Basically heres the story.

Hardly use my ERST at the moment as there are several things being done to it. Anyway had to take it out the other day, and I also needed to put some petrol in.

Now a little while ago, the actual lock part of the petrol cap seized up, and it had just been removed and I have been using a flathead screwdriver to open/close it lol.

Well, got to petrol station to fill it up, got screwdriver ready (lol, must of looked dodgy!), and I could not get the bloody screwdriver in to open it up properly. After a bit of arsing around with no joy I got a bit pissed off with it, and just bashed the end of the screwdriver as hard as I could into the petrol cap! lol

At this point the thing fell apart!!! but luckly because it was a long scrwdriver, the bits that had broken off (a spring, some other metal bit, and the plastic bit which actually turns to lock the cap) where hanging on the shaft of the screwdriver! lol, so I delicately managed to get them back out, but im sure when I initially bashed the screwdriver I heard something metal drop into the tank?

How would I know if ive dropped something in there, and if I have, how do I get it back out? lol

Thanks!

 

strong magnet and some fishing line might work

 

Get a new barrel kit / cap from Fords and see which bits off the old cap are missing.
If its quite a big bit in the tank, may as well leave it there...

 

What if it's a little bit ?

 

if its a little bit the fuel pump will suck it up and jam

i remember fiiting a fuel tank to my rst but didnt realise it had a bolt in there fuel pump was knackered once it sucked it up

was teh cap an original ford one or one of these halfords jobbys

 

it could end up in the pump couldnt it? = dead pump!

 

I was thinking, if it was a little bit, it might get stuck in the filter or something...

 

it wouldnt go in the filter if its metal

theres no room where the blades for the pump suck even if it was a 1mm washer it would jam the pump

obviously if its small enough and is lie dirt then that would get caught in the filter

but best bet is to drop the tank and take the sender out and have a look or wait until the fuel pump siezes

 

Yes it is an original ford cap.

If I ran it out of petrol and the fuel pump didnt seize would that be a good assumption that there was nothing in there, or is that just a bad idea.

I got a upgrade pump to put on at some point, so I dont mind if the pump I got on thier now seizes, but I would rather it not do it to the new pump.

Thanks for your help guys!

 

well the only thig tah could fall off an original cap is an e clip this holds the lock barrel in place

you should be fine mate but just be wary of it

 

Ive got a feeling that the e clip was removed when the barrel was removed, not 100% as it was friend who removed it for me.

 

If you get a new barrel or barrel kit, you should be able to compare old and new to see what went in the tank...

 

Yeah, i'll do that too m8.

 

i wouldnt worry too much mate, cant see it causing any damage really