OK, I've been through the forums and seen similar or opposite symptoms to mine, but nothing exactly on.

While lubing my door latches (nothing like getting locked inside my car due to cold weather issues :S ), I shot some lube in the lock piston/latch and spring hinge of my fuel filler door. Now, it won't latch at all unless I hold it in and lock the car.
Is there anything I can do to adjust the latched/unlocked position of that piston, or do I need to replace something to fix this?

Thanks.

 

Couple years since I had my R53 and the R52 gas cap is spring loaded so no latch involved other than the lock system. Thinking that there most be a tab on the chrome cap that is broken?

 

On the R50, it appears as though the locking piston springs in and out in the unlocked position to hold the outer flap shut when it's only latched. I may be wrong.

 

I had to remove my gas cap door on my R52 so had everything apart including the hose to the tank and the fuel cap lock actuator. The R52 has a different actuator by the portion by the cap is very similar to the R53. Need ECS to chime in here as their knowledge of the various electrical switches etc is pretty amazing.

 

I am here, just saw this. I believe this is what you are talking about. On my R52 cooper those things can freeze us and get ice around the location where the rod protrudes into the gas lid/ location. It locks the lid with the door locks. So when the passenger door/doors are unlocked the lid can be opened.

Info here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...placement.html

 

The thing is that the actuator works fine to lock the flap, it just doesn't hold it closed when the car is unlocked.

 

It does not hold it when the car is unlocked. Sounds like the spring in the lid is bad, broken. 51177033498

Should snap back.


https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51177033498/

 

Yep my money is on the spring.

 

Any chance anybody lists the spring separate from the hinge assembly?

I'm finding too many things that MINI only wants to sell as an assembly that should be broken down further (heater blower squirrel cage for another!)

Thanks for the help on narrowing this down, all.

 

I would check ebay and some local junk yards for a used assembly. There is link below on taking the hinge out. You might be able to find a spring in a hardware or auto store that will work.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ome-cap-430897

 

So... I'm an idiot. My fingers were numb yesterday morning when I fueled up. While I was defrosting and lubing my door latch assemblies, I also lubed the hinge and shot some lube in the lock piston (I think I mentioned this)....

Turns out that a well lubed hinge is much more susceptible to the gas cap tether being in the wrong position.

On the plus side, this is solved for the huge expense of free!! On the downside, I've once again been an idiot in front of the whole internet. I'm gonna go change now, my stupid is showing.

Thanks Whine and ECS.

 

Back in the day I had a couple of sayings; 1.) I need no help looking stupid as I can do that everyday all by myself, 2.) Anybody tells you they know everything, run like hell.