Capless Fuel Fillers

[ANTAUS]

LINK-Ford Media

[Watchdevil]

Now if they can just find a way to eliminate the fuel filler doors!

[Joe771476]

I think it's dumb! What if I want to put a locking gas cap on? With rising gas prices, it may become a popular item! Will moisture/water find its way in? Dumb idea! Here's a REAL good idea: Make engine warmers standard on all Ford Motor Co. vehicles bound for cold climates. That will save gas by eliminating the desire to let your car warm up in the morning. Now THAT's a good idea! I wonder if Ford will compensate me for that. It could be a BIG selling point!

[Sizzler]

the orifice to the gas tank is still behind a little door, so that'll prevent moisture/snow/pine needles from getting into the tank while the car is parked, or driven.

 

as for locks, Ford needs to design in either a locking mechanism itself, or some sort of provision for an aftermarket locking system of some kind, because yes, as the price of gas goes up, theft is going to become an issue.

 

it IS a good idea on the face of it. My wife HATES having to reach in and unscrew that gas cap (that's what I'm for I guess). It dirties her fingers and threatens her nail polish. Both very VERY bad things.

 

edit:

Why would you need a locking cap, when you have to release the fuel door from inside the vehicle?

This a Ford's picture of the 'system':

 

 

It doesn't seem to show a release mechanism, though that's what would be needed.

Edited August 10, 2006 by Sizzler

[RichardJensen]

Putting the nozzle into the fuel filler tube trips a pair of spring-loaded releases on opposite sides of the tube. Those releases open the door at the end of the fuel filler tube. In order to siphon gas out of the tube, you'd have to jam something into the fuel filler in order to open the door at the bottom end of the tube, before sticking in your siphon hose.

[Sizzler]

Putting the nozzle into the fuel filler tube trips a pair of spring-loaded releases on opposite sides of the tube. Those releases open the door at the end of the fuel filler tube. In order to siphon gas out of the tube, you'd have to jam something into the fuel filler in order to open the door at the bottom end of the tube, before sticking in your siphon hose.

 

you mean the perp would need to carry along say, a 12" length of 1" galvanized pipe, to stick in the filler tube and run the siphon hose through? and if you came up on him in the act, why, he'd have that handy dandy bludgeon right in his ready hand?

 

[RichardJensen]

you mean the perp would need to carry along say, a 12" length of 1" galvanized pipe, to stick in the filler tube and run the siphon hose through? and if you came up on him in the act, why, he'd have that handy dandy bludgeon right in his ready hand?

 

Not 12", the releases must be tripped by your typical 5-6" long pump nozzle.

 

More likely the perp would get his hands on a discarded (or stolen) gas pump, and use the nozzle.

 

BTW, how secure is a typical locking gas cap?

Edited August 10, 2006 by RichardJensen

[Ron W.]

I don't like locking gas caps, seen enough damage from crowbars in the 70's, people breaking the things off and deforming the filler neck. If someone really wants to steal your gas they could always poke a hole in the bottom of the gas tank.

[F250]

you mean the perp would need to carry along say, a 12" length of 1" galvanized pipe, to stick in the filler tube and run the siphon hose through? and if you came up on him in the act, why, he'd have that handy dandy bludgeon right in his ready hand?

 

 

If you "come up on him in the act" correctly he won't even remember how he woke up in a ditch.

 

Locking gas caps, like any other lock on a car, cannot make theft impossable, they are to make dirt bag thieves look for an easier target somewhere else.

[OAC_Sparky]

Locking gas caps?:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, have any of you tried to siphon gas out of a Ford in the past 8 years? It's damned-near impossible, they're designed that way.

 

When I went to safety my '95 Windstar I had to replace the rear brake lines, I had to drop the tank. There was about 3/4 of a tank of gas. After 1/2 an hour of trying to get a 3/8" tube for a handpump down the filler tube, I said f^ it and had to disconnect the fuel lines, direct jumper the fuel pump and used the pump to empty the tank.

 

They're all like that now. A locking gas cap is only good now for keeping somebody from sticking crap INTO your tank, not getting gas out.

[Ralph Greene]

Probably the only thing about our Montego my wife dislikes is the gas cap. The loop that holds it on is always messed up, and sometimes the cap gets hung up, etc. Any improvements there would be welcomed by my wife...and I suspect others as well.

[Ovaltine]

I like this idea! As long as the pipes are as leak resistant in side impacts, I think this is an innovative idea.

 

Kudos to Ford!

 

 

I like seeing little things/ideas like this on a car. It shows that there's somebody back at the ranch that might be thinking "outside the box".

