# TT MK2 Fuel Cap



## DavidCowen (Dec 4, 2012)

Hi,

How do you remove the fuel cap on a mk2 TT, looking at getting it painted in the near future.

David


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

Have a look in the Knowledge Base, top of the Mk 2 page.


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## Bayley (May 8, 2013)

DavidCowen said:


> Hi,
> 
> How do you remove the fuel cap on a mk2 TT, looking at getting it painted in the near future.
> 
> David


I tried and failed so badly...


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## DavidCowen (Dec 4, 2012)

I don't just want to remove the flap, I need to remove the surround too. I want to paint the whole thing not just the flap

Cheers


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## Philplop (Nov 22, 2011)

Remove the inner boot panel to disconnect the cable.

Take out the three bolts from under the fuel flap.

Pull like absolute buggery.


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## DavidCowen (Dec 4, 2012)

do you have a photo of this inner boot panel and what the cable looks like?


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## hugy (Dec 4, 2007)

Good luck mate!


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## illingworth22 (Sep 6, 2011)

Bayley said:


> DavidCowen said:
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> ...


Me too, I got all the bolts out and even had a replacement one..... but I still could not get the bleedin' thing to come off! Even after reading the Knowledge Section [smiley=bigcry.gif]


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## Philplop (Nov 22, 2011)

I didn't take any when I did mine, but just found this photo on Google. The bent end of the cable just unclips, it's obvious how once you're doing it.


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## illingworth22 (Sep 6, 2011)

Philplop said:


> I didn't take any when I did mine, but just found this photo on Google. The bent end of the cable just unclips, it's obvious how once you're doing it.


Philplop
Once you had the screws out was it just a case of Brut Force? My replacement came from a Scrap Yard and the tab had broken off, what dose the TAB do?


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## Philplop (Nov 22, 2011)

Yeah, and get some leverage from the inside. I _carefully_ used a small crowbar against the underside of the flap, well away from any of the visible surfaces, slowly working my way around. The black sticky goo is amazingly strong though. I almost gave up a few times.

Which tab do you mean?


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## illingworth22 (Sep 6, 2011)

Philplop said:


> Yeah, and get some leverage from the inside. I _carefully_ used a small crowbar against the underside of the flap, well away from any of the visible surfaces, slowly working my way around. The black sticky goo is amazingly strong though. I almost gave up a few times.
> 
> Which tab do you mean?


Ill take a photo at weekend and post!


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## dazmondey (Aug 5, 2013)

Ive been tempted to do this for a while, as mine is very mottled (for want of a better word).

Been put off by the problems people had getting it off, surely theres a reason its fitted so tightly and would another one go back on as well?

Ive got just the flap itself off ebay for £20, going to see what that that loks like with the current surround.


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## scottishloveknot (Feb 8, 2009)

dazmondey said:


> Ive been tempted to do this for a while, as mine is very mottled (for want of a better word).
> 
> Been put off by the problems people had getting it off, surely theres a reason its fitted so tightly and would another one go back on as well?
> 
> Ive got just the flap itself off ebay for £20, going to see what that that loks like with the current surround.


yeah i would same the same prob fittied so tightly so it holds its i.p rating as if water is able to get in then who knows what it may perish


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## dazmondey (Aug 5, 2013)

Well I've come to remove the flap of the fuel cap, and can see no way of the flap coming off without removing the whole fuel flap assembly, so my plan to just replace the flap seems in vain.


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

Bump

Any more up to date tips and how to?


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ p1tse - Please, do yourself a favor and start looking through the KB. After a decade of Mk2's production and Forum posts, there's very little that hasn't been already discussed. Almost every major topic on the MK2 is listed in the KB. I know the search function doesn't work, but there's only 5 pages of KB topics, so it should be pretty easy to find manually if you don't know how to use the Google Chrome [Ctrl]+F search.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

A quick question

Can anyone confirm how the three holding hex head screws enter the body Shell?

Is it a welded nut, a thread cut into the body shell or a rivnut?

I ask as one of mine is very stiff and I don't want to damage the body shell


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Aw come on....seriously guys? A four-star and five-star forum members asking newbie questions?? You've both been around long enough to know where the workshop manuals are, specially for basic stuff like this. 

I expect much more challenging questions from you guys! :lol:

Look in the KB, download D3E8006F7B3 - Exterior Workshop Manual, page 68.

