Gassing up f12

Welcome to the club. All of the "cap less" fillers (F12, 458, FF, California) have problems with the shroud on extra fume-free pump handles. If there is a way to get fuel in without partially retracting the shroud I have not found it. Blame your nanny state bureaucrats and innovative Ferrari engineers.

 

no problems at all at german gas stations so far

 

Its an issue with the nozzles in the metro LA area. The design of the retention stop for the recovery bit has square edges and is just enough too wide, with too short a nozzle bejond that point to allow it to slide past the opening on the tank. I found that once outside the LA area the nozzles had a bevelled retention ring of slightly narrower diameter and slightly longer snout past that and have had no problem getting the nozzle to work.

I use the car key, stuck on its side atop the tank opening. It sits just a little proud of the tank opening so it does what you're doing by itself: holding the seal sectio a bit over the tank opening, but more to the point pushing the suction bit up far enough to allow fuel to fill. .

I complained a few times to FNA. they report back that they've tried to get the manufacturer of these nozzles to make a lsight mod to make them work with the tank, to no avail. Complaints to the Air quality board or similar in your area, noting that you are forced to defeat their wonderful recovery system, might healp to fight this dumb system.

In travels across the US, I only find this problem in the metro LA area, and a few spots in the SF Bay Area, although not nearly as frequent there.

 

Nope, one of those little frustrations you live with in California . Sorry, just HAD to say it.

Rick

 

Perhaps you can find some kind of funnel to serve as an intermediate step in the process?

 

There is actually a small funnel in the FF toolkit to facilitate fueling from a can in emergency. It has a snout long enough to get into the neck of the fuel filler area past the shut off flap and allow fuel to flow into the tank, albeit slowly. I used it the first time I ran into this issue and it worked ok, except the delivery rate had to be very slow to prevent overflowing the funnel. and then I had the fun problem of what to do with a funnel that had gas on it. Found a baggie in the trash at the gas station and wrapped the funnel in paper towels then sealed it in the baggie. Still smelled like gas in the car an hour later.

Maybe we could fashion simple a cylindrical sleeve whose inner diameter is slightly larger in diameter than the outside of the fuel filler opening and slightly taller than the filler sits proud now? Make it out of a slice of PVC pipe. THis would elevate the level of the virtual lip of the filler nozzle on the car and further depress the recovery bit to activate the pump. WIth little care it should even stay out of the fuel flow and keep relatively fuel scent-free.

 

My understanding is this is a bit of hardware that actually is used by sevearl other manufacturers on their cars. Avoids all ht eissues with loose fuel caps and the resulting service calls for idiot lights warnign of an engine issue... To say nothing of people leaving gas caps behind at gas stations.(I admit I really miss that gorgeous machined screw-on aluminum gas cap my 456 had, though)

Ford apparently uses this system as well. I don't think Ferrari actually does much more thatn just buy the part from the manufacturer others buy from. But I can't believe all Mustangs in LA have the same issue. It'd be interesting to see how their implementaiton of this bit differs from Ferrari's

 

Keep in mind that the purpose of the California government-mandated pump handle is to PREVENT fumes. As for frustration, you should be frustrated by your elected one-party California government, not the supercar . Ferrari is a small manufacturer who has come up with a system that works everywhere except in the state of California.

 

Complain to CARB. ROFL

 

I was really close to picking on their one-party government and their overabundance of rules and free stuff for illegals but held back .

Rick

 

dont you just compress the plastic vapor recapture 'seal' , which looks like an accordian, as you insert the nozzle? thats how mine works. no problems on the f12 or ff. sometimes it will turn off if i dont push it down hard enough but other than that no problems?

 

How do you manage 20 mph on the 405? Last time I was on it I averaged 0.4 mph for one hour straight.

 

He averages 20 mph on a motorcycle between cars!

 

In Ohio we call those things parking lots.

Rick

 

Fueling an F12: For additives use the small funnel in your tool kit. It fits and works perfect. For the blankety blank gas nozzles I finally got tired of using my fingers to hold the sealer gasket up enough for the pump to operate so cut out some donuts (for lack of a better descriptor) from sheet acrylic (using a laser). They are a mixture of 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch thickness so the overall height can be adjusted for each nozzle I encounter. At fuel up I slide the appropriate # of my donuts over the end of the nozzle so when it is inserted in the tank opening it pushes the rubber gasket on the filler handset up sufficiently to fool the sensor into thinking it is ready to fuel up. Works slick.

 

Good for you.

I have not been able to figure out what was the problem with fuel filler caps. They worked fine for a hundred years. Now we have this kluge of gadget that just creates aggravation. Hate to be a curmudgeon but ....

 

Problem was not with the caps...you're correct, they worked fine.

Problem was with the enviro wackos worrying about the infinitesimal amount of gasoline vapor escaping during the fueling process...and in CA (or NY for that matter) once the enviros target you...

 

Fueled up the F12 for the first time here in Maryland yesterday. No issues at all. I didn't even need to rotate the nozzle. Added the appropriate amount of fuel stabilizer using the supplied black funnel in the tool kit and went for a ride to mix it and get it through the whole fuel system. I was surprised everything went so smoothly.

On another note, I must say that this F12 is a beast - just brutal acceleration. Feeling very lucky and appreciative.

 

Ah... got it. The fossil fuel fetish strikes again.

 

The solution for my 458 spider was simple. Turn the nozzle sideways and put it in - fuel then flows normally. I was doing it normally and it was a nightmare until for some reason I put the nozzle in sideways after that never a problem!! Haven't give a thought as to why that is - it just works!!

David

 

I used to keep a conduit bushing behind the gas flap on my Lamborghini Murcielago- like this: Hubbell 1408B4 Bushing, Plastic, Threaded, Rigid/IMC Conduit, 2-Inch, 4-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NLOIITW/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_fTwOub14S79NV

It screws / drops over the filler pipe and holds back the shroud. Cannot remember the exact size, but it was something like $4.00 for a 3 pack at Home Depot - someone should organize a group buy


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The cap issue is station specific. I have a very difficult time with filling up my Ford GT, but the F12 was super simple at my local trusted gas station here in LA. I was warned by the dealer about a possible issue with the vapor guard, but so far…no issues.