Capless fuel tanks... is the idea as dumb as it seems?

[atsah]

Mine is capless, never had a problem in the last 5 years driving on dirt roads and salt roads..

 

[gsganzer]

My F150 has a capless system and I haven't had an issue, but I'm not driving dirt roads everyday. For those that do, can you just fold or bunch up a red shop rag and put it over the filler hole? The door would keep it in place. When you open the door, you have a shop rag waiting for you to clean the area and wipe up dribble.

 

[zing]

Makes me think how the motoring public got had really bad. Self service was something that came out (as I recall) to save a couple of cents a litre on fuel.

195s SERVICE STATION FILM STANDARD OIL COMPANY of CALIFORNIA "MAKE MINE SERVICE" 65654 MD - YouTube Look at those guys run!

I don't think many realize how the public gets less and less, and as old people die, no one remembers.

"According to your records you've driven more than 1400 miles since your last oil was last changed. May I suggest changing it now for you?"

Holy frig, how often did they change the oil back then?

 

[oosik]

I remember when my dad bought his new 1949 Chevy. Oil change interval was 1000 miles.

 

[LouNY]

Oil quality was much less, the additive packages were just being developed,
straight weight oils were the normal.
On top of that many engines didn't even have a oil filter, they were optional.
Many were aftermarket and at that time the filter change intervale was every other oil change.

 

[Oaktree]

I don't think many realize how the public gets less and less, and as old people die, no one remembers.

But do they? Way back when (before my time) grocery stores weren't self service either. Makes no sense to me to pay someone to do something I'm perfectly capable of doing myself, whether it's pumping gas or getting a can of beans off a shelf.

I don't remember quite that far back, but do remember the 60's service stations. Fond memories, from the Ding Ding pulling it, to the coin changer worn on the attendants belts. But then I also remember pulling in and waiting an eternity while the only attendant helped another customer first. Overall I don't mind pulling in, pumping my own, and moving on. Not so much fun standing in the blowing snow in February though.

Don't miss the scams gas station attendants used to pull back in the "full service" days either, like spraying oil on your alternator and telling you it was leaking and needed to be replaced pronto (or worse like slicing a belt or hose, dropping an antacid pill in your battery, etc.). Had that happen to me on a road trip back in the 70s...attendant ducked out of sight for a minute, then informed me my rear shocks were dripping. I didn't fall for it, but down the road a couple miles my curiosity got the better of me. He didn't have a very good aim with his oil can...most of it was on the underside of the car. Guess those shocks dripped up! :laughing:
At least I knew better, how many women or non-mechanically inclined men got taken in by these scams?

As far as capless gas tanks go, I don't have anything with one but my guess is that one automaker thought it would be a clever gadget and others followed suit, no different than having the brand/model embossed into the tailgate of a pickup or pushbutton start.

 

[oosik]

Ah, ha. So I Googled "capless fuel tank". It showed one on a Ford pickup. First time ever to see something like that. I'll stick with my "old fashion" screw down cap - thank you.

 

[deserteagle71]

But do they? Way back when (before my time) grocery stores weren't self service either. Makes no sense to me to pay someone to do something I'm perfectly capable of doing myself, whether it's pumping gas or getting a can of beans off a shelf.



Don't miss the scams gas station attendants used to pull back in the "full service" days either, like spraying oil on your alternator and telling you it was leaking and needed to be replaced pronto (or worse like slicing a belt or hose, dropping an antacid pill in your battery, etc.). Had that happen to me on a road trip back in the 70s...attendant ducked out of sight for a minute, then informed me my rear shocks were dripping. I didn't fall for it, but down the road a couple miles my curiosity got the better of me. He didn't have a very good aim with his oil can...most of it was on the underside of the car. Guess those shocks dripped up! :laughing:
At least I knew better, how many women or non-mechanically inclined men got taken in by these scams?

As far as capless gas tanks go, I don't have anything with one but my guess is that one automaker thought it would be a clever gadget and others followed suit, no different than having the brand/model embossed into the tailgate of a pickup or pushbutton start.

Used to upset me every time I drove into Oregon - I'd pull into a gas station and start the fueling process and some kid would come screaming out of the building because in Oregon it is against the law to pump your own gas. Yet about 5 years ago I pulled into Burns, Oregon with my diesel dually...and the attendant came out and immediately stuck the gas pump nozzle into my diesel!

 

[gsganzer]

My guess is that the move to capless fuel fillers is due in part to the number of fault codes from vacuum issues when people fail to secure the caps. The average person probably makes "reliability complaints" that might be impacting the vehicle reliability ratings. When the problem is due to idiots, you have to find a way to remove the idiot from the equation.

 

[5030]

I know my wife's 08 Burb will throw a check engine light if the fuel cap isn't tight so the capless filler could have something to do with that. One thing for sure, glad gas is cheap or thieves would be siphoning it out of cars with no filler caps. I put a locking cap on my Ford capless because I was worried some prankster might sugar my tank where I park at. Had the potato trick pulled on me years ago. Not nice.