Has anyone ever had to replace their original fuel filter cap, not due to cracking it, but due to it will not thread on without cross-threading. This is a whole 5 minute job for the one's who have done it, but I have spent over two hours just trying to thread the dang fuel cap on. The cap looks fine and looking at the threads they look fine too, but it will not thread on without cross threading unless I'm missing something. The only thing I've done different was replace the filter with a Fleetguard FS19800E (7 micron) fuel filter instead of the usual FS19579 (10 micron) fuel filter. I'm down for the night now and I guess I"ll try and get a new cap tomorrow if the dealership has one in stock. I have never had this problem before with the fuel cap. I hate it but looks like I will have to borrow the wife's gasser just to get to work.

Tony

 

Some times I have to push down a little hard as I twist it to get mine started.
you may try a little more pressure. I have wanted to order the Aluminum one (I think) from Genos.

 

This is true, you do have to add a little pressure while re-installing and mine will fool you, you think "ok" got it started and you make a round to round and quarter and then it cross-threads. I'm beginning to think the cap (lid) may be slightly warped to point I can't tell because it looks fine with the naked eye. Like I said I have never had this much trouble re-installing the cap before.

Billet one from Genos is like $60.00 bucks "ouch"

Tony

 

gota love Gino's,

 

I also have to add some downforce to get the cap started.

MikeyB

 

I bought the one from Geno's because I was having pressure spikes up to 44psi and didn't want to blow my stock cap off. They are expensive, but when you see the size of it you can understand why. It's machined out of a solid piece of billet steel and probably weighs around 8lbs. Talk about beef!

As the others said, I also have to apply a lot of down pressure when first starting the cap. Maybe a stupid question, but did you put the filter directly in the canister or did you stick it on the cap first?

 

I snapped it into the cap first.

Ok for what it's worth:

I contacted my Dodge partsman this morning about purchasing a new cap after telling him all the heck I was having getting mine started. His reply was man I've had all kinds of calls asking the same question you ask.

Why all of a sudden are these filter caps so hard to get started and sealed, never had that problem before. He said one of his diesel techs told him since they changed the design of the filter that in the top part of the cap near the center was a piece of the cap material that was causing the problem that if that piece was removed it would line up ok and screw on and seal just fine.

I have not looked at the cap yet on mine because a mechanic friend of mine dropped by this morning, and after messing with it for awhile he finally got it to line up and seal. He called me on the phone (I was at work) and said well I finally got it to tighten up and seal but check it out when you get home, he said he let it idle for 5 to 10 minutes and all was good no leaks. I didn't get a chance to tell him what the parts man told me before he fixed it.

Tony

 

A little update on the fuel cap (or lid), ok a couple days after my fuel cap ordeal a friend of mine needed to change out his fuel filter on his 04.5 CTD, same set up as my 03. I stood there and watched and like times before with mine it was about a 5 minute job, smooth as silk.

I wanted to inspect the plastic fuel cap and see what the Dodge partsman decribed in the post above was talking about. I found "no" type of restiction what so ever myself as he decribed.

The only thing I saw in the center of the cap was the re-enforcing plastic cross hatchs for added strength to the plastic nut made into the cap (lid) for removel with a 1 1/8" socket or wrench, and it was flush with the bottom of the cap (lid) with no restriction that I saw. I took it as he decribed maybe some sort of a rubber plug portruding downward, I have no ideal what he's talking about.

My fuel cap has to be slightly warped, or the threads slightly damaged to the point I can't see or feel the damage.

Over all solution I will be purchashing a new cap before next fuel filter change.


Tony

 

I bought the billet cap from Geno's because I wanted that port for a fuel pressure sensor. If you can part with the $50 I recommend it. It really is a nice piece and it screwed right on the canister with no problem.

 

Thanks for the info I may consider going that route also,especially after pricing the stock plastic fuel cap, it was right around $40.00 bucks.

Tony

 

Geez, what a rip-off. You'll be glad you spent the extra $10.