 

A good example of this (which for some reason isn't used anymore!) is the fixed single windshield washer squirter on my '88 Mustang that covers the entire windshield with a high-speed zigzag stream of fluid. No nozzles or rubber hoses on the wiper arms! Great idea!

 

I wonder whatever happened to that gadget? It works really well. Even in the winter, if snow or ice plugged it, all you had to do was pour a little hot water on it, and you were good to go. The wiper arm mounted jets and tubes on my Plymouth Acclaim were a pain in the butt to keep working under those conditions.

 

-Ovaltine

[RichardJensen]

I like this idea! As long as the pipes are as leak resistant in side impacts, I think this is an innovative idea.

 

Kudos to Ford!

I like seeing little things/ideas like this on a car. It shows that there's somebody back at the ranch that might be thinking "outside the box".

 

A good example of this (which for some reason isn't used anymore!) is the fixed single windshield washer squirter on my '88 Mustang that covers the entire windshield with a high-speed zigzag stream of fluid. No nozzles or rubber hoses on the wiper arms! Great idea!

 

I wonder whatever happened to that gadget? It works really well. Even in the winter, if snow or ice plugged it, all you had to do was pour a little hot water on it, and you were good to go. The wiper arm mounted jets and tubes on my Plymouth Acclaim were a pain in the butt to keep working under those conditions.

 

-Ovaltine

Umm. Almost all Fords--at least every Ford I ever owned--had hood mounted washer jets. Thought this was SOP in the industry.

[NickF1011]

Umm. Almost all Fords--at least every Ford I ever owned--had hood mounted washer jets. Thought this was SOP in the industry.

 

The ones on my Mustang are on the cowl, not the hood. :P

[ANTAUS]

MY LS has them on the cowl as well. I always found the hood mounted ones pointless. Nothing but a stupid speedbump when your waxing the car, and something that would appeal to the ghettoboy crowd if they are wanting to decorated it with cute little lights. I dont see any benefit from hood mounted ones actually, than making it easier to install/replace for manufacturers.

[NickF1011]

MY LS has them on the cowl as well. I always found the hood mounted ones pointless. Nothing but a stupid speedbump when your waxing the car, and something that would appeal to the ghettoboy crowd if they are wanting to decorated it with cute little lights. I dont see any benefit from hood mounted ones actually, than making it easier to install/replace for manufacturers.

 

Well, the hood-mounted ones do allow for a wider spray pattern. The ones on my Mazda6 are hood-mounted, and I must say, they work a heck of a lot better than the ones on my Mustang ever did.

[Sizzler]

MY LS has them on the cowl as well. I always found the hood mounted ones pointless. Nothing but a stupid speedbump when your waxing the car, and something that would appeal to the ghettoboy crowd if they are wanting to decorated it with cute little lights. I dont see any benefit from hood mounted ones actually, than making it easier to install/replace for manufacturers.

 

Agreed. Though as long as we're talking 'little improvements', why not put heat to the little nozzles for winter freeze time. Or better yet, alternative reserviors(sp?) that you can select from the climate control...one setting for ordinary wiper fluid, the other setting for super-melting-antifreeze solution for the winter, and hey, heat the reservior(sp?) too.

 

Those wiper/washer setups just freeze into useless frozen hotdogs in the winter. New Dodge's have inside defroster vents pointed right at where the wipers rest on the windshield, which is nice, once everything's warmed up, and certainly better than pointing the defroster at the inside rearview mirror.

[ANTAUS]

Being in FL I haven't experienced that specific senario though But yes, those little details do help.

 

Mine has 3 jets from the cowl area, this makes up for the "wide pattern" that the usual 2 hood mounted usually have. In fact, it covers pretty much every corner of the windshield. One of those pleasant surprises actually compared to many other vehicles.

 

If they wish to do a "Winter Pkg" where they include that, heated steering wheel, heated seats, etc. it would be a great idea.

 

I would welcome a "Summer pkg" that would include some sort of cabin ventilator while the vehicle is parked.

Edited August 11, 2006 by ANTAUS

[NickF1011]

I would welcome a "Summer pkg" that would include some sort of cabin ventilator while the vehicle is parked.

 

I always thought those were called windows? :P j/k Yeah...a little solar array with a ventilation fan would be nice...I know a few luxury cars offer such a thing already.

[Sizzler]

Being in FL I haven't experienced that specific senario though But yes, those little details do help.

