DIY Request : Gas Fuel Filler Door Actuator
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
DIY Request : Gas Fuel Filler Door Actuator
As the title says :: I'm requesting a DIY for replacing the fuel door actuator. Mine has died and I ordered a replacement. However, if I can do this without the Nissan Dealer or another service shop, I'd love to.
Chris
Chris
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 5
From: Georgia
Maybe these will help:
https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...door-help.html
https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...-not-open.html See post #3.
https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...door-help.html
https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...-not-open.html See post #3.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
I appreciate the quick response, but see, my actuator is physically broken, the pin cracked and is missing about half an inch from the pin. This is why I need to swap it. Thanks.
Sorry I don't have a DIY, but couldn't you glue (epoxy) something onto the broken pin? I'm not standing next to my fuel filler, so maybe that is crazy talk, but it's not like it's massively visible for a ghetto solution.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 5
From: Georgia
I think you'll need to remove some interior trim panels to get to the fasteners and the connector. The service manual doesn't spell out what needs to be removed. It just says to replace it after it's been determined that it's defective.
You might look at section EI of the service manual under LUGGAGE FLOOR TRIM to see where the fasteners are for the panel you need to remove.
You might look at section EI of the service manual under LUGGAGE FLOOR TRIM to see where the fasteners are for the panel you need to remove.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 5
From: Georgia
Look at post # 32 on page 2 of this thread:
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...rea-out-2.html
The seventh and ninth pictures in post 32 show the gas door actuator from the inside with the panels removed.
You just might be able to reach up under the panel after removing the jack and stuff to get to it. The clip is accessible from inside the fuel filler opening. If you got a buddy on the inside to pull on the actuator while working the clip off from the outside, you might be able to avoid having to take the panels off.
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...rea-out-2.html
The seventh and ninth pictures in post 32 show the gas door actuator from the inside with the panels removed.
You just might be able to reach up under the panel after removing the jack and stuff to get to it. The clip is accessible from inside the fuel filler opening. If you got a buddy on the inside to pull on the actuator while working the clip off from the outside, you might be able to avoid having to take the panels off.
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Look at post # 32 on page 2 of this thread:
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...rea-out-2.html
The seventh and ninth pictures in post 32 show the gas door actuator from the inside with the panels removed.
You just might be able to reach up under the panel after removing the jack and stuff to get to it. The clip is accessible from inside the fuel filler opening. If you got a buddy on the inside to pull on the actuator while working the clip off from the outside, you might be able to avoid having to take the panels off.
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...rea-out-2.html
The seventh and ninth pictures in post 32 show the gas door actuator from the inside with the panels removed.
You just might be able to reach up under the panel after removing the jack and stuff to get to it. The clip is accessible from inside the fuel filler opening. If you got a buddy on the inside to pull on the actuator while working the clip off from the outside, you might be able to avoid having to take the panels off.
Trending Topics
Registered User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Attleboro, MA
Okay, so I understand that I'm posting to an old thread, but I found this thread high in the hits for a Google search for "350z fuel door actuator." Wanted to report in for others who might find it the same way on how I solved my problem, DIY-style.
The actuator striker on my Z was snapped off, and the door wouldn't stay shut. I made a new pin using plastic repair epoxy putty. For anyone who may not be familiar with the stuff, it comes in sticks, and you cut or pinch off a bit, and mush it up between your fingers to mix the resin and hardener. You can then shape it, let it harden for a half-hour, and then cut, grind, sand, etc. I forced the soft putty into the barrel of the actuator to get the proper diameter, then molded it around the inside tube of a ball-point pen, rolling it to the approximately correct diameter. Once it was hardened, I sanded it down to the proper diameter, leaving it longer than necessary (final shaping comes after installation in the actuator).
Removing the actuator is not too bad, especially since Nissan has been kind enough to make removal of the interior trim fairly easy. Pull the trim from the upper lip of the trunk. Then pull the trim buttons that hold the inner right rear quarter soundproofing. Pull it out from behind the strut brace interior trim, and you will be able to see the actuator.
Working inside the fuel door, you'll have to retract the small clips in the retainer ring that holds the actuator in place. An eyeglass screwdriver will work well for this. Set the screwdriver between the actuator barrel and the clip, and turn the actuator counterclockwise as much as you can. Remove the screwdriver and set it in the same way on the other clip, and turn again. Keep this up until the retainer comes off. Might be easier with two screwdrivers, so that you can retract both clips at once. Actually, if I were smart, I would have used a small pair of tweezers. Once the retainer ring is removed, the actuator comes out into the trunk.
