Fuel Door Cable Fix

[1982911SCTarga]

One thing that has slightly annoyed me with my car was that whenever I filled up, I had to slightly pull the release cable to the fuel filler door to allow the fuel door to easily close. This weekend, I decided to adjust the pre-load on the release cable to take care of this issue.

When I went to loosen the cable attachment to adjust the pre-load, the cable broke. At this point, I removed the existing cable and the cable latch mechanism.

I also went online and saw that a replacement cable is available. Then, I thought about the added wait time and closely examined how the cable wire is joined to the knob housing.

What I ended up doing is I cut a groove along the length of the knob housing/ferrule with a thin Dremel cut-off wheel, carefully cleaned and polished everything, and silver soldered 19-gauge wire in the groove (the heaviest wire that I had). I then used a Dremel sanding drum to clean up the soldering so that the knob housing was nice and round again.

After smoothing the other end of my new cable, I pushed it through the housing to the latch end. Moving right along now ...

Except that the stock fuel door latch spring actually belongs on a Peterbilt truck rather than a Porsche. I fooled with trying to get the spring back on for hours. My fingers were literally sore after this. It can go back on, but you need tremendous finger strength to do it. Seriously, give me an engine rebuild, a headliner replacement, anything but putting this spring back on.

After all this futility, I went to my spares box and found a more suitable spring to re-bend and re-purpose to the fuel door latch task. Five minutes later, it was in place, the cable was adjusted and the fuel door latch system works smoothly and perfectly.

Overall, it's a good, cheap fix, but that stock latch spring is a real mind bender. Where did Porsche source it from? John Deere? What the druck?

Brian

[Bill in OKC]

I agree with you on the spring. I have greased the latch to try and make it easier to close but it should not be that hard to shut the fuel door.

[1982911SCTarga]

Bill, I had a '63 356B T-6 for several years that was a resuscitation project. Yet, during the years I owned it and worked on it (weeds were growing up through it when my father and I first towed it home), I never touched the fuel filler door latch/spring/release cable mechanism. Remarkable, considering the age and condition of the car.

Anyway, my 356 fuel door would flick open with just a slight pull on the cable knob. No Peterbilt springs on that fuel door latch.

There are two factors with the 911 fuel door -- the strength of the latch spring and the amount of pre-load on the cable.

By the way, I tested the emergency fuel door opening technique just in case my cable repair goes awry at some point. A cloth shoestring works great. Slip it under the rear of the fuel door, hold both ends of the shoestring and pull it gently toward the front of the car. The fuel door will spring open. Carry a spare shoestring with you in your emergency bag-o-911-tricks.

Who would have thought you can do Porsche repairs on a shoestring?

Brian