BUT what will work is if I cut the locking metal rod by ~1 inch.
See pic# 1, closed position...look how far the metal rod sticks out.

See pic# 2, open position...metal rod is STILL sticking out, locking the filler door.
Pic# 3, metal rod
Pic# 4, If I cut/shorten the metal rod by 1 inch...should fix it.