Fuel door/tailgate release cable alternatives? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

StorminMatt · 03-11-2025, 04:12 PM

I can open my tailgate, but not my fuel door. The problem is that one of the plastic pieces that holds the cable to the latch (ie the one that has to actually pull) has broken. And the cable will need to be replaced. Unfortunately, this is no longer sold new. Your only choice is to pay exorbitant prices for a 30+ year old used part that is likely to eventually suffer the same fate.

This has me wondering if there are any alternatives to the S13 part. Maybe something from another newer Nissan model that is still available. Or at least a more common older model with a cable that you can cheaply and easily find at the local Pick and Pull. Has anyone had any success with any cable other than the original S13 piece?

jedi03 · 03-12-2025, 12:37 PM

have you tried pulling it out and measuring it? I imagine that you could find an alternative as other vehicles that are much newer still use this style of fuel door with the pull cable...might take some pull a few at the junkyard and see what works

StorminMatt · 03-12-2025, 02:52 PM

I know that one MAJOR issue here is the fact that the S13 has the fuel filler on the passenger side. Pretty much everything else has it on the driver side (unless there?s something I just can?t think of). This would make the cable too short for the 240. Is there another Nissan model that has a passenger side filler?

AKADriver · 03-12-2025, 03:33 PM

Ahh I did a ton of research on this. The big problem with the S chassis cable is that it is a solid core cable that pushes and pulls (push for fuel, pull for trunk). This makes it impossible to simply replace the cable if something that's attached to the cable itself fails like in your case the collars that push apart the levers for the gas door. There are other Nissans that use the same cornball arrangement that are more common like the B15 but their cable length is all wrong like you said.

What I think might work is to swap not only your cable but also the fuel door release itself and the lever next to the seat with one from a B16 Sentra ('07-'12). This car uses a dual pull style cable and has a passenger side fuel door. It all looks like it would work.

I never got a chance to try this because a friend who built a race car with a fuel cell gave me his.

StorminMatt · 03-13-2025, 09:49 PM

I figured I would try the B16 Sentra thing. These are quite common at Pick and Pull these days. And they?re pretty cheap. The fuel tank latch actually fits like a glove. And the cables seem like they will work. However, the problem is the lever itself. Compared to the S13 piece, the Sentra piece is HUGE! As things stand, it doesn?t fit under the carpeting. Maybe it could be modified to fit. But that?s to be determined. In any case, I really don?t want to cut up the carpeting. So this may be a no-go. Of course, another option is to use the original lever to use with the new cable and latch. This would effectively make the lever ?gas door only?. But since I can always use the key for the tailgate (while there is no other way to open the gas door), this is something I could live with.

03-11-2025, 04:12 PM	#1
StorminMatt Join Date: May 2020 Location: Sacramento Posts: 23 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Fuel door/tailgate release cable alternatives? I can open my tailgate, but not my fuel door. The problem is that one of the plastic pieces that holds the cable to the latch (ie the one that has to actually pull) has broken. And the cable will need to be replaced. Unfortunately, this is no longer sold new. Your only choice is to pay exorbitant prices for a 30+ year old used part that is likely to eventually suffer the same fate. This has me wondering if there are any alternatives to the S13 part. Maybe something from another newer Nissan model that is still available. Or at least a more common older model with a cable that you can cheaply and easily find at the local Pick and Pull. Has anyone had any success with any cable other than the original S13 piece?

03-12-2025, 12:37 PM	#2
jedi03 Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: albuquerque Posts: 1,842 Trader Rating: (8) Feedback Score: 8 reviews	have you tried pulling it out and measuring it? I imagine that you could find an alternative as other vehicles that are much newer still use this style of fuel door with the pull cable...might take some pull a few at the junkyard and see what works

03-12-2025, 02:52 PM	#3
StorminMatt Join Date: May 2020 Location: Sacramento Posts: 23 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I know that one MAJOR issue here is the fact that the S13 has the fuel filler on the passenger side. Pretty much everything else has it on the driver side (unless there?s something I just can?t think of). This would make the cable too short for the 240. Is there another Nissan model that has a passenger side filler?

03-12-2025, 03:33 PM	#4
AKADriver Post Whore! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Springfield, VA Age: 43 Posts: 3,517 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Ahh I did a ton of research on this. The big problem with the S chassis cable is that it is a solid core cable that pushes and pulls (push for fuel, pull for trunk). This makes it impossible to simply replace the cable if something that's attached to the cable itself fails like in your case the collars that push apart the levers for the gas door. There are other Nissans that use the same cornball arrangement that are more common like the B15 but their cable length is all wrong like you said. What I think might work is to swap not only your cable but also the fuel door release itself and the lever next to the seat with one from a B16 Sentra ('07-'12). This car uses a dual pull style cable and has a passenger side fuel door. It all looks like it would work. I never got a chance to try this because a friend who built a race car with a fuel cell gave me his.

03-13-2025, 09:49 PM	#5
StorminMatt Join Date: May 2020 Location: Sacramento Posts: 23 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I figured I would try the B16 Sentra thing. These are quite common at Pick and Pull these days. And they?re pretty cheap. The fuel tank latch actually fits like a glove. And the cables seem like they will work. However, the problem is the lever itself. Compared to the S13 piece, the Sentra piece is HUGE! As things stand, it doesn?t fit under the carpeting. Maybe it could be modified to fit. But that?s to be determined. In any case, I really don?t want to cut up the carpeting. So this may be a no-go. Of course, another option is to use the original lever to use with the new cable and latch. This would effectively make the lever ?gas door only?. But since I can always use the key for the tailgate (while there is no other way to open the gas door), this is something I could live with.