 

Mine has 3 jets from the cowl area, this makes up for the "wide pattern" that the usual 2 hood mounted usually have. In fact, it covers pretty much every corner of the windshield. One of those pleasant surprises actually compared to many other vehicles.

 

If they wish to do a "Winter Pkg" where they include that, heated steering wheel, heated seats, etc. it would be a great idea.

 

I would welcome a "Summer pkg" that would include some sort of cabin ventilator while the vehicle is parked.

 

Every one's a little different, every one wants a little something else. Me, I don't care about heated seats or steering wheels...in the winter I'm wearing a coat and gloves. By the time the cabin air warms enough to take off the gloves, the steering wheel's warm enough too. I warm up seats myself, pretty fast, and once I've warmed them up, I actually prefer them to remain cool, not heat up some more. But other people are different. Which is why dual-zone climate controls would make our household a lot happier than baked/cooled butts or steering wheels radiating in my face.

 

Besides, with all the talk about cellphone radiation and the brain, I'm really starting to get leery of all these electric field generating coils all over the place...which means a big NO to coils in my car seat. But that's just me.

 

Isn't the MKS (and when you're talking and spreading the good news via word of mouth, doesn't anyone think MKS and MKX might be misunderstood, MKS for MKX?) supposed to have a glass roof or something? I would think a 'summer package' incorporating some sort of ventilation while parked would be an excellent idea.

Edited August 11, 2006 by Sizzler

[RichardJensen]

If Audi holds a patent on that solar ventilation thingy they're unlikely to license it to Ford, in order for Ford to install it on more quotidian vehicles.

[2005Explorer]

Agreed. Though as long as we're talking 'little improvements', why not put heat to the little nozzles for winter freeze time. Or better yet, alternative reserviors(sp?) that you can select from the climate control...one setting for ordinary wiper fluid, the other setting for super-melting-antifreeze solution for the winter, and hey, heat the reservior(sp?) too.

 

Those wiper/washer setups just freeze into useless frozen hotdogs in the winter. New Dodge's have inside defroster vents pointed right at where the wipers rest on the windshield, which is nice, once everything's warmed up, and certainly better than pointing the defroster at the inside rearview mirror.

 

If that is what you want...Buick has your answer! Buick Lucerne has an available heated washer system that heats washer fluid to 149 degrees! I can't believe anyone missed all those washer fluid commercials they used to have on tv when it first came out!

 

I would welcome a "Summer pkg" that would include some sort of cabin ventilator while the vehicle is parked.

 

Well you could just get the "As seen on TV" Auto Cool :D

 

Here is a review video for your viewing enjoyment...does it really work??? Watch and find out! :lol:

 

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-ga.../auto-cool-test

Edited August 11, 2006 by 2005Explorer

[Sizzler]

If that is what you want...Buick has your answer! Buick Lucerne has an available heated washer system that heats washer fluid to 149 degrees! I can't believe anyone missed all those washer fluid commercials they used to have on tv when it first came out!

 

if only car selection was as simple as focusing on one feature. it's all about the package, and the price for the package.

 

Some car manufacturer, at some time, is going to produce a package with ALL the nice little features for a good price and rocket up the marketshare ladder against all the others who're just going through the motions...oh wait

 

Besides, I'd rather not be driving a Buick; don't want a V8, and don't like their V6, and lousy color selections and interiors....

Edited August 11, 2006 by Sizzler

[2005Explorer]

if only car selection was as simple as focusing on one feature. it's all about the package, and the price for the package.

 

Some car manufacturer, at some time, is going to produce a package with ALL the nice little features for a good price and rocket up the marketshare ladder against all the others who're just going through the motions...oh wait

 

Besides, I'd rather not be driving a Buick; don't want a V8, and don't like their V6, and lousy color selections and interiors....

 

I agree, at 30 years old there is something that just does not seem right driving a Buick at this point in my life. With that said however, the heated washer fluid idea is a great idea, so is this new capless fuel filler. Your right by saying it would be nice if all of these little handy features could be put together into one attractive package. Maybe someday someone will figure it out.

[Biker16]

Being in FL I haven't experienced that specific senario though But yes, those little details do help.

 

Mine has 3 jets from the cowl area, this makes up for the "wide pattern" that the usual 2 hood mounted usually have. In fact, it covers pretty much every corner of the windshield. One of those pleasant surprises actually compared to many other vehicles.

 

If they wish to do a "Winter Pkg" where they include that, heated steering wheel, heated seats, etc. it would be a great idea.

 

I would welcome a "Summer pkg" that would include some sort of cabin ventilator while the vehicle is parked.

but you will be under 20ft of ocean in a few years.