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# OAR Box 1830 Prepped by Ollie Stewart



## Document

Number: 

# 152 ) IV-C-11 9 Docket Number: 

# A-87-1 1

Printed 11/13/2008 7:20:59 AM Sheet 152 of 232P. 2 

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# 87-^ 1

> A * UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECTIO N AGENC Y

* \sVVtr-I AN N AR BO R MICHIGA N 4810 5
OFFCEO F

AI R AN D RADIATIO N 

# JU N

# 2 8 198 8

Jame s Britel l Federa l Highwa

yAdministratio n Offic e o f Moto r Carrie r Safet y(HCS-10 ) 40 0 Sevent h St. , S.W . Washington , D.C . 2059 0
Dea r Mr . Britell : Thi s i s a respons e t o your reques t a t the NHTS Abriefin g on Apri l 12 , 198 8 for informatio n o n th e fiel d durabilit yo f th e Chrysle r Fue l Fille r Chec k Valv e whic h i s use d on EPA' s simplifie d onboar d contro l system . Enclose d i s a lette r fro mChrysle r whic h respond s t o your question . W e fee l thi s informatio n shoul d answe r your concern s abou t th

e durabilit yan

d safet yo f thes e valve s base d o n considerabl e in-us e experience . I f you hav e an

yquestion s regarding thi s matter , pleas e fee l fre e t o contac t Joh n Anderso n o f m

ystaf f a t FT S 374-8496 .

Cheste r J yFrance , Chie f Standard s Developmen t an d Suppor t Branc h Enclosur e A-87-1 1 6106 W%« 

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•*4 ^ CHRYSLE R WMOTOR S Chrysld r Motor * Corporatio n Ma y 11 , 198 8

Charle s L . Gray , Jr . Director , Emissio nContro l Technolog y Divisio n Unite dState s Environmenta l Protectio nAgenc y An nArbor , Michiga n4810 5 Subject : Chrysle r Fue l Fille r Chec kValv e - "Ball-in-Cage " Valv e
Dea r Mr . Gray : You r lette r date dApri l 20 , 1988 inquire dabou t Chrysler' s fue l fille r chec k valv e whic hha s bee ni nproductio nsinc e th e firs t Voyager/Carava nwa s launche d inth e 198 4 mode l year . Ther e hav e bee nove r on e millio no f thes e vehicle s buil t t o dat e yieldin g anapproximat e accumulatio no f a t leas t thirt y billio n mile s o f rea l worl ddurabilit y testing . Th e durabilit y

o f thi s valv e i s excellen t an di s imperviou s t o repeate dus e and roa dvibration . Ther e ar e n o know nfiel dfailures . A s a resul t o f th e valve' s success , th e desig nwa s release donou r ful l s . i e van s a s a runnin g chang e durin g th e 198 5 mode l year , an da t th e introductio no f ou r Dakot a truck s i nth e 198 6 mode l yea r andful l siz e pick-up s i nth e 198 7 mode l year . I f th e bal l o f thi s valv e assembl y shoul db e dislodged , th e custome r ma y se e increase dinstance s o f fue l spitbac ka t th e servic e statio npum pshutoff . Ther e ar e n o othe r implications , eithe r safety-relate do r otherwise . Ther e ar e n o know

nfailur e mode s othe r tha ni na fe w isolate dcase s o f tamperin g fro

m person s attemptin g t o sipho nth e fue l tan kvi a routin g a hos e dow nth e fille r tube . Th e chec kvalv e prohibit s hos e trave l int o th e fue l tank . I t i s possible , however , t o dislodg e th e valv e b y forcin g a rigi dtub e dow nth e fille r tub e andapplyin g a ver y substantia l amoun t o f forc e agains t th e ball . Fo r thos e vehicle s tha t utiliz e thi s chec kvalv e assembly , w e hav e provide dalternativ e method s o f drainin g th e fue l tan kfo r service . I f w e ca nprovid e any furthe r information , pleas e le t m e know . Sincerely , 

# £^«^2^v t Gordo nE . Allardyce , Manage r Certificatio n& Regulator y Program s GEA/j a FL19-GRAY

Oetroir-M l 43233-111 8