TT.Mk1 Gas Tank Flap Replacement
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Back to 2000-2005 (Mk1)
Submitted and Entered by: JohnLZ7W
I had gotten a small, tiny, barely visible, nick in the ring around my gas tank flap and since it's often photographed I decided I needed to replace it. I bought a new part from Impex for $375, you can get them cheaper on ebay but I wanted to make sure I didn't get one that was in worse shape than mine.
The Audi part is 8N0-809-905C.
It's not real hard to do the surgery but it is a bit delicate since you're dealing with such a nice piece of machined aluminum and there's lots of exposed paint to scratch up too. So take your time, be very careful and cover all of the work surfaces with heavy bath towels so that you don't scratch the paint. No sense doing the replacement if you leave it in worse condition than you started.
You won't need much in the way of tools... a 5mm hex key to get the 3 screws out of the trim ring (4 of them are posers), a small phillips screwdriver to free the latch assembly, and a small regular screwdriver. I also used some PB Blaster and Mobil 1 synthetic grease, a long zip tie and cutting pliers.
Start by removing the three real screws on the trim ring. They're on either side of the hinge and directly opposite the hinge.
http://lz7w.com/albums/tankflap/IMG_0112.jpg
Once those are out the tank flap assembly just lifts out of the body. It's a tight fit with a rubber gasket around the outside which will have dried over time. The Bentley manual says to use a special tool to hook under the part (from the inside near the gas cap, not on the outside against the paint!) but I didn't have the special tool. I do have some nylon tools for interior trim removal but it turns out I didn't need them. With the flap open you can use the open door to gently work the entire part side to side until it releases. You can't go too far with it though because there's a release cable attached to it.
http://lz7w.com/albums/tankflap/IMG_0115.jpg
Pull the part out and set it on the soft, fluffy, double thick, 100% cotton, bath towel you're using to protect your paint. I put a zip tie tight around the release cable because I wasn't sure how much chance there was of the cable going back inside the body of the car. I figured that would have been bad so I took some precautionary measures. I wouldn't have had a problem but it's worth taking this extra step.
http://lz7w.com/albums/tankflap/IMG_0118.jpg
There are two phillips screws securing a metal clip which holds the release mechanism in place. These screws have large amounts of loctite on them from the factory (the replacement gas cap screws do too) so they'll be difficult to remove. Also, since there is limited movement with the cable attached it's hard to get a good angle on the heads to avoid stripping them. I used a couple shots of PB Blaster to help them come out and let it soak a bit. Unfortunately one of the heads still stripped a bit. I was lucky however and got the other one all the way out and the stripped one loosened enough that the clip was able to pivot out of the way. Be very careful with this step though.
http://lz7w.com/albums/tankflap/IMG_0120.jpg
Once the clip is out of the way the release mechanism will slide right out. Lift the cable out of the release cylinder and swap it over to the new release cylinder. Since pivoting the clip worked so well for removal I used the same technique for install, this makes it easier to get everything in place with the spring tension working against you. Attach the securing clip with one screw to the new tank flap, tighten it enough so it is snug but still pivots. Then slide the release catch into the new tank flap, lining up the tab on the catch with the slot in the tank flap. I put just a bit of Mobil 1 synthetic grease on the release cylinder before putting it back in place, probably not necessary but I've got the stuff on the shelf :) Push it all inside and compress the spring and swing the clip into place holding everything together. Then put the other screw in and tighten them both. You don't need to tighten these very much since they have so much loctite.
http://lz7w.com/albums/tankflap/IMG_0121.jpg
The final step is getting the tank flap secured back into the body. This isn't much fun and has the most potential for disaster. The rubber gasket around the outside will work against you and make it harder to line up the holes. The screws are not tapered at the tip and are difficult to get started if they are misaligned. I was able to get one started and then line up the other two around that. Don't tighten these very much, the Bentley says 3ft lb, so just use the allen key. The screw heads are soft metal and will deform easily. Once it's all back together make sure it works by hitting the tank release. You don't want to be stuck at a gas station miles from home with a stuck mechanism.
It probably took about 30 minutes to do including taking the pictures.
Back to 2000-2005 (Mk1)
