As Adopted : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 State of California

AIR RESOURCES BOARD

SPECIFICATIONS FOR FILL PIPES AND OPENINGS OF

2015 AND SUBSEQUENT MODEL MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL TANKS

Adopted: March 22, 2012As Adopted : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 NOTE: This document is incorporated by reference in section 22 35 , tit le 13, California Code of Regulations (CCR). Additional req uirements necessary to complete an application for certification of motor vehicles are contained in other documents that are designed to be used in conjunction with this document. These other docu ments include:

1. “California 2015 and Subsequent Model Criteria Pollutant Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures and 2017 and Subsequent Model Greenhouse Gas Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures for Passenger Cars, Light

- Duty

Trucks an d Medium

- Duty Vehicles” (incorporated by reference in section 1961.2 (d), title 13, CCR) ;

2. “California Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 2009 and Subsequent Model Zero

- Emission Vehicles and Hybrid Electric Vehicles, in the Passenger Car , Light

- Duty Truck, and Medium

- Duty Vehicle Classes” (incorporated by reference in section 1962.1(h), title 13, CCR) ;

3. “California Evaporative Emission Standards and Test Procedures f or 2001 and Subsequent Model Motor Vehicles” (incorporated b y referenc e in section 1976(c), title 13, CCR);

4. “Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements

– 1994 and Subsequent Model

Year Passenger Cars, Light

- Duty Trucks, and Medium

- Duty Vehicles and Engines” (incorporated by reference in secti on 1968.1, title 13, CCR) ;

5. “Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements

– 2004 and Subsequent Model

Year Passenger Cars, Light

- Duty Trucks, and Medium

- Duty Vehicles and Engines” (incorporated by reference in section 1968.2, title 13, CCR);

6. “ California R efueling E mission S tandards and Test P rocedures for 2001 and

S ubsequent M odel M otor V ehicles ” (incorporated by reference in section 1978 , title 13, CCR).I

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012

SPECIFICATIONS FOR FILL PIPES AND OPENINGS OF MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL

TANKS

I

. General

A. No new 2015 or later model year gasoline or alcohol fueled passenger car, light

- duty truck, medium

- duty vehicle, or heavy

- duty vehicle may be sold, offered for sale, or registered in California unless such vehicle complies with the following specifications for fill p ipes and opening s of motor vehicles fuel tanks. The Executive Officer may exempt vehicles for which compliance with the specifications is found to be technologically infeasible, in accordance with Paragraph 9.

B. Evidence to show compliance with these specifications shall be submitted to the Executive Officer of the Air Resources Board with the application of certification of new vehicles required by Chapter 3, Subchapter 1, Article 2, of Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations.

C. Sections 4 through 8 sha ll apply to new 2015 and later model year otto

cycle motor vehicles, except motorcycles.

II

. Definitions

These test procedures incorporate by reference the definitions set forth in the International Organization for Standardization standard (ISO) “Road vehicles

– Filler pipes and openings of motor vehicle fuel tanks

– Vapour recovery system” ( ISO

- 13331

- 1995(E) ), as adopted June 1, 1995 ; the " California 2015 and Subsequent Model Criteria

Pollutant Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures and 2017 an d Subsequent

Model Greenhouse Gas Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures for Passenger Cars, Light

- Duty Trucks and Medium

- Duty Vehicles ;" and the “California Exhaust Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 2009 and Subsequent Model

Zero

- Emission Vehicles and Hybrid Electric Vehicles, in the Passenger Car, Light

- Duty Truck, and Medium

- Duty Vehicle Classes,” including the incorporated definitions from the Code of Federal Regulations. In addition, the following definitions apply:

1

. “Restriction device” means a fill pipe device installed by the vehicle manufacturer to prevent insertion by a leaded nozzle spout and to prevent fueling with leaded gasoline, pursuant to regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

2

. “Vapor reco very nozzle”, for the purpose of these specifications, means a nozzle, unleaded or leaded as appropriate for fueling vehicles, certified by the state board, pursuant to the board’s “Certification procedures for Gasoline Vapor Recovery Systems at Service St ations” established in Section 94001 of Title 17, California Code of Regulations, at any time between January 1, 1981 and September 14, 1982, togetherI

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 with an appropriate vapor hose. An alternative vapor recovery nozzle means any nozzle certified subseque nt to September 14, 1982.

3

. “Premature nozzle shut

- off” means any automatic shut

- off of the vapor recovery nozzle before the vehicle fuel tank is filled to either 90 percent of the nominal fuel tank capacity or to within two gallons less than the nomina l tank capacity, whichever corresponds to the smaller quantity of gasoline in the fuel tank.