Using a drill press and a steady hand, I drilled a 9/16" hole down the center of what was left of the striker pin. The tube from the pen fits into this hole nice and snug, and some CA glue (superglue/krazyglue) holds it in place. A bit more to hold the tube into the new pin was helpful, too. But remember, this is not a stressed part, so it doesn't need much help to stay in place.
Once it was in place, I was able to use a knife and a file to cut the beveled tip into the new striker pin. I cut the bevel to about 45 degrees, beginning about 1/16" after the end of the actuator barrel.
Installation is the reverse of removal, and unfortunately, until the retainer ring is installed, it's impossible to do much testing. You can check if it will slide by pulling the small, white handle on the opposite end of the actuator (turns out that's how you open your fuel door if the switch fails, but I'll post that in another thread that asked just that question). In fact, I pumped that part while the CA glue was drying just to make sure the glue didn't seize up the entire actuator.
Put it all back together, and it holds closed beautifully, and opens like a charm. The actuator is $150 from the dealer, $75 - $85 on eBay. My fix: free, since I already had all the stuff, less than $5 if you have to buy the stuff. Not bad, I think.
Hope someone finds this helpful.
The actuator striker on my Z was snapped off, and the door wouldn't stay shut. I made a new pin using plastic repair epoxy putty. For anyone who may not be familiar with the stuff, it comes in sticks, and you cut or pinch off a bit, and mush it up between your fingers to mix the resin and hardener. You can then shape it, let it harden for a half-hour, and then cut, grind, sand, etc. I forced the soft putty into the barrel of the actuator to get the proper diameter, then molded it around the inside tube of a ball-point pen, rolling it to the approximately correct diameter. Once it was hardened, I sanded it down to the proper diameter, leaving it longer than necessary (final shaping comes after installation in the actuator).
Removing the actuator is not too bad, especially since Nissan has been kind enough to make removal of the interior trim fairly easy. Pull the trim from the upper lip of the trunk. Then pull the trim buttons that hold the inner right rear quarter soundproofing. Pull it out from behind the strut brace interior trim, and you will be able to see the actuator.
Working inside the fuel door, you'll have to retract the small clips in the retainer ring that holds the actuator in place. An eyeglass screwdriver will work well for this. Set the screwdriver between the actuator barrel and the clip, and turn the actuator counterclockwise as much as you can. Remove the screwdriver and set it in the same way on the other clip, and turn again. Keep this up until the retainer comes off. Might be easier with two screwdrivers, so that you can retract both clips at once. Actually, if I were smart, I would have used a small pair of tweezers. Once the retainer ring is removed, the actuator comes out into the trunk.
Using a drill press and a steady hand, I drilled a 9/16" hole down the center of what was left of the striker pin. The tube from the pen fits into this hole nice and snug, and some CA glue (superglue/krazyglue) holds it in place. A bit more to hold the tube into the new pin was helpful, too. But remember, this is not a stressed part, so it doesn't need much help to stay in place.
Once it was in place, I was able to use a knife and a file to cut the beveled tip into the new striker pin. I cut the bevel to about 45 degrees, beginning about 1/16" after the end of the actuator barrel.
Installation is the reverse of removal, and unfortunately, until the retainer ring is installed, it's impossible to do much testing. You can check if it will slide by pulling the small, white handle on the opposite end of the actuator (turns out that's how you open your fuel door if the switch fails, but I'll post that in another thread that asked just that question). In fact, I pumped that part while the CA glue was drying just to make sure the glue didn't seize up the entire actuator.
Put it all back together, and it holds closed beautifully, and opens like a charm. The actuator is $150 from the dealer, $75 - $85 on eBay. My fix: free, since I already had all the stuff, less than $5 if you have to buy the stuff. Not bad, I think.
Hope someone finds this helpful.
Registered User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: florida
Okay, so I understand that I'm posting to an old thread, but I found this thread high in the hits for a Google search for "350z fuel door actuator." Wanted to report in for others who might find it the same way on how I solved my problem, DIY-style.
The actuator striker on my Z was snapped off, and the door wouldn't stay shut. I made a new pin using plastic repair epoxy putty. For anyone who may not be familiar with the stuff, it comes in sticks, and you cut or pinch off a bit, and mush it up between your fingers to mix the resin and hardener. You can then shape it, let it harden for a half-hour, and then cut, grind, sand, etc. I forced the soft putty into the barrel of the actuator to get the proper diameter, then molded it around the inside tube of a ball-point pen, rolling it to the approximately correct diameter. Once it was hardened, I sanded it down to the proper diameter, leaving it longer than necessary (final shaping comes after installation in the actuator).
Removing the actuator is not too bad, especially since Nissan has been kind enough to make removal of the interior trim fairly easy. Pull the trim from the upper lip of the trunk. Then pull the trim buttons that hold the inner right rear quarter soundproofing. Pull it out from behind the strut brace interior trim, and you will be able to see the actuator.
