CA Gas Dispensor Field Tip

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Amskeptic
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CA Gas Dispensor Field Tip

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:52 pm

Other states may have these vapor recovery nozzles as well, but California's latest are a total pain in the neck with the late model bus.

A great deal of gasoline puking down the side of your late model bus occurs with the "bevel cut" California vapor recovery dispensor boots.
Yes, in the name of reducing hydrocarbons, California's bevelled boot guarantees the escape of billions of hydrocarbon . . . units.

As a committed environmentalist who also hates to see the original paint get stripped off the side of my car, I now grab a screwdriver when I get the Windex out at a gas stop. Loosen the clamp holding the boot on the nozzle and rotate the boot 180*:

Image

See, now it cants properly when you insert the nozzle. No spills. Restore configuration and tighten the clamp lightly when you are done:

Image
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Ritter
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Post by Ritter » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:26 pm

You know, sometimes I thought it was just me. I live in an air district that, so far, has not required those. I drive the bus to work, 10 miles south into the Bay Area air district, and I'll be damned if I don't barf most of the gas out down the side of the bus and onto the pavement. Fuggin frustrating. I try to just fill up at home to avoid it.
1978 Westfalia 2.0 FI

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Bookwus
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Post by Bookwus » Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:10 pm

Not possible to simply turn the handle upside down and dispense the gas? We used to be able to do that in the old days.
I have cancer.

It does not have me.

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:14 pm

Bookwus wrote:Not possible to simply turn the handle upside down and dispense the gas? We used to be able to do that in the old days.
Nooooooo, the hose and the everything bash into the belt line. Then the vapor recovery switch trips terminally. These late model buses. Oy. Just turn the damn boot.
Colin
(and turn it back if you are polite)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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airkooledchris
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Post by airkooledchris » Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:17 pm

thank god, I thought I was nuts. every time I fill up I have to go about 2/3rds speed or it'll just start dumping down the side. no more automatic shutoff?

in the vanagon id just set the little holder to keep it wide open and walk away. now im delicately pulling it just past halfway speed to be sure it isn't on my shoes.

thanks for the tip, I gotta try this.
1979 California Transporter

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Sylvester
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Post by Sylvester » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:28 am

I just hold it and do it all manually on the Bus.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Hippie
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Post by Hippie » Thu Dec 02, 2010 6:37 am

airkooledchris wrote:...no more automatic shutoff?
The shutoffs only work when fuel backs up into the nozzle and trips an air diaphragm at the end of a tiny internal air tube. They don't respond to gas spillage unless it backs up into the nozzle.

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Randy in Maine
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Post by Randy in Maine » Thu Dec 02, 2010 8:47 am

I have always wondered if it would be possible to use a molded hose to to go between the dispensor/the fuel tank and just hold the bellows back.

We don't have those here so I cannot test it out.
79 VW Bus

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Hippie
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Post by Hippie » Thu Dec 02, 2010 8:20 pm

Randy in Maine wrote:We don't have those here so I cannot test it out.
We don't yet either, but I usually have a small pocket knife on me--so when we do get them....

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Sluggo
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Post by Sluggo » Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:19 am

I had that problem from day one with my 77. Hasn't happened since I moved. Still a little touchy but not like in Ca. Ca fuel/smog restrictions SUCK!!!
:vwgauge420:

1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
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ruckman101
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Post by ruckman101 » Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:30 am

I've never had any issue here in "step away from the pump" Oregon. I avoid Washington's more expensive self-serve options if at all possible. And then the filler on a '70 is situated a bit differently than the later bays.


neal
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airkooledchris
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Re: CA Gas Dispensor Field Tip

Post by airkooledchris » Sat Nov 30, 2013 8:41 am

http://www.aerostich.com/e-z-fill-nozzle-key.html

Especially given the shipping options, this one is much more reasonably priced at $12 shipped to your door.

Im going to try one. I hate having to hold the pump trigger at 1/4th engaged constantly and still getting spills.
1979 California Transporter

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yondermtn
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Re: CA Gas Dispensor Field Tip

Post by yondermtn » Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:11 am

I thought I read these things were determined to be ineffective and would/could be removed.
1977 Westy 2.0FI
1990 Vanagon MV 2.1 Auto

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Amskeptic
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Re: CA Gas Dispensor Field Tip

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:18 pm

yondermtn wrote:I thought I read these things were determined to be ineffective and would/could be removed.
You did indeed read something:

The conclusion was that modern vehicles are good enough at swallowing the displaced air in the fuel tank as it fills up, that it was senseless to make the gas station do it through all of those dispensor hoses. The very best method for the very least hydrocarbons is a simple rubber hat on the nozzle.

Sometimes, sometimes modern life gets back to simple . . .
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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