It took me less than a minute to open my WSM PDF copy, run a search for "filler", copy the pic and post it.


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## carlsicesilverTT (Jun 30, 2016)

Shocking, not exactly making TT drivers look intelligent are we guys! [smiley=book2.gif]


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## TT_coupe (Nov 13, 2017)

SwissJetPilot said:


> Aw come on....seriously guys? A four-star and five-star forum members asking newbie questions?? You've both been around long enough to know where the workshop manuals are, specially for basic stuff like this.
> 
> I expect much more challenging questions from you guys! :lol:
> 
> ...


Brightened up my morning! :lol:


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## barry_m2 (Jun 29, 2015)

happychappy said:


> A quick question
> 
> Can anyone confirm how the three holding hex head screws enter the body Shell?
> 
> ...


I swapped mine out a couple of weeks ago. The bolts are quite/very tight and constantly felt like I was going to sheer the bolt or round the hex off. Just do it slowly and it'll be fine.

SJP - Time of the month? :? :wink:


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

SwissJetPilot said:


> @ p1tse - Please, do yourself a favor and start looking through the KB. After a decade of Mk2's production and Forum posts, there's very little that hasn't been already discussed. Almost every major topic on the MK2 is listed in the KB. I know the search function doesn't work, but there's only 5 pages of KB topics, so it should be pretty easy to find manually if you don't know how to use the Google Chrome [Ctrl]+F search.


Hi SwissjetPilot, always appreciate your help on posts. 
I had tried, hence bumping an old topic and not starting a new one.

I've read there are three type screws; but I've read users have failed after removing the screws to actually move the fuel cap out?


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

to help others, here is the link from Knowledge Base

https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... 3&t=332561


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ p1tse [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

@ barry-m2 [smiley=cheers.gif]


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

SwissJetPilot said:


> Aw come on....seriously guys? A four-star and five-star forum members asking newbie questions?? You've both been around long enough to know where the workshop manuals are, specially for basic stuff like this.
> 
> I expect much more challenging questions from you guys! :lol:
> 
> ...


So still no confirmation on what the bolts are secured into?

A welded nut, threaded body shell or rivnut?

C'mon, it ain't hard for those with the knowledge!


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Looking carefully at this picture it seems to be a welded nut. But could be a press fit. You have to zoom in but you can just make it out below the blue dot and behind the black glue.

http://lz7w.com/gallery3/var/albums/ttr ... G_0173.jpg


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

They are rivnut threads. If yours is tight there's high chance the rivnut will just spin making it difficult to get the bolt out


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Sounds like a good dose of penetrating oil would be advisable.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Craig_09 said:


> They are rivnut threads. If yours is tight there's high chance the rivnut will just spin making it difficult to get the bolt out


This is what a I dreaded!

There were a few other rivnuts on the bodywork that needed a "tweek", they are fine now and bolts came out easily, but I am concerned about these three for the fuel filler cap.

Thanks for the info, I will give it another try


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

SwissJetPilot said:


> Looking carefully at this picture it seems to be a welded nut. But could be a press fit. You have to zoom in but you can just make it out below the blue dot and behind the black glue.
> 
> http://lz7w.com/gallery3/var/albums/ttr ... G_0173.jpg


Can't get my head around that picture?

Doesn't resemble mine at all?


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Here's a series of pictures, maybe this will help. Use the URL below to see all the posted pictures -

http://lz7w.com/gallery3/var/albums/ttrsmods/fueldoor/


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## Jonah67red (Jan 17, 2019)

Just been outside and checked mine and they came out really easy. Pictures are here






























Just noticed the dirt cleaning job at the weekend


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## Jonah67red (Jan 17, 2019)

Looks like its threaded into the body not a clip behind although my eyesight is rubbish and just to confirm its a 2011 model in case it has changed from previous model years


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

I believe Crait_09 is correct with Rivnut -or- Rivet Nut.


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## Jonah67red (Jan 17, 2019)

SwissJetPilot said:


> I believe Crait_09 is correct with Rivnut -or- Rivet Nut.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry in my defence I did say I'm blind


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

Jonah67red said:


> Just been outside and checked mine and they came out really easy. Pictures are here
> View attachment 1
> View attachment 2
> View attachment 3
> ...


