mmarshall

Only during periods of stable fuel-prices.....though, here in the D.C. area, the run-up in pump-prices after Harvey and Irma seems to be stabilizing now. But, right after the storm(s), it was going up 10-20 cents a day.

One interesting feature (and a pleasant surprise) on my Lacrosse filling-system was the capless feature, where you just open the filler-door, insert the nozzle, and begin fueling.....there is no separate screw-off gas-cap hanging by a tether or chain to wear out or break, or mindlessly leave the cap sitting on top of the gas pump or on the ground (you'd be surprised how often I come across that at gas stations while filling up). Until I saw it on the 2017 Lacrosse, I didn't know that Buick (or GM) had gone to that simple and convenient system for fill-ups. You can thank Ford for that.....they were the first company I've seen using it in the American market, and I guess others are following suit.

(And, of course, I did a whole separate Car Chat thread on how to keep the nozzle-hole raised while inserting in and out, and gas from spilling down the fender, so I won't re-hash that here).

Toys4RJill

I wonder why some manufacturers like Toyota have no adopted the capless fuel filler. Of all the companies, Toyota should be one of the companies to do it.

SW17LS

I like the capless filler also, why haven't others adopted it? Perhaps more chance of leaking caps down the road and emissions issues?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Re:capless gas fill up, LOVE it on my jeep too.

mmarshall

I don't know if the capless system would work with Japanese-style filler-pipes and nozzles....or, perhaps, the Japanese government outlawed them for some reason (similar to the State of New Jersey, which outlaws self-serve pumps). I'm not saying it won't work.....I simply don't know. I've never used a Japanese fuel pump before, and don't really know if it is similar to American or Canadian systems. But if not, it could (?) be one of the explanations.

Toys4RJill

Not following you here. How would it not work on Japan style filler pipes and nozzles?

mmarshall

It may or may not...that's the point...I simply don't know. I've never seen a Japanese pump or nozzle, so I don't know what size or shape they are. I don't know if you can remember back to the 1970s, but, here in the U.S., when 100% unleaded gas and the catalytic converters first came out in 1975, there were two sizes of gas-nozzles and filler-pipes...one size for regular (leaded) and partially-unleaded gas, and another one for the fully-unleaded gas that the converters had to use. This was an EPA mandate...the two different size nozzles and filler-pipes were there (supposedly) to help keep leaded or partially-leaded gas from accidentally being pumped into converter-equippped cars....lead would ruin the converters. As always, though...money talks. The leaded gas was a few cents more a gallon than the unleaded/partially-leaded stuff. So, as so often happens, the cheapskates and skin-flints who cared nothing for the environment, and who didn't care if the converters in their cars fouled up (there wasn't much local emissions- testing in those days, outside of California) would use a plastic filler-pipe addition (somewhat like a staged-funnel) so they could use the larger leaded-fuel nozzles to pump fuel into the smaller filler-pipes on the converter-equipped cars. That way, they saved a few cents a gallon.....and screwed up an expensive converter. But they didn't care....nobody enforced the rules, and if somebody else got stuck with it....tough luck. here was also little effort to find and prosecute the companies who made the plastic filler-adapters.




Anyhow, as usual, I went off on a tangent. My point was that I've seen conditions before where there were multiple-size filler-pipes, and I have no idea what kind of system or hardware they may have in Japan.

SW17LS

If the Japanese had different size filler pipes, you wouldn’t be able to fill a Japanese car from the same pump as any other car.

The analogy here to leader and unleaded pumps doesn’t make sense.

mmarshall

I don't necessarily agree it doesn't make sense...it may or may not. Japanese-spec cars aren't designed for the American market. That's the point...the filler-pipe/nozzles might or might not work. And if you have never been to Japan, or seen the hardware, of talked to someone who has, you may not really know, either.

Toys4RJill

Japanese import RHD models have been imported into Canada for years. Diesel Land Cruisers and Mitsubishi models as well. It's the same pump and nozzle.

Plus, lets just pretend they were different. Then cars like the LS460 or Toyota 4Runner would currently have a different US filler pipe compared to the the Japan domestic model. Therefore, if that were the case, then a US bound LS460 or 4Runner could have a different capless filler hole.

Sulu

I am guessing that it is as simple as a possible emissions problem that is keeping Toyota from using capless fuel fillers. If a fuel filler does not seal properly, there are evaporative emissions. It is easier to make a fuel filler cap seal tight than it is to make a capless fuel filler seal tight.

Toys4RJill

Highly doubtful that this is the case. Toyota is just behind on this. Pehraps super cheap too as it is more likely related to cost cutting reasons. Eventually Toyota will have a capless fuel filler.

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

My Odyssey has the capless fuel filler. I haven't had to gas it up yet, but I'm assuming it works

mmarshall

It's a nice feature. You can forget screwing/unscrewing caps, twist-clicks-to-verify, tethers that wear out or break, caps left on the gas pump or on the ground, other cars running over the cap and crushing it, worn-out caps triggering Check-Engine lights and failing emission tests, and several other problems. And, of course, you can ultimately thank Ford......they were the first to use capless-fueling in the American market, though I'm not sure they actually invented it.

Sulu

Foreign object debris (FOD) can prevent the capless fuel filler from closing properly, causing evaporative emissions and triggering the CEL.

Source

Source

I am not saying that the capless fuel filler is bad, just saying that there are problems with it not closing properly that may cause Toyota (known to be a cautious automaker) to be cautious with it.