Fuel cap replacement?

Hi all, This is potentially a dumb question but it's stumped me today so here goes... I've tried to replace my fuel filler cap today as the tether strap broke and the cap itself was looking tired anyway. Bought a new genuine cap and fitting looked really straightforward... However I cannot for the life of me get the old plastic rivet out as the hinge mechanism for the fuel flap seems to be in the way?? I've punched the Centre pin out of the rivet to free it off but the main part of the rivet is blocked by the hinge? Even if I got brutal with it to remove it, (which I'm reluctant to do incase I break anything or scratch the paint), I can't see how I'd get the new one in without damaging it too? Does the hinge mech have to be removed and if so how? If not what am I missing here as I'm stumped?! TIA Nick

Once you punch the centre of the plastic rivet out the body should just pull straight out just use a screwdriver with tape on the end to pry it out if stiff Winny

use a tiny punch in the center of the rivet .. a small screwdriver will do . A tiny plastic tube will fall out .. don't loose it down the drain hole !! You push this bit back into the rivet .. just a few mm .. refit the rivet then knock it home so it's flush .

I recommend the tip of a thin Allen key, having just fitted an alu-look one on mine. Good tip from DeMort... cover the drain hole with something in case some little bit goes astray!

Thanks for the replies so far guys. However I've already successfully removed the centre of the rivet, the tube bit, and retrieved it. The problem seems to be that the hinge mechanism is blocking the main body of the rivet from removal. It overlaps by enough that it won't pull far enough out to free itself from the hole? As I try and lever it out it hits the back of the hinge and won't pull out any further?

I swapped mine recently and im sure the rivet is about 1cm tall so clears? I can only assume its been swapped out?? I just pressed the centre through and prised the rivet upwards and it came up, i had to fish it out with the hinge in the way but it wasn't a massive issue. cheers

I seem to remember reading another thread regarding this and it was because a previous repair attempt somenone had put the "rivet" back in the opposite way from standard, which made it difficult to remove again :dont know:

Mines like post number 7 in the thread below http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/45907-gas-cap-tether-installed-correctly.html

I see your problem and yes i've seen it before .. i'm not sure but i'm of the opinion not all cars have a lanyard fixing for the fuel caps .. The hole under the flap spring is a possible place but it needs to be fitted from the top side .. im sure i have done it in the past but a bit of cutting down the rivet feet .. messing about with long nose pliers and a screwdriver to press home the pin kinda rings a bell ... either that or remove the flap lid and bracket .. not a nice job . The other option is the 10 mm bolt to the left .. a couple of washers each side of the lanyard would do .. not ideal and you can't tighten it too much but its an option .

I fitted mine through the hole under the hinge. However I had to refit it so that the tether end was on the other side of the hole with the rivet head uppermost otherwise the tether end caught on the hinge spring. I had to partially push in the pin to get enough clearance under the hinge while I was fitting the rivet through. Id post some pics if I could work out how...