Working inside the fuel door, you'll have to retract the small clips in the retainer ring that holds the actuator in place. An eyeglass screwdriver will work well for this. Set the screwdriver between the actuator barrel and the clip, and turn the actuator counterclockwise as much as you can. Remove the screwdriver and set it in the same way on the other clip, and turn again. Keep this up until the retainer comes off. Might be easier with two screwdrivers, so that you can retract both clips at once. Actually, if I were smart, I would have used a small pair of tweezers. Once the retainer ring is removed, the actuator comes out into the trunk.
Using a drill press and a steady hand, I drilled a 9/16" hole down the center of what was left of the striker pin. The tube from the pen fits into this hole nice and snug, and some CA glue (superglue/krazyglue) holds it in place. A bit more to hold the tube into the new pin was helpful, too. But remember, this is not a stressed part, so it doesn't need much help to stay in place.
Once it was in place, I was able to use a knife and a file to cut the beveled tip into the new striker pin. I cut the bevel to about 45 degrees, beginning about 1/16" after the end of the actuator barrel.
Installation is the reverse of removal, and unfortunately, until the retainer ring is installed, it's impossible to do much testing. You can check if it will slide by pulling the small, white handle on the opposite end of the actuator (turns out that's how you open your fuel door if the switch fails, but I'll post that in another thread that asked just that question). In fact, I pumped that part while the CA glue was drying just to make sure the glue didn't seize up the entire actuator.
Put it all back together, and it holds closed beautifully, and opens like a charm. The actuator is $150 from the dealer, $75 - $85 on eBay. My fix: free, since I already had all the stuff, less than $5 if you have to buy the stuff. Not bad, I think.
Hope someone finds this helpful.
The actuator striker on my Z was snapped off, and the door wouldn't stay shut. I made a new pin using plastic repair epoxy putty. For anyone who may not be familiar with the stuff, it comes in sticks, and you cut or pinch off a bit, and mush it up between your fingers to mix the resin and hardener. You can then shape it, let it harden for a half-hour, and then cut, grind, sand, etc. I forced the soft putty into the barrel of the actuator to get the proper diameter, then molded it around the inside tube of a ball-point pen, rolling it to the approximately correct diameter. Once it was hardened, I sanded it down to the proper diameter, leaving it longer than necessary (final shaping comes after installation in the actuator).
Removing the actuator is not too bad, especially since Nissan has been kind enough to make removal of the interior trim fairly easy. Pull the trim from the upper lip of the trunk. Then pull the trim buttons that hold the inner right rear quarter soundproofing. Pull it out from behind the strut brace interior trim, and you will be able to see the actuator.
Working inside the fuel door, you'll have to retract the small clips in the retainer ring that holds the actuator in place. An eyeglass screwdriver will work well for this. Set the screwdriver between the actuator barrel and the clip, and turn the actuator counterclockwise as much as you can. Remove the screwdriver and set it in the same way on the other clip, and turn again. Keep this up until the retainer comes off. Might be easier with two screwdrivers, so that you can retract both clips at once. Actually, if I were smart, I would have used a small pair of tweezers. Once the retainer ring is removed, the actuator comes out into the trunk.
Using a drill press and a steady hand, I drilled a 9/16" hole down the center of what was left of the striker pin. The tube from the pen fits into this hole nice and snug, and some CA glue (superglue/krazyglue) holds it in place. A bit more to hold the tube into the new pin was helpful, too. But remember, this is not a stressed part, so it doesn't need much help to stay in place.
Once it was in place, I was able to use a knife and a file to cut the beveled tip into the new striker pin. I cut the bevel to about 45 degrees, beginning about 1/16" after the end of the actuator barrel.
Installation is the reverse of removal, and unfortunately, until the retainer ring is installed, it's impossible to do much testing. You can check if it will slide by pulling the small, white handle on the opposite end of the actuator (turns out that's how you open your fuel door if the switch fails, but I'll post that in another thread that asked just that question). In fact, I pumped that part while the CA glue was drying just to make sure the glue didn't seize up the entire actuator.
Put it all back together, and it holds closed beautifully, and opens like a charm. The actuator is $150 from the dealer, $75 - $85 on eBay. My fix: free, since I already had all the stuff, less than $5 if you have to buy the stuff. Not bad, I think.
Hope someone finds this helpful.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
liqalu04
Engine & Drivetrain
31
Jan 2, 2022 12:58 PM
Colombo
Forced Induction
35
Nov 9, 2020 10:27 AM
ars88
Zs & Gs For Sale
18
Apr 4, 2016 07:52 AM