Are you taking it off completely?
Is it a reverse process and plug and play afterwards, I don't quite understand the riv-nut etc.?


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## Craig_09 (Jul 20, 2015)

Hi, you just unscrew these bolts like any other (righty tightly, lefty loosey). Then tighten them back up as normal. 
As the car body is too thin to drill and tap a thread into the rivnut is a way of fixing a thread into the car. It's like a pop rivet thread.. alternatively audi could of welded a nut to the back of the car.
The problem with a rivnut is the bolt can corrode into the thread and when trying to loosen the whole rivnut spins meaning the bolt does not come out. Try yours they may be fine. Soak then in penetrative fluid before u start the job


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Because you can't cut threads into sheet metal (it's too thin) the rivnut is a simple way to provide a threaded feature into sheet metal. It acts like a nut to the corresponding screw, and is not intended to be removed.

As you can see in the Youtube video, it's held in place by deformation during installation - similar to a pop rivet - but a screw is used to deform the rivnut, effectively clamping it in place. During the installation of the filler surround, the three screws are screwed into the rivnuts and this holds the filler surround in place (along with the black adhesive).

However when you loosen the screws, if too much force is applied because the screw is corroded or stuck, you could cause the rivnut to break free and spin inside the sheet metal. This means the rivnut will rotate with the screw and the screw can not be removed.

This is why it's a good idea to use penetrating oil (not WD-40) to loosen the threads when attempting to remove a stuck screw from a rivnut fastener.


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

All out now!

It's the little clip under the hinge that seems to cause so many problems.

However......

Don't all laugh.....

I have managed to close the boot without the battery connected....

So how the hell do I open it again?

I have a fear today is not going to go as well as anticipated...


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

The Coupe has an emergency boot release built into in the rear deck. There's a little cap you have to remove to get to it,

The Roadster has a handle in the center bulkhead pass thru. It's a bit hidden up in the top section, you'll have to look up into it to see it.

Both require a good hard pull.


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## Nidana (Jun 9, 2018)

Emergency boot release. 





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

Cheers guys!

Had a poke around and found it before coming back on here, honest! 

Gotta stop this fascination with removing things from the car.....


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## happychappy (Feb 9, 2015)

SwissJetPilot said:


> Looking carefully at this picture it seems to be a welded nut. But could be a press fit. You have to zoom in but you can just make it out below the blue dot and behind the black glue.
> 
> http://lz7w.com/gallery3/var/albums/ttr ... G_0173.jpg


Any ideas was the "black glue"/non setting mastic is please?

To confirm it's a riv nut fixing for the three hex head set screws.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

According to 7zap, it's probably butyl adhesive/sealing strip P/N AKL45000505. In the drawing and parts list, it doesn't have an item number, just a dash " - ". But it would make sense that this is what they use.

https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+tt+tt ... 09-809090/


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## Jonah67red (Jan 17, 2019)

p1tse said:


> Jonah67red said:
> 
> 
> > Just been outside and checked mine and they came out really easy. Pictures are here
> ...


I only took the bolts out to help answer a previous posters question and I replaced them after the photos but I'm removing it completely this weekend hopefully to confirm the process as I'm still undecided on paint or wrap at the moment as I'm waiting on a quote for carbon fibre wrap to the flap and mirrors, and as has been pointed out fitting is just the complete reverse of removal.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

For anyone not familiar with nut inserts, or riv-nuts, here's a really good example of how they work and how they're installed. These are what the three screws go into for the filler cap surround. The example I have linked is for a Jeep Wrangler, and while the nut inserts demonstrated here are much larger, the concept is the same.

You can see in the second and third picture how the nut insert is deformed by the tool. The sides of the nut are ridged, which will deform and create a crimp. The shoulder of the insert is pressed firmly against the sheet metal and when compressed, a crimp forms on the other side of the sheet metal effectively "riveting" the nut into place.

Since these are crimped into the sheet metal, if the screw becomes frozen or rusted inside it, applying too much torque will just spin the nut insert inside the sheet metal, effectively making removal of the screw impossible and damaging the sheet metal in the process. If you encounter one, use plenty of penetrating oil to ensure you can get the screw out without too much force. The other option is to try hold the shoulder of the insert with a small pair of Vice grip pliers to prevent it from turning.

Jump to time stamp 14:27 -


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