A word of Caution regarding FuelSure fuel caps

jpsum

Vendor
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Location
CT
TDI
2010
Just a little background about Fuel Sure. Fuel Sure is a fuel cap designed for diesel cars sold from a UK company online. Its purpose is to prevent misfueling of gasoline into a diesel vehicle. The Fuelsure cap can only be removed by placing a diesel nozzle into the cap's top cavity. Since diesel nozzles are larger in diameter, the cap will not unlock if you accidentally grabbed the gasoline nozzle. This is the company's website.

http://www.fuelsure.com/

It's a great concept, but the design is flawed. If there is liquid sitting in the release hole, it will leak thru the cap and enters the fuel tank. This could be water after a heavy rain storm or after going thru a car wash as the fuel lid on the car's body is not water tight; or it could be gasoline in my case!

When I first got this cap and installed it, I immediately went to the fuel station and try to insert a gasoline nozzle and see if the cap releases. Well, the cap did not release as design. However, there were some gasoline residual on the tip of the nozzle, which ended up in the caps release hole when I was testing it. There was a puddle of gasoline in the cap and I immediately uninstalled it not knowing if it will leak thru.

I took the cap home and performed a water test where I put water in the release hole and look from the bottom. Watch the video and you will see the result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNDzkMoEIB4 go to the 0:22 mark

I honestly think this product is doing more harm than good. It cost me $60. Very disappointed. :cool: If you have this product installed on your car, I highly suggest you remove it. If you are thinking about getting it, don't!

 
Last edited:

VWBeamer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Location
GA
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
A few drops of gas in a tank of diesel is not going to hurt. Diesel is frequently contaminated with other fuels because the different fuels share pipelines and tankers used in transportation.

The water could be an issue, but I'm not sure how much water will puddle on the cap with filler door closed. The fuel system is able to handle a small amount of water, but larger amounts could cause problems.

Thanks for the video, I have no need for the product, but if I did have others driving my car, I think the risk of few drops of water getting is not as great as the damage caused by mis-fueling.

I think the best policy is not let idiots drive your car, and keep the stock cap.
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
If a few drops of water potentially getting in the tank bothers you, stuff a small rag in the cap opening before you close the fuel door.

Like said above, an extremely small percentage (0.001% ?) of foreign liquid mixed with D2 is not going to cause a problem.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
This issue is kin folk to why we have to have all this extra unneeded and expensive crapware in our cars. The explanation is simple --- it is needed by those who in vain attempt to address the unaddressable: ie the moron issue in our Societies.

Here's how it works. First, some moron refuses to wear a seatbelt. Car gets in an accident, moron goes through the windshield. Can't have that, so we design an automatic seatbelt. Well, we need to have a way to disengage that (for safety) so we design a release. Moron disengages the release, moron gets into an accident and moron once again goes through the windshield.

Simultaneous to this we have airbags. Moron places child in front seat despite warning. Big yellow stickers placed in interior of car. That should fix it. Sadly, Moron ignores big yellow stickers. Child still gets hurt --- or worse. So passenger side airbag is reduced deployment speed (conceding that the morons can't and won't keep children out of front seat). Reduced deployment speed means adults in passenger seat that follow the rules will be injured more (thanks to the morons out there). Then we design a manual cutoff of the passenger seat airbag. Morons too stupid to turn it off or on correctly so a redesign of a sensor is added. I think someone was rocking a signature that ends with "nature will create a better idiot".

So what is the fix? Simple. You hold people to standards. You ride in my car, you wear a seatbelt. Why? Windshield's are expensive (your rights end, where mine begin). No sticker, key chain, nozzle extenders needed here. Why? It doesn't take a genious to know the difference between Gas and Diesel fuel (heck, even Bob has this figured out).
 

spiydr

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
2011 Jetta
Winning post. :D

This issue is kin folk to why we have to have all this extra unneeded and expensive crapware in our cars. The explanation is simple --- it is needed by those who in vain attempt to address the unaddressable: ie the moron issue in our Societies.

Here's how it works. First, some moron refuses to wear a seatbelt. Car gets in an accident, moron goes through the windshield. Can't have that, so we design an automatic seatbelt. Well, we need to have a way to disengage that (for safety) so we design a release. Moron disengages the release, moron gets into an accident and moron once again goes through the windshield.

