Locking Billet Cap for TDI

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 4, 2017

There's this company that made a neat locking cap for the capless Ram Trucks: www.bem-auto.com. I have one of their locking caps on my Ram 3500.

They're now in the process of making a locking billet cap for the GSW TDI.

I got one of their testing units for my SportWagen. The testing unit is not vented, I noticed. Is venting required in the fuel cap?

NorthVan · Oct 4, 2017

Doesn't your fuel door lock when you lock the doors?

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 4, 2017

NorthVan said:
Doesn't your fuel door lock when you lock the doors?

Yes, it does lock when I lock the doors.

I've had someone do some malicious things to my vehicles lately, though, so it seems like good sense to me to lock things doubly right now and I think it looks cool.

Do you know whether the cap has to be vented?

NorthVan · Oct 4, 2017

I don't know, I would ask your local dealer

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 5, 2017

NorthVan said:
I don't know, I would ask your local dealer

Thanks.

Ol'Rattler · Oct 5, 2017

NorthVan said:
I don't know, I would ask your local dealer

What would you ask them? Certainly nothing car related.

And really, the locking fuel door on any car is just about worthless because they are so easy to pry open. The cheap-o locking caps sold in auto parts stores are super easy to unlock. If you loose your key, just borrow a key from some else with the same brand cheap-o cap, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3BG2TbphGc

I really like the caps the OP linked to................

Darth_Furious · Oct 5, 2017

Miss_Athanatos said:
Do you know whether the cap has to be vented?

Gasoline needs to be vented because it evaporates easily and can pressurize. Gas vapors under pressure could be dangerous in an accident. Diesel doesn't evaporate easily.

Case in point: MK4 and older TDIs were based on similar fuel tank setups as the gas ones. The gas ones had a vent. TDIs don't need the vent and there was a "ventectomy" mod to put in extra fuel and top off all the way to the top. Starting with MK5 there was a change and the vent was removed from the TDI tank, therefore you will never see a "ventectomy mod" post on the mk7 forum.

If the TDI tank has the vent removed, then there is no need for the cap to have a vent. Is the cap on your diesel RAM trucks vented? I'm sure they would have changed the design if it caused problems for RAM owners.

Stealth TDI · Oct 5, 2017

Remove stock cap, wipe threads with alcohol, wipe dry, wrap lips around threads, suck/blow. If air flows, your cap is vented. Not trying to be a wiseguy... it really is the best way to be sure.

The strange taste on your lips will go away in an hour or so. HAHA!

turbobrick240 · Oct 5, 2017

Ha. I bet the adblue cap wouldn't taste any better. Hopefully the vandals don't decide to dump their goodies into the urea tank. I like the look of the billet cap, but is fuel sabotage really that likely?

740GLE · Oct 6, 2017

Solution in search of a problem IMO.

On the same level, buy my wheel locks, while the theives are steeling you fuel, you don't think they are going to snag your sweet alloys? Don't be stranded because of those evil doers!

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=480206

740GLE · Oct 6, 2017

Darth_Furious said:
If the TDI tank has the vent removed, then there is no need for the cap to have a vent. Is the cap on your diesel RAM trucks vented? I'm sure they would have changed the design if it caused problems for RAM owners.

If there is no vent to atmosphere and the cap creates an amazing tight seal, and you run a tank from full to empty in one highway run, wouldn't the tank implode due to vacuum being created by removing the fuel?

Venting due to evaporation and venting due to volume being consumed due to driving are two different things.

just my 2 cents

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 6, 2017

turbobrick240 said:
Ha. I bet the adblue cap wouldn't taste any better. Hopefully the vandals don't decide to dump their goodies into the urea tank. I like the look of the billet cap, but is fuel sabotage really that likely?

I hear that a cap for the adblue is also in the works, but for a later period. They already sell a DEF lock for the Ram trucks.

