Stuck gas cap

I have a 85 700 maxim. Owned it since new, has a little over 5000 miles on it. I lost my lic in 90 and never rode it again. Stored inside most of it's life, still very hard on it. Now I'm redoing it, carbs, paint, seals. Problem I'm have is the gas cap is stuck. Been shooting wd40 and like stuff in it and nothing. Was stuck bad enough the center thing key goes through wouldn't even move. Been working it back and forth and now it moves a bit. I am orginal owner so I know key was not changed. Any ideas?
Thanks for any and all help.

 

use pb blaster or fluid film or Kroil keep soaking it, every chance you get it will free up .
you are probaly fighting frozen dogs at the bottom and not the key cylinder
you can add a little more torque with a pair of plires on the key but risk snaping the key.

read this link you will see what your trying to free up
Your Gas Cap and You

does not show the internal of the dogs you could remvve the tank turn it upside down and remove petcock, then spray your peretrating oil onto the tank but you have to get it into the filler neck

try mixing atf with acetone
1part atf and 1 part acetone for volume it may leak out of the cap if the vent is still working.

maybe not ust the acetone it may ruin the seal but you will have to rebiuld or replace it anayways

 

I woud advise against using pliers onthe key, and advise for regular doses of penetrating oil and patience.

 

Thanks for your help. been using the atf and acetone for a couple hours now, I'll just have to wait and see. Thats how it got the key to move just a bit was with pliers but like you said it's risky. I'll keep at it.

Glad I found this site.

 

Think weeks, not hours.
Try to turn it again next weekend.
Reapply penetrating oil.
Repeat as needed.

 

well it took 3 weeks soaking the gas cap to get it open finally. I took the petcock out a week or so ago and poured about a quart of atf and a quart of acetone in it and kept it upside down hoping it would cover the insides of the cap, kept sloshin it around every once in awhile. was still hard to open but it came open. glad thats done.

 

Your Gas Cap and You is your next step.
slow and easy is a good rule of thumb