P.1 

OAR Box 1147 

Prepped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

219)IV-E-93 

Docket Number: 

A-87-11 

Printed 4/22/2008 2:42:58 PM Sheet 219 of 242 
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

ANN ARBOR. MICHIGAN 48105 

MAY 51989 

OFFICE OF 

AIR AND RADIATION 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT: 

FROM: 

TO: 

NHTSA Evaluation of Onboard Equipped Taurus 

John F. Anderson, Senior Project Manager 

Standards Development and Support Branch 

Docket A-87-11 

On April 24-25, 1989 Mr. Scott York of NHTSA and Mr. Henry 

Ozog of Arthur D. Little visited the lab to perform an 

evaluation of the performance of the Ford Taurus vehicle which 

we have equipped with onboard refueling controls. Most of 

their time was spent driving the vehicle to evaluate both its 

fill characteristics and to look for any driveability problems. 

In the course of the evaluation, approximately 650 miles 

were logged on the car and three fills were conducted. Driving 

involved both expressway and local roads and included a cold 

start on the morning of April 25th. Fuelings were done at fuel 

dispensing rates between 9 and 12 gallons per minute, with fuel 

RVPs of 10.7 to 14.0 psi (including one fill in Chicago using 

gasohol). Both Mr. York and Mr. Ozog indicated that the car 

experienced no problems of any kind during the evaluation. 

Fuelings were all normal, with no spitback or premature 

shutoffs and driving was similarly completely normal with no 

detectable driveability problems. 

A second car was used for comparison purposes during the 

first vehicle fueling, which was conducted in the vicinity of 

Detroit Metro Airport. That vehicle experienced repeated 

premature shutoffs and could only be successfully fueled at a 

greatly reduced dispensing rate. Even at that, the vehicle 

experienced significant spitback at the end of the fill. This 

second car, a 1988 Buick, was returned to the Ann Arbor 

facility before Mr. York and Mr. Ozog left for Chicago. 
P.3 

Lee Jones and Jim Martin accompanied Mr. York and Mr. Ozog 

to observe the evaluation process. The attached table 

summarizes some pertinent information about the evaluation. 

Following the vehicle evaluation, I presented a briefing 

on the hardware development and on our test results. I used 

the same briefing materials as previously presented to Dr. J.J. 

Liu of NHTSA. We also put the vehicle on the lift so that Mr. 

York and Mr. Ozog could inspect the hardware. 

cc: Scott York, NHTSA 

Richard D. Wilson, OMS 

1006w 
Table 1 

Trip Summary for NHTSA and AD Little 

Evaluation of Onboard Equipped Ford Taurus 

P.4 

Event 

Depart Ann Arbor 

Mi lege 

8849 

Comments 

2:30pm, April 24, 1989. Scott York, 

Lee Jones in car. Jim Martin in '88 

Buick. 

Detroit Metro 

First fueling 

Stop for night 

Third fueling 

8882 

Return to Ann Arbor 

Second fueling 9158 

9214 

Return to Ann Arbor 9496 

Pick up Henry Ozog. 

12 gal per min dispensing rate, 10.7 

RVP, 11.3 gal. '88 Buick would not 

fill at full flow and experienced 

significant spitback at end of fill. 

Drop off '88 Buick at MVEL. 

Chicago. 9 gal per minute, 11.2 

RVP, 11.4 gal. Partial fill. 

Chicago. 

10% ethanol blend. 9.2 gal per 

minute, 14.0 RVP, 9.8 gal. 

Completion of trip. 

Result of evaluation: No fueling problems or driveability problems were 

observed at any time.