# Chausson - locking cap on fresh water storage tank?



## BogWelsh (Nov 2, 2008)

Hi,

Am I right in thinking the cap for the fresh water storage tank on a Chausson Welcome 85 is supposed to spin freely when in the locked position? When locked ours will turn but is really stiff -to the point that it can just be removed. Is there a trick to locking / unlocking that we're missing?

Wayne.


----------



## steles (Sep 29, 2005)

Yes

This has been covered many times before. Remove cap and put in very hot water for 5 minutes. Do not oil or spray with WD40

Steles


----------



## BogWelsh (Nov 2, 2008)

Steles,

Thank you. 5 mins in hot water didn't make a lot of difference but 30 mins of gentle boiling seems to have done the trick.

What actually causes the problem and what does the hot water do to fix it?

Regards,

Wayne.


----------



## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi Wayne! I trust you're well?

Damned annoying. I stripped my cap down to see how it worked!  

When the key is turned, some little bits of plastic are pushed from the centre of the cap, to engage with some ribs on the outer cap innards. The whole thing then turns as one and, with a gentle pressure, can be removed from or replaced on the MH.

When in position on the MH, by turning the key, the little bits of plastic are supposed to return to the inside of the lock cylinder area, so allowing the outer to spin freely on the inner! Yeh! Right! The whole thing is so damned tight that the whole thing continues to turn, despite having locked it, and off it comes again!

I used a combination of emery cloth, files, rasps, sharp knives, etc... to whittle, trim, sand, reduce the ribs and the little bits of plastic until such a time that, when locked, the outer simply and easily spun on the inner. I was careful not to over-reduce the little bits as they MUST be able to engage with the the outer ribs. And that's how it is today. It took me a couple of hours of pratting about but I got there in the end! :roll: :wink: I'm happier spending the time in my shed getting something to work properly, rather than waiting for a manufacturer to send a replacement to a dealer to send to me. There you go!


----------



## steles (Sep 29, 2005)

Hi Wayne

It seems that the sections are assembled with some form of protective wax which hardens and causes the cap to partially seize. I was reminded after i posted that the mark two version of the fix was to use boiling water. Sorry. The internals are probably Delrin or some other form of white plastic which does not require lubrication and will probably swell on application of same. My filler cap refused to work 3 months from new and the fix was recommended by the service dept at Burstner, i have had 18 months trouble free now. For those not convinced at a meet we "mended" 9 sticky caps.

Steles


----------