Simultaneous to this we have airbags. Moron places child in front seat despite warning. Big yellow stickers placed in interior of car. That should fix it. Sadly, Moron ignores big yellow stickers. Child still gets hurt --- or worse. So passenger side airbag is reduced deployment speed (conceding that the morons can't and won't keep children out of front seat). Reduced deployment speed means adults in passenger seat that follow the rules will be injured more (thanks to the morons out there). Then we design a manual cutoff of the passenger seat airbag. Morons too stupid to turn it off or on correctly so a redesign of a sensor is added. I think someone was rocking a signature that ends with "nature will create a better idiot".

So what is the fix? Simple. You hold people to standards. You ride in my car, you wear a seatbelt. Why? Windshield's are expensive (your rights end, where mine begin). No sticker, key chain, nozzle extenders needed here. Why? It doesn't take a genious to know the difference between Gas and Diesel fuel (heck, even Bob has this figured out).
 

Dunno513

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Location
Mirror Lake, NH
TDI
2006 NB PD-TDI DSG
This issue is kin folk to why we have to have all this extra unneeded and expensive crapware in our cars. The explanation is simple --- it is needed by those who in vain attempt to address the unaddressable: ie the moron issue in our Societies.

Here's how it works. First, some moron refuses to wear a seatbelt. Car gets in an accident, moron goes through the windshield. Can't have that, so we design an automatic seatbelt. Well, we need to have a way to disengage that (for safety) so we design a release. Moron disengages the release, moron gets into an accident and moron once again goes through the windshield.

Simultaneous to this we have airbags. Moron places child in front seat despite warning. Big yellow stickers placed in interior of car. That should fix it. Sadly, Moron ignores big yellow stickers. Child still gets hurt --- or worse. So passenger side airbag is reduced deployment speed (conceding that the morons can't and won't keep children out of front seat). Reduced deployment speed means adults in passenger seat that follow the rules will be injured more (thanks to the morons out there). Then we design a manual cutoff of the passenger seat airbag. Morons too stupid to turn it off or on correctly so a redesign of a sensor is added. I think someone was rocking a signature that ends with "nature will create a better idiot".

So what is the fix? Simple. You hold people to standards. You ride in my car, you wear a seatbelt. Why? Windshield's are expensive (your rights end, where mine begin). No sticker, key chain, nozzle extenders needed here. Why? It doesn't take a genious to know the difference between Gas and Diesel fuel (heck, even Bob has this figured out).
Just so I understand your rant.... expensive crapware amounts to seatbelts, airbags, and I presume other things like ESP, antilock brakes, side air bags, daytime running lights, seats designed to protect your ass, not just cradle it... And it's all because some idiots died....

Am I on the right track here ?:rolleyes:
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
Just so I understand your rant.... expensive crapware amounts to seatbelts, airbags, and I presume other things like ESP, antilock brakes, side air bags, daytime running lights, seats designed to protect your ass, not just cradle it... And it's all because some idiots died....

Am I on the right track here ?:rolleyes:
You completely missed the point. Try again :)
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
I would not have a use for this, since I am the sole driver of my car. But it seems to be a novel idea.

A tablespoon of gasoline in the diesel tank tank won't hurt anything. That small pooling from a gas pump nozzle is a non-issue. That is sure a lot better than the chance of getting 10 gallons of gasoline in the tank by a person you lent the car to being nice and filling up your car before they return it to you.

I would be concerned this device not sealing the tank so water could enter, though, if that is the case.

--Nate
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
There are way to many thing designed to keep us from harming our selves. If someone miss-fuels, it's just Darwin doing his job................

Other than having a fuel cap that says DIESEL, I'm not doing anything special to prevent mis-fueling on my car.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
This issue is kin folk to why we have to have all this extra unneeded and expensive crapware in our cars. The explanation is simple --- it is needed by those who in vain attempt to address the unaddressable: ie the moron issue in our Societies.

Here's how it works. First, some moron refuses to wear a seatbelt. Car gets in an accident, moron goes through the windshield. Can't have that, so we design an automatic seatbelt (Crapware). Well, we need to have a way to disengage that (for safety) so we design a release (Crapware). Moron disengages the release, moron gets into an accident and moron once again goes through the windshield.

