RE: Locking tank door and beepless alarm

[cyng <cyng@lamere.net>]

>I noticed two mods that I'd like to inquire about.  First, is the locking
>gas door something that I can add?  I've always had a locking gas door on my
>previous cars, I guess it's just a sense on security.  Secondly, how do you
>"Beepless-Arm" your alarm?  As functional as it may be, it's kind of
>annoying at times.

I am going to be uncharacteristically unhelpful here, unfortunately.
Locking gas door. Okay, this is not a) one where you pull a button
inside and the door pops open (I hate those. I see them all the time
BROKEN ... the door doesn't close, or you have to pry it open, or
the wire which connects the lever with the mechanism has broken so
you have to open the trunk, yadda yadda yadda ... One word: FORD).
Nor is it b) one where you insert a key and unlock it. It's nothing
more than the vaccuum-pressure mechanism which sends a pin into a
hole when the doors are locked. It was removed in more recent years
by VW because apparently people had been calling in by the hundreds
saying, "How do I unlock/open my tank door?" WTF. Here's where I
become unhelpful. Somebody recently (two months ago or so) started
a thread on this mailing list about how one could install it in a
recent Jetta using stock parts. It's doable, I think, since the
little hole is still there and the hole where the pin goes is still
there - just empty. Um, whomever it was, could you please clue us
in on what progress you made? Thanks much. If you're really hard up,
go to an auto parts store and buy a Stant locking gas cap. This is
the cap itself, that screws on. I see lots of these. No big deal.
   Regarding the beepless alarm ... can't help you much there,
either. My alarm never beeped when armed. It's a '95 - an early '95
(mid-'94 is its birthdate. I'm convinced that this is why it also
has no DRLs. I don't think that cars manufactured in 1994 were
required to have DRLs - I think that that legislation required it
of cars BUILT in '95 or later ... thankfully for me). Numerous
folks have sent letters to the list saying, "I replaced my stereo's
head unit, and now my alarm doesn't beep when I arm it! WTF?" Well,
it's an odd thing. If your stereo's head unit (id est your tape
deck itself) is not all the way in, your alarm won't beep when it's
armed. Push it in hard and presto and all. It works. WELL ... having
said that, I must now contradict it. In my particular case, it's not
true. My head unit is the stock head unit, so it's very likely never
even been removed. Plus, it's in as far as I can push it w/o my
breaking it. Thus, it remains a mystery ... no beep when the alarm
is armed (but the LED still blinks, gladly). Maybe you should pull
your head unit out a tiny bit. ;)
   Anyhow, I'm useless. Sorry. Maybe somebody else can shed some
light on the locking tank door mod and the mysterious beepless
alarm.
 -Tom
'84 JettaGLi, silver on blue <leatherette>
'95 JettaGLX, black on black <leather>

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