# Water Filler Cap Stuck - Unsure of how it works anyway



## Ian_n_Suzy

Hi,

I have just gone to remove the water filler cap for the first time and it just seems to turn regardless of which way I turn the key or if I press it in or not.

Could someone please tell me the correct method for the filler that is on a Swift 630.

I am presuming it is 1) Key in. 2) Key Anti-Clockwise. 3) Key Out. 4) Turn cap Anti-Clockwise.

I have sprayed a touch opf WD40 on to no avail. What next?

CHEERS


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## DABurleigh

The good news is you are not alone. Many, many motorhomers have been there before you, including me.

The bad news is that no-one seems to know! :-( In my own case, swearing, leaving it a day, trying again, pushing hard, uttering a prayer, may all have been the answer, but which of them it was I don't know :-(

Dave


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## Ian_n_Suzy

lmao. 

Well I have already "extensively" tried the swearing bit. So that can be discounted.


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## philoaks

Hi,

On my Swift you put the key in and turn it anti-clockwise as far as it will go (approx 1/4 of a turn), this should then lock the two halves of the cap together, preventing it spinning freely. Leave the key in and then turn the filler cap itself anti-clockwise, at the same time pushing it in slightly.

Works for me anyway!


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## Ian_n_Suzy

Hi Phil,

Tried that, no joy. Thanks anyway.

Ian


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## loughrigg

Ian_n_Suzy said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have just gone to remove the water filler cap for the first time and it just seems to turn regardless of which way I turn the key or if I press it in or not.
> 
> Could someone please tell me the correct method for the filler that is on a Swift 630.
> 
> I am presuming it is 1) Key in. 2) Key Anti-Clockwise. 3) Key Out. 4) Turn cap Anti-Clockwise.
> 
> I have sprayed a touch opf WD40 on to no avail. What next?
> 
> CHEERS


Same sort of experience but with the Whale push fit connector. Multiple attempts; full use of anglo-saxon vocabulary; post on MHF; phone calls to Whale in Northern Ireland; took all the bits apart and reassembled.

Finally - broke out the Vaseline petroleum jelly from the bathroom cabinet(I didn't fancy axle grease on the water inlet) and SUCCESS. It does work after all.

Best of luck.

Mike

Mike


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## DABurleigh

Mike,

One flaw - you have to get it off first.

Dave


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## relay

Same problem here (with the added fun of the barrel coming out on the end of the key after a bit of extensive fiddling!). Got the cap out eventually and asked Discover to have a look while the van was in for something else. They couldn't do it either so have ordered a new one. Not sure that'll be any help though... we went through three in three years on our last van. Think we'll just fill from inside in future :? 

-H


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## SpeedyDux

Apart from stopping an over-eager pump attendant putting diesel in, what's the point of a locking cap for the water filler anyway?

It's not as if anyone would steal your water ... or would they? 8O 


SD


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## cravenoxav

*i dont know why they are so difficult*

i had the same problem getting it off but i managed but wasnt quite sure how :? but then i had a little trauma on my way home from the site. Put the cap back on and locked it so i thought!! until a couple of miles away from the site a guy in a white van pulled up at the side of me (by a roundabout) and said id lost my cap. He'd picked it up and followed me....
he was a very nice white van man....
i just hope now that i have managed to put it back on and lock it correctly... but who knows. cant they do a cap like those on petrol caps? i never seem to have a problem with those??


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## Superk

Had the same embarassing moment - couldn't open to refill - German cap 'Wasser' - as far as can recall key turns opposite way to expected (probably clockwise but p*ssing down with rain here in Southern Spain so not going out to check) and then cap turns expected way - anticlockwise. But then again could be wrong - but try turning the way you least expect to work.

 
Keith


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## EJB

After the key has been turned anti-clockwise I don't think that enough emphasis has been made of the effort/strength that is required to actually turn the cap anti-clockwise!
Sometimes I use the handle ends of a pair of pliers!


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## madontour

SpeedyDux, I think the purpose of a locking water cap is to prevent someone adding to your water supply (salt, sugar, pee . . . ) not detracting from it.

Mike


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## DABurleigh

Ah. I had a different problem to you then - whether locked or unlocked, the damned thing just turned round and round :-(

Dave


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## Telbell

Ian n Suzy

There's a great "search" resource on MHF- I put in "water filler cap" and got this:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/fsearch-results.html
scroll down the page and find a relevant thread title

-and like others I don't lock mine now
:lol:


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## spykal

DABurleigh said:


> Ah. I had a different problem to you then - whether locked or unlocked, the damned thing just turned round and round :-(
> 
> Dave


Hi

yes that is the problem we had with one , no matter what we did with the key the cap just spun round and round :twisted: ...

When the Key is turned it should release a spring loaded pin that the allows you to undo the cap... the pin gets stuck and the cap just spins.

What we did ( It was Dave, Claypigeon's Van ) was to drill three small holes through the cap, into the backplate, I then put three nails in the holes and the cap could be undone. A new cap was bought later but the old one was able to be used used until then.

I took the pictures at the time just in case anyone wanted a suggestion of how to get a spinning water cap off without destroying it. I am sure that there are other ways to do it but this worked for us :wink:


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## fatbuddha

whilst we're on this subject - mine won't lock now for some reason....

although I'm not too bothered by this I'm just concerned that I'll end up with the spinning cap others have had leading to hours of frustration and swearing (no worry on that front  )

any idea where I can get a new one?? and are they a standard fit?? mine's a Hymer Van so I could try aftersales at Preston although if a local dealer has one it would be quicker..


