Bought a used tank that doses not have a key. Looks like a screwdriver has already been shoved in. Anyone have any ideas on how I can get this sucker off to replace with my current cap and key?

 

Take it to a locksmith.

 

I assume you're talking about a car's gas cap. I had a student with that problem about a year ago. I basically mangled/dismantled it until it could be opened. The locks are very cheap pot metal. I think I might have used a drill. Its not that difficult. Good luck.

Oops, you did say the cap was on a tank. Glad you got it taken care of.

 

I bought a gas tank from a member (brief) here. In his kindness, he rinsed the tank out with diesel fuel then rinsed with water.

He wrapped in plastic and shipped it to me on camels who arrived 7 days later.

When I got it I realized what a grand cluster I was info so I just shelved it to dry out. It has but I digress.

The tank had all the same markings (screwdriver enty) as mine. I still disassembled all the equipment off the tank. Shook the water out as best I could and said FI - lesson learned. Newbie - if you're out there - never ever - put water in a fuel system or any of it's parts.

Like is said, these locks are pot metal and very malable. The mechanism itself is not the valuable part to the locksmith - it's valuable to you. The locksmith can rebuild the locking device but if you have to buy the canoodle from Honda we're talking hundreds.

 

This is a Hawk tank I bought to replace mine after my wife backed into my bike and knocked it over onto my tool chest. Only thing messed up was a couple of nice dents in the side of the tank. The purchased tank included the locked gas cap and no key. I was thinking locksmith until I saw the jammed keyhole. I just took a couple of different size screwdrivers and an icepick to the locking mechanism and managed to get it to turn and unlock. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Sweet

 

A handy skill to have if the gas prices go back up.

 

large screwdriver and a hammer... done it many times.

 

DITTO

 

You do have to be careful because pounding on the lock can easily crease or dent the tank. I've actually had to do two recently for a shitty little GS500 project I dragged home. The first I did use a hammer and screwdriver and got impatient (the tank was rusted out anyway) and ended up denting the top in a little. It was good practice. The second (the replacement tank) worked awesome-I drilled out the lock cylinder to the bottom-not all the way through though. I was able to pull out the little thin bit of remaining lock cylinder, and the inner workings of the two little teeth that grab the tank were now exposed. I simply used two of the little pointer tools I have and unlocked it. Of course if you wanted to keep the lock/cap a locksmith could unlock & key it for whatever they charge.

 

So what did you do with your old tank with the dings in it??

 

That's what worked best for me. The hammer screwdriver wasn't getting it to turn. So I just carefully drilled (about an inch?) down and you will notice the end of the locking mechanism if you take your time and at the end of the lock there is two spring loaded levers that hold the cap down. Simply pull together/pry both of the levers inward and the cap should come unlocked.

(Keep in mind this is happening about an inch down into the gas cap)
+1 to me for awesome MSPaint diagram.