[bavarianride]

I filled up at my normal gas station, when done the gas nozzle caught the metal flap at the top of the filler neck and I had to rotate the nozzle to extract. When I looked down the filler neck I noticed the metal flap door does not fully cover the opening, it looks like an oval shape thin metal plate that leaves gap to the lower half of the opening. Is this normal? Mine is a N26 SULEV 2013 328i.

In my old beater bimmer this flap covered the whole opening, and was a solid metal door, this F30 one is more like a tin can switch in comparison.

[bcl0328]

mine covers whole hole. n20

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by bcl0328

mine covers whole hole. n20

Thanks for the info. The part# of the filler pipe for N20 and N26 are different(16117244035 and 16117270991), need to find another N26 to check. From the look of it, the N26 metal flap looks like a switch rather than a cover for the filler pipe opening. I now wonder if the N26 fuel tank is sealed(to achieve zero evaporative emission), and this switch opens up the tank during fillup?

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by f30fanboy

I now wonder if the N26 fuel tank is sealed(to achieve zero evaporative emission)

That's what the cap does. The flap's purpose is to slow the spillage of fuel during a rollover if the cap is missing. It probably doesn't cover the opening anymore because it got mangled when the nozzle got stuck.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

That's what the cap does. The flap's purpose is to slow the spillage of fuel during a rollover if the cap is missing. It probably doesn't cover the opening anymore because it got mangled when the nozzle got stuck.

Another colleague's N26 F30 has the same oval flap that does not cover the opening 100%, so hopefully things are OK. BTW, new Japanese cars usually don't have that flap, not sure if those cars can spill fuel during rollover.

[armandof30]

I just noticed this on my 2013 328i. Did anyone find out if it's normal on the N26?

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by armandof30

I just noticed this on my 2013 328i. Did anyone find out if it's normal on the N26?

The flap is normal. I do carry a Starbuck coffee stirring stick(or whatever it is called) such that if the flap does get caught, u can reach in with the stick to "unhook" the flap.

[AndDown]

Interesting post/observation. I looked at my 2016 F36 and 2019 F22 and both (SULEV models) have a plastic flap further in that is partially closed. Then I checked my 2001 X5 and it has a metal cap that is fully closed.

[bavarianride]

My 2013 328i N26 has a metal flap.

[sspade]

2014 N26. Have definitely gotten a fuel nozzle stuck once or twice.

This is how it looks.

[armandof30]

Originally Posted by sspade

2014 N26. Have definitely gotten a fuel nozzle stuck once or twice.

This is how it looks.

That's exactly how mine looks. It doesnt cover the actual hole all the way

[bavarianride]

Yes mine is the same. Once the techron cleaner bottle(costco ones) got stuck, and it took me an hour to figure out coffee stirrer trick.

[Charb88]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Yes mine is the same. Once the techron cleaner bottle(costco ones) got stuck, and it took me an hour to figure out coffee stirrer trick.

Any tips on the Starbucks stirrer trick? This just happened to me and the repair shop wants to replace the entire part. Hoping I can avoid the cost.

[LukeS1994]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Yes mine is the same. Once the techron cleaner bottle(costco ones) got stuck, and it took me an hour to figure out coffee stirrer trick.

how do you do this please? I need help

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by LukeS1994

how do you do this please? I need help

The flap should be at the top facing side of the opening, so the coffee stirrer can be inserted along the top of filler.

That only works if the flap is not yet damaged.

[LukeS1994]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

The flap should be at the top facing side of the opening, so the coffee stirrer can be inserted along the top of filler.

That only works if the flap is not yet damaged.

So here is the pic. I've tried poking that little metal piece where the arrow is. Where am I meant to be poking? Thanks so much for getting back to me.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by LukeS1994

So here is the pic. I've tried poking that little metal piece where the arrow is. Where am I meant to be poking? Thanks so much for getting back to me.

On my 2013 F30, the silver metal flap is similar to the one shown in post#10(it does not seal the opening, so it is like a switch).

This picture seems to show that your metal flap is bent in 90-degree, I can't tell if it is meant to be that way.

When dispenser is inserted, that flat piece of metal(spring loaded) should open inwards and press on the side the dispenser.

Sometimes the dispenser can catch on the edge of the flap. The coffee stirrer inserted along the top side of dispenser pushes the flap "open", so that the flap's edge does not catch on the dispenser when it is pulled back.