I don't know how likely fuel sabotage really is, but I do know that I don't want it to happen to me. I have seen the damage caused by pouring in foreign matter and I just don't want to lose my TDI.

Also, I had a pretty terrible experience with a minion at the Ram dealer pumping my diesel tank in my Ram truck FULL of gasoline. I know they don't do that at the VW dealerships, but it got me thinking that a well-meaning friend could do just the same after borrowing my TDI.

740GLE said:
If there is no vent to atmosphere and the cap creates an amazing tight seal, and you run a tank from full to empty in one highway run, wouldn't the tank implode due to vacuum being created by removing the fuel?

Venting due to evaporation and venting due to volume being consumed due to driving are two different things.

just my 2 cents

This is why I am asking. I don't want my tank to crunch down. In fact, I took the cap back to the factory yesterday and they put a venting feature in it for me.

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 6, 2017

Ol'Rattler said:
What would you ask them? Certainly nothing car related.

And really, the locking fuel door on any car is just about worthless because they are so easy to pry open. The cheap-o locking caps sold in auto parts stores are super easy to unlock. If you loose your key, just borrow a key from some else with the same brand cheap-o cap, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3BG2TbphGc

I really like the caps the OP linked to................

Thanks for your response. I have heard from a lot of people now that that locking fuel door is pretty easy to pry open. Not everyone is going to want a locking cap, but I sure do.

I hear all the time about these fellows who do hot shotting with their Ram trucks (I participate in a couple of cummins forums) that whenever they have to park in the city overnight, it's a toss-up as to whether someone will vandalize their vehicle since it's a diesel. I'm not in the city much with my TDI, but with all of the hysteria over dieselgate, I really don't want some do-gooder putting another "polluting TDI" out of commission. I wanted options, and I found one. yay!

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 6, 2017

Darth_Furious said:
Gasoline needs to be vented because it evaporates easily and can pressurize. Gas vapors under pressure could be dangerous in an accident. Diesel doesn't evaporate easily.

Case in point: MK4 and older TDIs were based on similar fuel tank setups as the gas ones. The gas ones had a vent. TDIs don't need the vent and there was a "ventectomy" mod to put in extra fuel and top off all the way to the top. Starting with MK5 there was a change and the vent was removed from the TDI tank, therefore you will never see a "ventectomy mod" post on the mk7 forum.

If the TDI tank has the vent removed, then there is no need for the cap to have a vent. Is the cap on your diesel RAM trucks vented? I'm sure they would have changed the design if it caused problems for RAM owners.

FCA, in all their wisdom, since 2013 no longer sell a diesel pickup that has a fuel cap. That's right, they deliver to you a $50-$80,000 pickup with a diesel engine and NO fuel cap.

The filler in the Ram is susceptible to all sorts of dust, grit, water, snow, etc. It's really a horrible setup. That's why I bought aftermarket caps. I got the caps with the locking feature because the dealer ruined the original truck delivered to me by filling it up with gasoline and running it for half an hour or more.

All said and done, they bought me a new pickup and exchanged it for the ruined one.

Now when I drive the Ram, the whole area under the fuel door becomes full of dust, sand, etc., but the cap keeps the fuel neck clean.

Miss_Athanatos · Oct 6, 2017

Stealth TDI said:
Remove stock cap, wipe threads with alcohol, wipe dry, wrap lips around threads, suck/blow. If air flows, your cap is vented. Not trying to be a wiseguy... it really is the best way to be sure. The strange taste on your lips will go away in an hour or so. HAHA!

I did laugh a little at this. Thanks for the detailed directions.

I took the cap back and had them vent it for me.

I think they're going to add a vent for production, too.

Save

Miss_Athanatos · Nov 20, 2017

Hi, folks...it's been awhile since I posted about this. The owner of BEM Auto asked me the other day if I know anyone else who would like to test a prototype locking fuel cap on their TDI. I don't know anyone locally that drives a TDI, so I thought I'd put the question to the forum.