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## loughrigg

DABurleigh said:


> Mike,
> 
> One flaw - you have to get it off first.
> 
> Dave


Hi Dave

After the third day or so trying to get the Whale fitting to go together I did toy with the idea of getting the whole thing replaced with the type you are having problems with - rather glad I didn't now.

Mike


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## Ian_n_Suzy

DABurleigh said:


> Ah. I had a different problem to you then - whether locked or unlocked, the damned thing just turned round and round :-(
> 
> Dave


This is exactly what ours does.

Thanks given to everyine who posted above. Much appreciated.

MANY THANKS Spykal for your photo post - I now have an idea of how it works and if I can't get it off I can always use your method (is it patented, lol ?).

CHEERS


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## Ian_n_Suzy

Telbell said:


> Ian n Suzy
> 
> There's a great "search" resource on MHF- I put in "water filler cap" and got this:
> http://www.motorhomefacts.com/fsearch-results.html
> scroll down the page and find a relevant thread title
> 
> -and like others I don't lock mine now
> :lol:


That's rubbish for your post count though (joking, I did look). You can't beat a "specific query" imho. I would'nt have found out about Spykals wonderful idea had I just searched.

CHEERS


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## chopper

just to add to this thread, no matter which way i turn the key the cap will not lock, i can get it off just by turning it with very little pressure. but i worry about foreign bodies being put into the tank etc

keith


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## philoaks

I had a similar problem with the water cap on my Swift Bolero. On the advice of my dealer I put it in the airing cupboard for 24 hours.

It worked and hasn't played up since!


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## foll-de-roll

"Foreign bodies being put into the Tank" 

God these people traffickers will stop at nothing    

Andy


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## rayc

I got fed up with the one fitted to my MH and tried all the tricks, boiling water etc. This worked for a little while and then failed again. When locked it could still be removed by pushing it in and turning. In the end Igot a Fiamma housing and cap from Johns Cross for about £13 and replaced the whole lot in about 30 minutes. The Fiamma one is far better with a real locking mechanism.
The only drawback is that it is another key to carry as the original one was the same as the door and lockers.


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## chopper

Phil about putting it in the airing cupboard

did you mean the filler cap or the motorhome?

haha

will try anything

keith


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## philoaks

chopper said:


> Phil about putting it in the airing cupboard
> 
> did you mean the filler cap or the motorhome?
> 
> haha
> 
> will try anything
> 
> keith


You must have one hell of an airing cupboard! I could only fit the filler cap in mine. 8O


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## chopper

it is fantastic for drying socks


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## UncleNorm

I stripped mine down completely to see how it worked. In doing so, I saw the problem.

The cap should work like this: Simply, by turning the key, a cam in the central barrel engages in the outer cap, making them as one. The whole cap rotates and can be removed or refitted.

By turning the key the opposite way, the cam in the central barrel DISENGAGES from the outer, allowing the inner to rotate within the outer cap. This is the LOCKED position.

Sadly, the manufacture of these caps lacks precision! Even when the key has been turned to LOCK the cap, and allow it to rotate, the CAM remains engaged and the two parts remain as one.

*Solution: 3 points: 
1. Carefully reduce the length of the cam pin to allow it to clear the outer cap. 
2. Also, trim the inside of the OUTER cap to give more clearance for the cam. 
3. Finally, during re-assembly, spray with a silicon or teflon lubricant BUT NOT WD40!!*

[The WD40 apparently contains a substance (fish based?) which reacts with plastic and increases its size minutely but enough to WORSEN a problem. WD40 should NOT be used on caravan/motorhome plastic hinges for that reason. Silicon polish/teflon are better.]


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## Hovis

SpeedyDux said:


> Apart from stopping an over-eager pump attendant putting diesel in, what's the point of a locking cap for the water filler anyway?
> 
> It's not as if anyone would steal your water ... or would they? 8O
> 
> SD


It has always puzzled me as to why the toilet compartment has a lock!!!
Hovis


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## Jane Baker

philoaks said:


> Hi,
> 
> On my Swift you put the key in and turn it anti-clockwise as far as it will go (approx 1/4 of a turn), this should then lock the two halves of the cap together, preventing it spinning freely. Leave the key in and then turn the filler cap itself anti-clockwise, at the same time pushing it in slightly.
> 
> Works for me anyway!


I've just registered on the forum just to thank you for posting this! Was having the same problem not being able to get my cap off, but never again thanks to your great instructions. Now stored on my phone for future reference


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## Webby1

But one strange thing is.................... I never have this problem with the diesel cap that presumably works on the same principle.

Soaking the whole cap in boiling water seems to ease the problem.


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## jiwawa

Welcome Jane - I hope you'll stick around long enough to gain more knowledge and start to impart your own.


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## GiCo

This is now printed and stuck to my manual! Thanks, Phil. It works.


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## aldra

Reading this post

Brought a lump to my throat

uncle Norm 

What a fantastic lovely person who was one of us 

One of many who have passed on 

And for all our little niggles and arguements 

These giants shaped this forum 

And yes it should continue 

Sandra


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