Gas Tank Lock Cylinder Removal

[vegasquarterkit]

Does anyone know how to remove the lock cylinder from a gas cap? Member 7981GS hooked me up with a great tank with a very nice cap, but I'd like to move my old lock cylinder over to the new cap to keep one key for everything. The bike is a ’80 GS850GL with a round cap, if that makes any difference.

[cowboyup3371]

I think there are a couple of screws that go in from the bottom, at least I've seen it on mine. Have you already looked at that?

[vegasquarterkit]

Gas Cap Lock Cylinder Removal

I think there are a couple of screws that go in from the bottom, at least I've seen it on mine. Have you already looked at that?

Yup. I've got the cap torn down to nothing but the bare cap with the lock cylinder in it. I can't figure out how it is supposed to come out.

[rustybronco]

First of all lubricate the lock cylinder with a good penetrating oil like pb blaster. if you don't and the 'pins' are corroded up it will make the removing the lock cylinder a bit difficult.

this is what the lock cylinder looks like when it's been removed from the gas cap.

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6021/img2426di.jpg

notice the square hole towards the top of the picture? if you bend the end of round rod to a 90 degree angle and insert to bottom of the cylinder you can (will) feel that hole when the bent rod is at the very bottom of the cylinder. please note.. that the hole is only on one side of the cylinder. if you don't feel it flip the rod around in the hole and try again. when the rod is in the hole properly, you won't be able to pull upwards on the rod.

here is a picture of the rod in the cylinder with the end of the rod sticking out of the hole on the right side. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/545/img2428d.jpg/

the locking tab is the brass looking piece sticking out on the left side. note it is about .015 thou below the rod. (that tab is just above the hole you are feeling for when the cylinder in it's normal position)

when you lift up on the rod and it stops moving, the rod is resting on the bottom side of locking tab you are trying to depress. back the rod out of the hole, lift it approximately .015 then push it against the lock tab depressing it and pull up on the cylinder.

if you are successful at depressing the tab it will look like this... http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/155/img2430t.jpg/

It took me 10 seconds to remove the cylinder from my tank

[vegasquarterkit]

Awesome!!! I got it! Took a little longer than 10 seconds...about 10 minutes, but I got it out. The pictures helped a ton. Again, thanks!!!