly take the time to bend over and pickup $27 at the rate I bill my time out for. If I had to make one because they went NLA..... God help the poor soul that has to pay for my time to do it. 

 

GD

[brus brother]

It's easier, if you are worried about things becoming obsolete (like I always am) to get a lathe, and a mill, and learn how to create anything you might need. A gas cap is really just an exercise in lathe formed threads, some milling, and knurling. Aluminum.... And replace the plastic lead with a bit of chain.

 

But it's easier to just buy a new cap for both your rigs, replace them now (not store them) and push that machining battle back another 15 years.

 

When necessary this is how it's handled. But I can't hardly take the time to bend over and pickup $27 at the rate I bill my time out for. If I had to make one because they went NLA..... God help the poor soul that has to pay for my time to do it. 

 

GD

Darn. I knew I should have titled this post "Broken Gas Cap Tether... Just Buy a New One"

Perhaps there should be an entire section in the FAQ Sticky Compilation for "Broken item, buy a new one"

Problems Solved!

 

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by brus brother

[GeneralDisorder]

In this case I would - simply because there is no good way to fix aged plastic, and the replacement is still available (for now). They also have a measurable failure rate on the functional side - they can cause EVAP codes when the valve inside them fails to seal properly. 

 

I get that this is a forum dedicated to fixing stuff, and as a temporary measure that may work for a little while, but *most people* will be better served in the long term with a new one from Subaru. 

 

There's a plastic pressure relief valve on the fuel tank in my 86 Trans Am - they were about $40 new when you could still get one. They are now discontinued and no one makes a replacement - in fact no one even makes anything similar with the same functionality. Mine and many others are broken and unrepairable because the plastic just fell apart. So we live with gas smell and fuel spilling out on the ground by the rear axle in the summer. Those people that owned their car when you could still walk into a GM dealer and buy that part are kicking themselves now. When they show up NOS on ebay they go for several hundred. 

 

My TA's intermittent wiper motor cover - same story. What was once a $75 part.... I paid over $250 for on ebay. 

 

GD

[brus brother]

Agreed on availability of piece for replacement if it needs to be replaced. I am not getting any failure reports of sealing though have been warned that aftermarkets can have issues.

My situation is that a tether that doesn't relate to function other than forgetfulness of the operator failed first on the 08 and then later on the 05.

Making the cap idiot proof as far as leaving it at a gas station is the only function of the tether.

The adjacent plastic did not seem fatigued as I was able to jam it into the weed whacker gas line splint.

86 Trans am is an admirable save. I have a buddy nursing three 1968 Subaru 360 sedans and one truck. He actually found rings for the engine through SOA for peanuts.

So I will take my bow as MacGyver in training and report back in the future if/when it fails.

Believe me, as a practicing dentist, I know full well of the potential or should I say inevitability for failure of parts made by God no less parts made by man!

[=CC=]

Parts availability (or lack thereof) is the biggest reason I elected to scrap my old Audi rather than try to fix it.  That honestly was the best car I ever owned, and I loved it.  But it was becoming impossible to find parts for a never very popular 30 year old car.  I knew her time was done when I was quoted $500.00 before shipping for one control arm that was located in Germany.  I managed to find 2 in the states, but that really was the beginning of the end.

 

If it's a small part, I buy extra, and stash.  I learned the hard way.