Simultaneous to this we have airbags. Moron places child in front seat despite warning. Big yellow stickers placed in interior of car (Crapware). That should fix it. Sadly, Moron ignores big yellow stickers. Child still gets hurt --- or worse. So passenger side airbag is reduced deployment speed (Crapware) (conceding that the morons can't and won't keep children out of front seat). Reduced deployment speed means adults in passenger seat that follow the rules will be injured more (thanks to the morons out there). Then we design a manual cutoff of the passenger seat airbag (Crapware). Morons too stupid to turn it off or on correctly so a redesign of a sensor is added (Crapware). I think someone was rocking a signature that ends with "nature will create a better idiot".

So what is the fix? Simple. You hold people to standards. You ride in my car, you wear a seatbelt. Why? Windshield's are expensive (your rights end, where mine begin). No sticker, key chain, nozzle extenders needed here (all are Crapware). Why? It doesn't take a genious to know the difference between Gas and Diesel fuel (heck, even Bob has this figured out).
There are way to many thing designed to keep us from harming our selves. If someone miss-fuels, it's just Darwin doing his job................

Other than having a fuel cap that says DIESEL, I'm not doing anything special to prevent mis-fueling on my car.
He gets it.

OK... please tell us what YOU call crapware then...:D
Underlined, highlighted, bold and wrote Crapware identifying what I call Crapware for ya. :)
 

Dunno513

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Location
Mirror Lake, NH
TDI
2006 NB PD-TDI DSG
Wow... How silly of me... I see it your way now...

And here I thought automotive engineers were actually designing things based on statistics and what keeps people safe...

I should have know all along it was such a basic decision making process at the heart of all R&D labs...

I think all design flaws from now on should pass this crapware logic test..
 

jpsum

Vendor
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Location
CT
TDI
2010
I made this post for people here who is considering buying the FuelSure cap. Like I said in the title of the post, it's a word of caution. The debate on whether or not this is needed or if water/gasoline in the tank is harmful, is a whole other thread by itself.

The bottom line is that, this product failed to do the very basic of a fuel cap. For $60, I think at the very least the cap shouldn't be leaking. That is all.
 

TurbinePower

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Location
Upstate SC
TDI
None
I made this post for people here who is considering buying the FuelSure cap. Like I said in the title of the post, it's a word of caution. The debate on whether or not this is needed or if water/gasoline in the tank is harmful, is a whole other thread by itself.

The bottom line is that, this product failed to do the very basic of a fuel cap. For $60, I think at the very least the cap shouldn't be leaking. That is all.
It's always possible that you bought a defective one and that the rest of them do seal the cap as you're concerned about.

Have you contacted the company to see if this is, in fact, accepted as normal by them? Or did you immediately launch into a "this is a bad product, don't waste your money" tirade?
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
Wow... How silly of me... I see it your way now...

I think all design flaws from now on should pass this crapware logic test..
I think most people will understand that the addition of a yellow sticker is not going to stop someone who insist on seating a young child in the front seat, nor will any other device. Same applies to the proper use of a seat belt. A young child died in the County where I reside when the mother placed the child in the front seat (wrapped the shoulder belt around the headrest and secured the child with just the lap belt). No amount of "engineering" can fix the lack of thought process behind some of these tragedies --- despite those that believe otherwise. FWIW, the actual cause of the collision was not her fault, but the end result is that common sense is apparently not common ....... Another example:






Since a picture is worth a thousand words ......

I made this post for people here who is considering buying the FuelSure cap. Like I said in the title of the post, it's a word of caution. The debate on whether or not this is needed or if water/gasoline in the tank is harmful, is a whole other thread by itself.

The bottom line is that, this product failed to do the very basic of a fuel cap. For $60, I think at the very least the cap shouldn't be leaking. That is all.
Yep, you started this thread with the idea that a competitor's product did not fix the problem (ie potential gas in the fuel tank/hpfp consequences) and by innuendo that you product (ie a big yellow sticker) does. The idiom is don't let the dog out, and if you do, don't complain that you got bit ;):D
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
Is it possible that when the parts are properly installed, the seal is better?

I can't see there being much water in the indentation. Even after a car wash, I never find water in the fuel cap area.

Plus, the fuel filter/water separator should catch that water before it can do any harm.
 
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