Aftermarket -please make a better fuel door

I’ve owned many vehicles in over 45 years. My 2016 3rd gen fuel door is the worst I’ve ever had, worse by far than even ‘70‘s GM cars with the filler behind the license plate. I can understand the benefits of occasional lubing, but it shouldn’t need it to prevent bending. I’ve had to straighten mine several times to reduce the binding. It is just a bad design, though mine hasn’t broken … yet.

 

It just so happens WD40 and PB Blaster offer white lithium grease in spray cans:
https://www.autozone.com/greases-an...hium-grease-spray-with-smart-straw/227537_0_0
https://www.autozone.com/greases-an...h-performance-white-lithium-grease/933656_0_0

 

I thought this was a joke. Wow.
Id care less if theres a better replacement part. I dont know if jeeps have fuel door issues but those and other trucks seem to have an availability of aftermarket fuel doors available to them.

 

Yeah, not sure what the issue with the dipstick is thats causing it to seize, but there are others who have had the issue. Hoping toyota gets out a fix before I am out of warranty.

 

Just rub some oil on the O-ring next time you do an oil change. Yet another issue I had to learn the hard way how to fix that no other vehicle has had before.

 

And the gas tank was right behind the drivers seat. Smelling all those gas fumes when I was younger might explain a few things.

 

Really? I learned to do that in the 1960s, before I even had a license. Always put oil on the filter O ring. Keeps it from drying out when you take it off. Also, only use a filter wrench to remove the filter, never when installing it. Oh, and driving a screwdriver through a stuck oil filter will probably rip the filter off, but leave the base still attached.

All stuff motorheads used to learn, sometimes the hard way.

 

Littlefish is talking about the small O-ring below the dipstick handle. Anyway I find the dipstick pretty useless on this truck (as it was on the 1GR).

 

The trick is to rotate the dipstick handle before pulling it out. Learned the technique from Briansmobile1 on YouTube to minimize tearing on spark plug boots or oil & coolant hoses.

 

When they replaced mine last time, they put a slide hammer on it and still could not remove the dang thing.

 

Really? I'd expect the plastic handle to just break if you put a slide hammer on it.

 

I haven't pulled the dipstick on my 2019 and rarely did on 2006 Tundra. Still seems a bit weird to have an O ring on it, but I'll be sure to lubricate mine just in case.

 

We have some real dipsticks here but their not in the tacoma's engine bay.

 

Oh yes please:

 

I always use PB Blaster Garage Door Lubricant. I did not read the product application but obviously, it is for any door within your garage. Just a few quick squirts until it starts pooling on the garage floor, then keep spraying for 30 more seconds. Repeat weekly until you slip and crack your head open. When that happens, the gas door ceases to be of any concern.

 

So this isn't a remote instance.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fuel-door-rubbing-all-of-a-sudden.552936/page-2

Found it while I was looking for the screw size for the spring clip because I couldn't remove mine from the old door even with locking pliers. Had to drill out the screw to get the clip.



The screw is Toyota part # 90154-60039. Its about $1 but 2 local dealers will have to order them and I didn’t want to wait 2 days so I went to Lowes. M6 will fit perfectly. I also got a few washers because the top portion of the door isnt flush to the body. I used 2 m6 stainless washers and got it to align without bending any metal. I’m glad I used rivnuts instead of rivets or I wouldn’t be able to adjustment the door properly.


Not done yet but this is what it looks so far. I can easily take it off with m5 hex if I decide to paint it.



So yes its not aftermarket (mainly because theres none available) but the little changes made a big difference with the alignment. I don't think the old fuel door gaps were ever perfectly aligned with the body and now it is.

 

Done!

 

Would have been easier to trade the truck in as-is then do the repair and get advice here

 

We’re just waiting for the aftermarket per the OP title.