He told me to say that the prototype locking caps will have a one-way/check valve for venting like the OEM fuel cap. The cap would be sent free of charge with return shipping paid by BEM Auto at the end of the test. The only obligation would be regular reporting of the performance of the unit: good or bad.

Anybody that's interested, please contact BEM Auto @ cs@bio-env.com or phone: 785/562-2475.

Mike_04GolfTDI · Nov 26, 2017

I once heard a story about someone who came home to find a siphon hose, a jerry can, and a pool of vomit beside their motorhome.

The thieves had mistaken the septic tank for the fuel tank.

Miss_Athanatos · Nov 29, 2017

Mike_04GolfTDI said:
I once heard a story about someone who came home to find a siphon hose, a jerry can, and a pool of vomit beside their motorhome.

The thieves had mistaken the septic tank for the fuel tank.

Oh my...that's terrible.

turbobrick240 · Nov 29, 2017

Yuck. Talk about powerful karma.

GIDDY_UP_GO · Dec 23, 2017

Let us know when and where we can purchase these! Also, let us know if you have any issues with it! Thanks!

Miss_Athanatos · Dec 25, 2017

GIDDY_UP_GO said:
Let us know when and where we can purchase these! Also, let us know if you have any issues with it! Thanks!

Sure. I've done four fill-ups from half full so far in the last four or so weeks that I've had the locking billet cap. I just put about 500 miles straight on the vehicle this weekend. No feedback issues from the fuel system to the computer. Easy off and on. Looks neat, and I'm told they'll be anodize and that will look even better, I'm sure.

3L3M3NT · Mar 25, 2018

Any chance you could post up some pictures? If they're ok with it.

Will they be working on other models or will these fit a MKIV TDI fuel tank already...

jonferns · Mar 30, 2018

I just got a prototype cap in the mail today, here's a quick photo

Miss_Athanatos · Dec 17, 2018

I got my finished locking diesel cap from BEM Auto after being on trial for a long time with a prototype cap. It's really nice that they got around the issue of the seal coming off. I would like to know if any of the other testers think if they got theirs.

Also, since I'm local, they asked me to try out a locking DEF cap. Score!

Anyway, I guess they even featured my car (as far as the fuel/DEF port) on their Facebook page...woo hoo!

GreenLantern_TDI · Dec 18, 2018

Miss_Athanatos said:
I got my finished locking diesel cap from BEM Auto after being on trial for a long time with a prototype cap. It's really nice that they got around the issue of the seal coming off. I would like to know if any of the other testers think if they got theirs.

Also, since I'm local, they asked me to try out a locking DEF cap. Score!

Anyway, I guess they even featured my car (as far as the fuel/DEF port) on their Facebook page...woo hoo!

When will this be available to the general public?

Miss_Athanatos · Dec 18, 2018

GreenLantern_TDI said:
When will this be available to the general public?

I don't know about when the diesel caps will be available on their website. They're kinda slow on that front, but was informed that they have been taking orders over the phone since last week.

The DEF cap is only a prototype, so could be another 8 months before that's available.?

Miss_Athanatos · Dec 20, 2018

I just saw that bem auto put up the locking cap for the golf sportwagen on their website.

Ol'Rattler · Dec 30, 2018

Mike_04GolfTDI said:
I once heard a story about someone who came home to find a siphon hose, a jerry can, and a pool of vomit beside their motorhome.

The thieves had mistaken the septic tank for the fuel tank.

That's awesome. I think anyone convicted of stealing fuel shoud have to empty a waste tank by siphoning. Why can't the punishment fit the crime?

Darth_Furious · Jan 4, 2019

I was one of the prototype testers and I enjoy using the locking cap. I would recommend getting one. The DEF one looks nice too.

PHAT-DUB · Jan 4, 2019

just curious are for the BEM cap users...are you guys in a neighborhood where you fuel is stolen from you often?

Locking Billet Cap for TDI

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