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1975 R90/6 Gas cap

That's what I was afraid of. Mine is not in good shape, cosmetically. I was hoping it was polished aluminum and then I could just polish it up.

Anyone know where to get non-locking OEM gas caps? MaxBMW only has the locking ones.

Thanks,

Chris
 
Dare I say it. .. .. . eBay. But it may take a while, I've purchased two that way.

Internet BMW Riders Marketplace is taking a beating lately, but I've had good luck posting "want to buy" ads.
 
/5 or /6, it shouldn't make any at all difference Chris. The only difference between the /5 and /6 tanks are on the underside (for master cyl clearance).

The locking cap that MAX offers [16 11 1 232 348] fits either model. MAX's part number ref list this part number as OEM from 08/1969 - 06/1976

Read > http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/tank/index.htm
 
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The $108 one looks like it's in good condition. It doesn't have the pin, but they're available from MAX. $149 is pushing it... and the finish on that cap, doesn't look to be that well done.

They're really easy to polish ... starting with 320 grit sand paper and water and working up to 800-1500 grit and finishing with Simichrome polish.
 
Lew.......Thanks a bunch for passing along the $108 item. Been watching for one for several years now. The chrome on my 76 has seen much better days and rechroming is next to impossible........so.........The aluminum ones are so much better as it is totally nothing to buff up and look great......YES....I jumped in and got it so it should be here very soon.........Anyone want a used chrome one????..............lol........God bless.........Dennis
 
Good on ya Dennis!

I hope you waited until the last twenty seconds to swoop in on that. That's when it's most annoying to the guy that's been watching it all week... :whistle

Make sure to drive the old hinge pin out in the right direction. It's kind of hard sometimes to tell which end of the pin has the serrations on it.
 
Lmo1131 said:
The $108 one looks like it's in good condition. It doesn't have the pin, but they're available from MAX. $149 is pushing it... and the finish on that cap, doesn't look to be that well done.

They're really easy to polish ... starting with 320 grit sand paper and water and working up to 800-1500 grit and finishing with Simichrome polish.
Click to expand...

I've got one with really minor pitting. Is it possible to use this technique to get rid of them w/o screwing up the chrome? Would love to save the cost of replacing it. (have a bunch of other chrome I'd love to revive as well!!)

Thanks,
Dave
 
There is a huge difference between cleaning up cast aluminum and chrome plated parts by getting it to shine by using finer and finer abrasive polishes........This works to a point with chrome until you go through that thin chromium plated layer and go into the base metal..........Good luck and God bless.....Dennis
 
Dave, it would depend on what "minor" pitting is. Barkeepers Friend contains oxalic acid and does a really good job of removing rust and oxidization, but it won't remove the pitting. Just making a paste with some water and applying it with a soft cloth should do the job since it's the acid that's doing the work. Works great in the kitchen too!!

And you'll not have too much luck trying to sand/polish out chrome - too hard.

Base metal on those "chromed caps"? I'm guessing die-cast zinc? Die cast aluminum, possibly? Dennis?

bk-keep.jpg
 
Well the Pitts are visible to the naked eye (barely) and definitely catch a thumbnail. I'll give that a sot and pray. :)
 
R60/6 Cap

Simply sanded it down and buffed it out on a wheel attached to my bench grinder. Sweet looking now. Was going to clear coat it, but now I have something to actually polish on the old battle wagon. What do you have to lose?
 
Take it to a powder-coater; it might be a nice change of appearance? The p-c guy in our area has a nice silver that looks like "natural" aluminum.

Of course, you'd be half way to the cost of an aluminum cap by the time you were done...
 
Sorry, resurrecting a dead thread here...

Another option, if you are stuck a with gnarly-looking, pitted chrome cap, want to keep the chrome, and are also in the somewhat unfortunate position of also owning a bright, shiny new (and expensive) chrome cap from the dealer with the ugly locking device, is this:

- Swap out the lock part of the new cap for the regular old ribbed button on the old cap.

Anyway, that's what I did. The button on the old cap was by far the least pitted element, so when mated with the new cap, the assembly looks like a brand new chrome cap! The caps themselves are from the exact same mold (new locking and old non-locking) so it works perfectly. Getting the little expanding pin out of the button isn't a picnic, but you get that nice sense of accomplishment, right?

Although if I had it to do over again, I certainly wouldn't pay huge amounts of cash for that new locking cap... At least it's not sitting in my box of spares anymore...
 
Mine wasn't chrome, and took a nice polish along with all the other alu bits of my bike. Several rounds of sanding, 120 to 180 to 220 to 320 to 400 (180 and up wetsanding) and then two rounds on the buffer, once with a 'cut' buff and once with a looseleaf buff and jeweler's rouge.
 
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