Colin S Posted March 28, 2008 Author Share Posted March 28, 2008 I think you will find that it is called an SVA flap and yes it was the first thing the SVA inspector looked for when checking my car a couple of weeeks ago. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark w Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Just back from the " ring " and got thoroughly pi%%ed off with this problem at every petrol station.Driving 900 miles in the rain with an aeroscreen is one thing , spending half an hour trying to fill up with petrol every two hours was a real downer . Those of you who have removed the flap , do you suffer from petrol spilling via the breather at track days ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Those of you who have removed the flap , do you suffer from petrol spilling via the breather at track days ?That shouldn't happen as the flap is independent of the breather. I presume the flap is there to stop fuel leaking out if you turn the car over. The breather is there to allow the tank to breathe. The breather should have a 1 way valve in it to prevent fuel leaking & if you don't have full emission thingies with a charcoal canister then plumb the breather like this here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I modified my breather as per that technical bulletin a couple of months ago. Very reassuring not to smell petrol every time you take a left hand corner 7 related photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeman Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 SM25T, what technical bulletin was that?? Be lucky!! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 The one linked in the post immediately above mine !! It dates from 2002 !! 7 related photos Edited by - Stationary M25 Traveller on 29 Mar 2008 21:37:57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative RussG Posted March 30, 2008 Area Representative Share Posted March 30, 2008 Colin, I had the same problem the first time I tried to filled up my Sigma Roadsport at a BP garage. After 15 minutes I'd managed to get more fuel onto the forecourt than into the car. I eventually gave up and went to a nearby Shell garage. No problem with Shell, I had the tank full in next to no time. Cheers, Russ *wavey* *wavey* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin S Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Russ, I agree with you and have found a local garage where I have no problem, however I am off to France in a couple of weeks and it seems that the French pumps pose more of a problem as Mark W found out. I was told that the nozzles that don't fit are the new European standard and that all the UK garages will be fitted with them as and when they are refurbished. I don't know how true that is perhaps there is someone out there who is more in the know than I am. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 It isn't so much a case of not fitting - they don't go in far enough to open the internal flap though - once the flap has been removed, the nozzle can still go in enough to fill the tank at almost normal speeds (with care!) www.mycaterham.com here Videos here 102,000 miles car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 If you don't want to remove the flap, best carry round a long-necked funnel - especially in France/Italy etc www.mycaterham.com here Videos here 102,000 miles car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrolhead Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Just picked up an 06 CSR I can't believe that Caterham still supply these silly aero caps Again, as I did with the SL, I had to remove the flap and grind the top so I can get all fuel filler nozels in Come on CC, get a different Aero Cap. Interestingly the R5 had a great one that was round, utilising a special round key. It was supplied by CC I think as it was a factory car Some pics here from when I did the SL to show you what to do. Its the drinding bit that eliviated the problem and allows all tytpes of pumps to be used -----My site----- Edited by - Petrolhead on 3 May 2008 18:03:44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Me too. I was taking my R400 (with aero filler) off to SVA last Wednesday, and called in at my usual Shell station in Okehampton. A mild panic ensued when I couldn't get the new-style nozzle in (now I know what they were doing when they closed the place for a refurb a few weeks ago). Luckily, I had a big screwdriver with me so was able to open the offending flap. The same thing happened in Avonmouth (Esso that time). In the short term, I intend to carry a big funnel plus a length of hose, especially as I'm off to France in a couple of weeks. Maybe later I'll remove the flap. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Update... After taking forever trying to fill up today using a funnel, I've now removed the whole pesky inner neck and flap. Very straightforward: remove boot floor (for easy access), remove aero cap assembly, remove filler tube, then set about the three spot welds holding the inner neck. A spherical grinding stone was the weapon of choice -- no prisoners! Then reassemble. Note: best to do this after the SVA test. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpbransfield Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Thought it was me not knowing how to get it in!!! Just returned from the Pyrenees last saturday. Spain no problem, hit France and could not get any petrol in. If I went off main roads to older filling stations no problem. Got back to England where I have never ever had a problem and someone had changed the pumps whilst I have been away!! Took three stations to get some fuel in. I bought a filler doofer from Halfords a couple of years ago with a flexible end for refilling at track days from a jerry can. The nozzle unscrews from the main bit and fits down the filler neck fine. Will carry this with me and try just putting the fuel nozzle into the extended filler neck and see how I get on. Will report back when I have tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 putting the fuel nozzle into the extended filler neck I tried exactly that yesterday with Mr Shell's latest nozzle and my jerrycan extension. No matter how carefully I aligned the two, I just couldn't stop the auto cut-off from kicking in, so had to resort to the funnel. I suppose if your extension tube was wide enough to slide over the nozzle, that might well work OK? JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin S Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 Just take the flap out guys. I've had no problem with mine since I did that and it only takes about 1/2 hr to do the job. One word of advice though, don't push the pump nozzle to far into the filler neck as I did last week and got the nozzle well and truly stuck. I was there about 15mins trying to get it out. In the end the nozzle gave in and twisted in the holder....it's still like it today I wonder if they know who bent it??? Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpbransfield Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Got to my local station yesterday.Nozzles had changed,out with my extension.....no good. out with my BBQ skewer to prop the flap open and got £2.00 worh in in 5 minutes. Today stripped it down and removed offending flap. also noticed that Caterham had fitted the outer unit at 6'o clock so swapped to 12 'o'clock. Now I can fill up anywhere......maybe!! Thanks for all the info on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmurray325hotmail.com Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I had the same problem, 20 miles from Caterham Midlands!...with 20 miles on the clock of my new SV150 Roadsport. Some fuel pump nozzles fit, others don't! which is great if you are on your last gasp of the stuff and you need to drive around to find one that fits. Caterham solution is to remove the check valve (flapper to the non engineer types) Basically get a hold of the flapper (after removing the filler from the body/rubber hose) with pliers and rive it out together with any bits / debris that comes away with it. c7 bmu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacken Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I think the problem wouldn't seem so bad if it wasn't for the queue of irritated motorists on the forecourt behind us! 😳 ❗ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter W Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 After a very frustrating Le Sept last year, and some equally problematic garages in good old blighty I took advice from previous posts on BC and removed the complete neck assembly, bought myself a Dremel kit and ground the bloody flap welds off, got the complete flap out - very carefully cleaned out the neck for any swarf *smile*........hey presto no more problems. A bit more than the 1/2 hour quoted above, maybe 1.5 hours. Best time I have ever spent! Dremel has also proved very useful since. Cheers Peter Crisis.......what mid-life crisis ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjmmarsh Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Caterham Midlands took mine out at the first annual service - it is sooo easy to get fuel in now. The only difference is that removing the flap means that there is often a tiny bit of fuel around the filler cap that blows out when you lift the release lever on the cap. This implies that the tank is under a bit of pressure - presumably heat soak from the engine via the propshaft tunnel? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Terrorist Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I use a cut down flexible pipe off a plastic 5l jerry can,it fits into the filler cap, gun fits into pipe, press trigger ! hey presto, Bobs your Uncle, petrol goes in no problemo Ps don't smoke in garage like the smok'n chap above ! If in doubt flat out ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Corner Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Thinking of doing this on mine, had a quick look at lunchtime The big cut-out is at 12 oclock so thats okay, do I need to remove the flap and the truncated cone ?? or can I just remove the flap. My though is that keeping the cone may stop me one day from filling it up with diesel Rik Roadsport SV 1.6 Sigma 150 in Viper Blue here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Well, I suppose you could remove just the flap, but it would be a very fiddly job. Much easier IMO to remove the cone itself as it carries the flap and they come out together. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Corner Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Thanks JV for that, I will have a look on sunday and see what happens Rik Roadsport SV 1.6 Sigma 150 in Viper Blue here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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