How to determine which side of the car the gas cap is on --- a UG primer on the subject

genius

genius

#1
#1
Any of you guys who rented a car or drove someone else's car where the fuel cap is on the opposite side of what you are used to know the utility of this tiny printed arrow on your instrument cluster (known technically as the Moylan arrow). Yeah the so called extra length fuel hose can be dragged around or over the rear of your car but it is much easier to have the filler cap on the same side as the pump. Plus when close to the pump you can jam something in the filler nozzle so you can clean your windows, check oil level, whatever, while the gas pumps.

Moylan worked in design for Ford presented it to management as a Product Convenience Improvement Proposal and it was incorporated in 1989 on Ford cars. Soon other manufactures used the idea and now all cars have the little triangle symbol.

I don't known of anyone else who has his name attached to a ubiquitous automotive feature.
 
billyS

billyS

Reign of Terror
#2
#2
genius said:
Jim Moylan 80
Inventor of arrow pointing to the side with the vehicle’s fuel cap.

Any of you guys who rented a car or drove someone else's car where the fuel cap is on the opposite side of what you are used to know the utility of this tiny printed arrow on your instrument cluster (known technically as the Moylan arrow). Yeah the so called extra length fuel hose can be dragged around or over the rear of your car but it is much easier to have the filler cap on the same side as the pump. Plus when close to the pump you can jam something in the filler nozzle so you can clean your windows, check oil level, whatever, while the gas pumps.

Moylan worked in design for Ford presented it to management as a Product Convenience Improvement Proposal and it was incorporated in 1989 on Ford cars. Soon other manufactures used the idea and now all cars have the little triangle symbol.

I don't known of anyone else who has his name attached to a ubiquitous automotive feature.
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All cars have them? After what year?
 
Monty_monty

Monty_monty

#3
#3
billyS said:
All cars have them? After what year?
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1986ish I believe, first in just Ford's, but it caught on universal after a few years. Sometime in the late 1990's it became universal that all cars had it, I've always wondered what this symbol would've been for cars with the hidden behind the license plate gas tank nozzle
 
genius

genius

#4
#4
Monty_monty said:
1986ish I believe, first in just Ford's, but it caught on universal after a few years. Sometime in the late 1990's it became universal that all cars had it, I've always wondered what this symbol would've been for cars with the hidden behind the license plate gas tank nozzle
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I recall when I 1st started driving cars that just left the gas station and accelerating I would see gas drip out from under the plate (cap wasn't on correctly I guess). Never saw this with side fender mount filler.

In mid-1990s before safety regulations phased them out due to rear-end crash risks.
 
A

antwerp1701

#5
#5
I remember on the old NPR program Car Talk, the Magliozzi brothers said that the best way to find which side the gas cap was located on, if you don't know already, was to look at the back of the car. Whichever side the tailpipe was on, the gas cap was on the opposite side.
 
T

TheRicker

Moderator
#6
#6
antwerp1701 said:
I remember on the old NPR program Car Talk, the Magliozzi brothers said that the best way to find which side the gas cap was located on, if you don't know already, was to look at the back of the car. Whichever side the tailpipe was on, the gas cap was on the opposite side.
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Either way, wouldn't you have to get out of the car? Doesn't seem like a useful tip.
 
genius

genius

#9
#9
antwerp1701 said:
I remember on the old NPR program Car Talk, the Magliozzi brothers said that the best way to find which side the gas cap was located on, if you don't know already, was to look at the back of the car. Whichever side the tailpipe was on, the gas cap was on the opposite side.
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Couple things:
1. simply not true on my car

2. If you are in back of the car where you can see the tailpipe you can also see the gas filler cover. So even if it was true how would this be helpful.

3.So I guess using their logic that dual exhaust tailpipe cars have two filler covers, one on each side.
 
genius

genius

#13
#13
billyS said:
Or Huntington, unless they've changed it in the past ten years.
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Nope, still can not pump own in Huntington.
This was a temporary ban dating back to the 1970s during the gas crisis to combat theft, skimming* and safety at the pumps when the oil embargo was triggering long lines at gas stations.

Later on the fire marshal later added more concerns about safety and fire hazards and the ban still exists despite attempts to reverse it.

Apparently the gasoline in other towns on Long Island is safer, less of a fire hazard and there is less skimming :rolleyes: so the customer can pump their own gas.

* whatever the f**K that is.
 
Monty_monty

Monty_monty

#15
#15
Bricktop said:
You can’t pump your own gas in New Jersey
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It took over 70 years for Oregonians to be able to pump their own gas... and you still have crazies crying about reversing this "new" 2023 law to put a complete ban once again on self serve pumps.

Oregon now allows drivers to pump their own gas, as a 72-year ban was lifted in August 2023,
 
genius

genius

#16
#16
Monty_monty said:
It took over 70 years for Oregonians to be able to pump their own gas... and you still have crazies crying about reversing this "new" 2023 law to put a complete ban once again on self serve pumps.

Oregon now allows drivers to pump their own gas, as a 72-year ban was lifted in August 2023,
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Are they allowed to plug in their EV's? Afterall electricity can be dangerous.
 
Bigcheese

Bigcheese

#17
#17
Besides the Moylan arrow. A few vehicles I have driven that dont have the Moylan arrow will show the small fuel pump image/symbol on the left or right side of the fuel gauge. I have observed a few times that when the symbol was on the left side of the gauge, the fuel fill was on the left of the vehicle. When the symbol was on the right side of the gauge, the fill was on the right side of the vehicle.

I have not fact checked this nor do I know if this is actually something done by some or any manufacturers modern day. But take note next time you get in a vehicle without a Moylan arrow. Which side of the gauge is the gas pump symbol showing, then check if that is the side with the fuel fill.
 
MassyMan

MassyMan

#18
#18
genius said:
Nope, still can not pump own in Huntington.
This was a temporary ban dating back to the 1970s during the gas crisis to combat theft, skimming* and safety at the pumps when the oil embargo was triggering long lines at gas stations.

Later on the fire marshal later added more concerns about safety and fire hazards and the ban still exists despite attempts to reverse it.

Apparently the gasoline in other towns on Long Island is safer, less of a fire hazard and there is less skimming :rolleyes: so the customer can pump their own gas.

* whatever the f**K that is.
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The gas in the town of Huntington is histroically .25-$1.00 more than everywhere else. Even when I lived in that area I would fuel in the any town nearby under the Town Of Oyster Bay.
 
genius

genius

#19
#19
MassyMan said:
The gas in the town of Huntington is histroically .25-$1.00 more than everywhere else. Even when I lived in that area I would fuel in the any town nearby under the Town Of Oyster Bay.
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You can easily tell when you have just crossed the border into Huntington; the gas stations have no car getting gas. Unless you are in downtown Huntington and are running on empty, why would you pay more for the same gas. Plus you have to wait for the guy to mosey up to your car.

I'll pump my own and put the money I save into my mongering fund.
 
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