4

. “Liquid gasoline loss” means any liquid gasoline that leaves the fill pipe/nozzle interface during dispersing or after nozzle shut

- off and includes any liquid gasoline on the gr o und, on the vehicle, or that enters the nozzle bellows, nozzle body vapor passage, or vapor hose, but does not include liquid gasoline in the nozzle spout.

III. General Design Specifications

The fill pipe and opening of the vehicle fuel tank shall conform to all specifications in the ISO standard “Road vehicles

– Filler pipes and openings of motor

vehicle fuel tanks

– Vapour recovery system” ( ISO

- 13331

- 1995(E) ), as adopted June 1,

1995 and incorporated by reference herein

. For fille r pipes with threaded

- type caps, manufacturers may elect to use the alternate filler pipe sealing surface shape specified in the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) standard “Fuel Tank Filler Cap and Cap

Retainer Threaded” ( J1114 ), as amended August 4, 2005 and incorporated by reference herein. The alternate shape allowance would be used in lieu of section 3.1 of

ISO

- 13331

- 1995(E); all other provisions of ISO

- 133 3 1

- 1995(E) would need to be met by a manufacturer utilizing the SAE J1114 provision.

IV. Fill Rate Specifications

A. The fill pipe on 2015 and subsequent model year vehicles shall accept a fill rate of 10 gallons per minute using the test procedure described in Section 6.

B

. There shall be no premature nozzle shut

- off in 90 percent of the test repetitions for any test nozzle using the test procedures described in Section 6.

V. Spillage and Spitback Specifications

A. There shall be no more than 1 millimeter of liquid gasoline loss per test in 90 percent of the tests using the test proce dures described in Section 6.

B. There shall be no unlatching of the vapor recovery nozzle during dispensing or upon nozzle shut

- off using the test procedure described in Section 6.I

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 VI. Test Procedures

The following test procedures and test conditi ons shall be used for determining compliance with the specifications in Section 4 and 5.

A. Each different fill pipe/tank configuration, as appropriate to represent adequately the manufacturer’s product line, shall be tested with two vapor recovery

noz zles. Each nozzle must be from a different manufacturer. At least one of the two

nozzles shall be a balance

- type. Each nozzle shall include a hold

- open clip for hands

off dispensing. Upon the request of a vehicle manufacturer, the Executive Officer or his designate may approve alternate vapor recovery nozzles and hoses for use with the test procedures.

B. The fill pipe shall be tested as installed in the vehicle. Fuel system mock

ups sufficiently comp l ete to demonstrate production vehicle complianc e with these specifications may be used.

C. The vehicle shall be parked in a level attitude and oriented such that normal vapor and liquid hose loads are applied to the nozzle. Normal vapor and liquid hose loads may be represented by applying a retract or cable tension of approximately ten pounds to a hose clamp attached to the liquid hose approximately three feet from

the nozzle as measured along the hose.

D. Gasoline used as fuel during the tests shall have a Reid vapor pressure of at least 8.5 poun ds per square inch (psi) and be at a temper ature of 2 1 0 plus or minus

5 0 Centigrade.

E. The pressure drop from the nozzle/fill pipe interface through the vapor passage shall be nominally 0.5 inch of water (gauge) as measured with a nitrogen gas

flow of 6 0 cubic feet per hour though the vapor passage.

F. Each test shall be conducted as follows:

At the start of the test the fuel tank shall be approximately 10 percent of the nominal tank capacity. The nozzle to be sued for dispensing gasoline shall be in the

normal hands

- off

- latched position. The fill rate shall be the minimum rate necessary to demonstrate compliance with the applicable fill rate specification set forth in Section 4. The nozzle shall be allowed to dispense gasoline until automatic noz zle shut

- off.

If a premature nozzle shut

- off occurs, the nozzle shall be left in the fill pipe in the same position. Dispensing shall be resumed within 10 seconds at the fill rate specified in Section 4 and dispensing shall continue until the fuel tank is filled to within 90 percent of the nominal fuel tank capacity or to within two gallons of the nominal fuel tankI

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 capacity, whichever corresponds to the smaller quantity of gasoline in the vehicle fuel

tank.

G. A minimum of five tests with each chose n ozzle shall be completed to demonstrate compliance with the fill rate and spillage/spitback specifications. If there is any premature nozzle shut

- off or instance of liquid gasoline loss greater than 1 millimeter during the first five test with any chose n nozzle, a minimum of ten test s with that nozzle shall be completed to demonstrate compliance with the fill rate and spillage/ spitback specifications.

