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Do fuel caps have to lock?
flak monkey - 25/1/06 at 11:01 PM

As the title really...

Just had a flick through my SVA manual and I see no-where that it says that the cap must lock.

It must be checked for security. But this reads like it must be positively latched and not leak, not that it requires to be locked. (its in the design section of the manual, 15.2 pages 170)

Sure this has come up before, but I cannot find the thread now.

Cheers,
David

graememk - 25/1/06 at 11:14 PM

shoot me down if i'm wrong but yes they do, from what i understand.



edit, looks like i'm going to get shot, going to have mine locking though

[Edited on 26/1/06 by graememk]

NS Dev - 25/1/06 at 11:39 PM

I am certain that they don't. The rule is as you say Flakmonkey, they must be positively retained.

I know of a lot of cars that have passed sva with a simple non-locking screw cap. (all Stuart Taylor cars with his fuel tank for a start!)

A lot of folks on here read the rule as it must lock though, and I believe at least one SVA tester has at some point thought this as well.

Having said that, I want mine to lock somehow anyway, as anybody who has been to le mans without a locking cap will probably say, it's nice to a) have a cap when you come back to the car and b) not have it full of sugar!!

smart51 - 26/1/06 at 08:09 AM

My SVA tested didn't even look at mine. The lock is under a flap which he didn't try to lift.

You'd be wise to fit one just to prevent sobotage. People can put "additives" into your tank for fun as well as syphon the fuel out.

DaveFJ - 26/1/06 at 09:19 AM

This argument has come up several times..... Arrrggghhhh.....

All I will say (again) is that i had a car fail MOT because the fuel cap (no flap over it ) did not lock.......

NS Dev - 26/1/06 at 10:55 AM

I have no idea about the MOT requirement, but there are thousands of std production cars that have no facility for fuel filler locking that pass MOT's easily enough, I think you must have had a misinformed tester?

Certainly not an SVA manual requirement either.

jon_boy - 26/1/06 at 11:27 AM

And working at a garage ive seen planty of cars that have had replacement caps that arent locking ones pass MOT's etc

DaveFJ - 26/1/06 at 11:49 AM

I think you will find that the cars that don't have locking fuel caps have a locking flap over the cap (usually operated by the door locking)

I haven't seen a car without any form of locking for a very long time

scotlad - 26/1/06 at 11:50 AM

mine doesn't lock and it passed sva no problem

andyharding - 26/1/06 at 12:05 PM

No they don't have to lock for SVA.

NS Dev - 26/1/06 at 12:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DaveFJ
I think you will find that the cars that don't have locking fuel caps have a locking flap over the cap (usually operated by the door locking)

I haven't seen a car without any form of locking for a very long time


Yea, I realise about the locking flaps, but there are a lot of older cars around (late 60's and 70's cars) with no locking at all on the fillers.

MikeR - 26/1/06 at 01:38 PM

The fuel cap must be secured. The rubber push fit emergancy fuel caps are no longer legal. You can get a plastic cap that as you turn it, if forces some plastic bits into the fuel filler making it seal. These are MOT legal. I know, i got one when i misplaced my proper filler cap ...

wouldn't mind but the emergancy one cost a pound less than the proper one from vauxhall ........... mumble grumble.

NS Dev - 26/1/06 at 01:52 PM

ahhhh, ruddy vauxhalls!!!!!!!

now if you had a decent car from Ford like mine that can't happen see!!!

Key only comes out of the cap when it's locked in the filler neck, dead simple!!