W211 Fuel Filler Cap Attachment

[Fady]

When I picked up the replacement mirror indicator from the parts dept last week (as detailed in a previous post), the chap serving me said "anything else Sir". Off the top of my head, I mentioned that my fuel cap was detached from it's fixing, so he came out with me and had a look. It's been like that since I acquired the car, but is not something that bothered me enought to feel I needed to fix - but since I was asked! Anyway, the chap went back to the computer and brought up an exploded diagram. He then asked me to leave it with him and he'd give me a call.

He did so in the middle of the week and I went to collect the part yesterday. A bit of a pain really. 20 mile round trip, the approach road is closed due to road works resulting in heavy local traffic. So, being in a hurry, I parked the car on a side road and walked the last half mile to pick the part up. A bit of a hike for what turned out to be £1.47 worth of parts!

It didn't look like the right bit on first glance, but I assumed the guy knew how to do his job. But when I tried to fit it much later in the day, I realised it's definately wrong. So I am mildly cheesed off having wasted a reasonable part of my morning.

I'm going to pop it back in the post and request that they kindly look up he correct bit and post it to me. Anyone know if there's anywhere I can look these up myself? I'm going to replace both the gromet-like fixing on the body of the car and the attachment, both as shown below. Also shown is the part I was supplied with (which looks to me like it's an upholstery fixing).

 

[masqueraid]

The part you've been given looks right except for the cylindrical pin nearest the packing label. Don't know about the Part No. though.

On mine there is no "grommet", the rivet fixes directly into the hole in the hinge of the lid.

 

[Druk]

I would suggest that you have the correct part. Looking at mine it fixes to a hole in the top hinge. The protruding pin (in your pic) looks to me like the classic Merc system for locking these things in that you press the lower prong through then the 'pin' is pushed though it and expands the first part thereby locking it in the hole. Whew! what a mouthful. The grommet in your pic looks to be a bit distorted but is in fact the top of the filler drain tube and should be relatively flush. Try pouring some water down it; it should exit below the rear bumper. I can take some pics of mine if it would help.

 

[DieselE]

I agree with the others that you have the right part. If you look at the arm supporting the hinge for your filler cap, you'll find a hole (just above the notch visible at the top of your photograph). Remove the remains of the previous pin from the end of the flexible connection to your filler cap and push the new part through it and the hole.

 

[Fady]

Thank for the replies folks - a great help.

I am embarassed to say that what I now know to be drain hole was is where I thought the attachment point was

It transpires that there is absolutely nothing missing at all from my original connector. There's a rubber plug at the end that simply needed to be pushed onto the top of the flap (which no doubt works better and is more durable than the replacement plastic one).

And it's only been like that coming up for 2 years

 

[mr. shr]

It didn't look like the right bit on first glance, but I assumed the guy knew how to do his job.

Couldn't help but laught when I read that bit. I used to make the same assumptions during my first few visits to stearlerships!!!!


Glad you got is sorted now though.