H. At the request of a manufacturer, the Executive Officer may approve the

use of an alternative test procedure by the manufacturer upon a determination that the alternative test procedure is equivalent to the adopted test procedure. The manufacturer shall be responsible for demonstrating the equivalency of the alternative test procedure.

I. For fill p ipe/tank configurations with fuel system designs unchanged from a prior model year, and which have been tested using the adopted test procedure or by an equivalent test procedure acceptable to the Executive Officer as specified in Section
6.H, the test res ults from the prior model year may be used for determining compliance to these specifications.

VII. Specifications to Reduce Damage to Vapor Recovery Nozzles

To avoid damage to the bellows and faceplates of vapor recovery nozzles, there

shall be no sh arp projections or edges within the fill pipe access zone, along the surface of the fill pipe access zone, or along the surface of adjacent zones outside of the fill pipe access zone, which could foreseeably damage the bellows or faceplate of nozzles

durin g nozzle insertion, latching, dispensing or removal. Fill pipe access doors, including license plate holders and license plates when used a s access doors, and all associated door and license plate mounting brackets, screws, and other hardware shall

stand free of the fill pipe access zone during nozzle insertion, latching, dispensing, and removal. This Section shall also apply to all factory installed accessories in the vicinity of the fill pipe and opening.

VIII. Fill P ipe Assembly and Restriction Dev ice Durability and Other Specifications

A. The manufacturer of each motor vehicle shall warrant to the ultimate purchaser and each subsequent purchaser that he vehicle is: (1) designed, built, and equipped so as to conform, at the time of sale, with the specifications in Sections 4, 5, 7, 8.B, and 8.C herein, and (2) free from defects in materials and workmanship which cause the fill pipe assembly, including restriction device, to fail to conform to the specifications in Sections 4, 5, 7, 8.B, and 8.C he rein for the useful life of the vehicle as defined in Section 2035 of Title 13, California Code of Regulations. The provision ofI

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 Sections 2037 (d)

– (k), 2038, 2039, 2040, and 2041 of Title 13, California Code of Regulations, shall be applicable to the wa rranty. The fill pipe assembly, including restriction device, shall be subject to vehicle emissions related defects report and vehicle or engine recall procedures in Title 13, Chap ter 3, Subchapter 2, Article 2, California Code of Regulations.

B. Any r estriction device in a motor vehicle shall be sufficiently durable to withstand simple tampering and to prevent expansion of the restriction device diameter to 2.4 centimeters or removal of the restriction device without extraordinary effort.

C. The fi ll pipe assembly including fuel tank cap shall not expel liquid gasoline during normal driving maneuvers or parking attitudes for which the vehicle is designed irrespective of ambient temperature or tank level up to nominal capacity.

D. The fill pipe ass embly of all methanol

- fueled vehicles shall be designed to resist the insertion of flexible tubing of a diameter that is feasible for use in siphoning

fuel. Manufacturers of methanol

- fueled heavy

- duty vehicles in excess of 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weig ht may request an exemption from this requirement. The request shall be submitted to the Executive Officer and shall be granted if the manufacturer demonstrates that compliance with this requirement is technically infeasible.

IX. Exemption of Vehicles

A. A manufacturer may apply for an exemption from the fill pipe and fuel tank opening specifications in paragraphs 3 through 8 for any of its vehicles by applying in writing to the Executive Officer. Application should be submitted at lest 60 days prio r to the manufacturer’s date for final design commitment. The application shall set forth:

1. the specific models for which the exemption is sought;

2. for each such model all facts which demonstrate that compliance with the specifications is techno logically infeasible; and

3. evidence showing what efforts have been and will be made by the manufacturer to overcome technological infeasibility, and what the state

- of

- art technology and problems consist of.

B. Upon receipt of an exemption applic ation, together with sufficient supporting evidence, the Executive Officer may make a finding of technological infeasibility and grant an exemption. The exemption may be limited to specific models, specified body styles of any vehicle model, and/or specif ied model years. In determining whether to grant an exemption, the Executive Officer shall consider technologies available to the motor vehicle industry as a while. The Executive Officer may condition an exemption upon a commitment by the manufacturer to develop new technologies in accordance with a responsible compliance schedule approved by theI

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As Adopte d : March 22, 2012 Date of Hearing: January 26

- 27, 2012 Executive Officer. No exemption shall be granted unless the manufacturer has demonstrated a good faith effort to overcome technological infeasibility.

C. Th e manufacturer shall bear the responsibility for submitting evidence to the Executive Officer sufficient to justify the granting of an exemption.