Ford’s Easy Fuel system uses an integrated spring-loaded flapper door to eliminate the need for a screw on fuel filler cap.
•Easy Fue capless fuel-filler system has an integrated spring-loaded flapper door that allows customers to simply insert the fuel nozzle into the tank to fill up – no screw cap is required.
•Easy Fuel automatically seals after the fuel nozzle is removed – no waiting for customers to re-secure the cap – emitting fewer evaporative emissions into the environment.
•Easy Fuel was introduced on the 2008 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, and will be offered as standard equipment on the all-new 2009 Ford F-150, Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS.
•Ford will migrate Easy Fuel as standard across the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury passenger vehicle lineups during the next five years.
The spring-loaded flapper door is held closed by two latches that can only be released by a standard-size unleaded fuel nozzle. When the proper nozzle is inserted into the filler neck of the system, the latches release, and the nozzle pushes the spring-loaded flapper door to the open position. When the nozzle is removed, the flapper door automatically is forced closed by the spring.
The fuel filler pipe is then completely sealed, which prevents fuel vapors from escaping and helps reduce evaporative emissions.
Every time a fuel cap is either lost or not screwed on properly hydrocarbon emissions enter the environment, with Easy Fuel, this is less of a problem.
Easy Fuel also has a patented mis-fueling inhibitor to reduce improper fueling and siphoning. The inhibitor consists of a fuel nozzle detector that guides the nozzle to the opening. If a nozzle or foreign tube of a different size – a diesel nozzle or plastic hose, for example – is placed in the filler neck of a gasoline-powered vehicle, the latches will not release. For a diesel-powered vehicle, the inhibitor will keep out the smaller gasoline nozzles.
To protect the fuel filler neck from dirt, dust and debris, Easy Fuel relies on a flexible rubber seal in the body housing. The system also comes with a handy plastic funnel, which is stored with a vehicle’s tire changing kit, in case someone runs out of fuel and needs to add a gallon or two from a portable container. The funnel is the same diameter as an unleaded fuel pump nozzle for a gasoline-powered vehicle.