(a) The refueling test measurement procedure described in this section immediately follows the vehicle and canister preconditioning described in § 86.153-98.
(b) The refueling emission enclosure shall be purged for several minutes immediately prior to the test. Warning: If at any time the concentration of hydrocarbons, of methanol, or of methanol and hydrocarbons exceeds 15,000 ppm C, the enclosure should be immediately purged. This concentration provides a 4:1 safety factor against the lean flammability limit.
(c)
(1) The FID (or HFID) hydrocarbon analyzer, and additional analyzer, if needed, shall be zeroed and spanned immediately prior to the test.
(2) For methanol-fueled vehicles only, impingers charged with known volumes of pure deionized water shall be placed in the methanol sampling system.
(d) If not already on, the enclosure mixing fan and the spilled fuel mixing blower shall be turned on at this time.
(e) The refueling emission measurement portion of the refueling test shall be performed as follows:
(1) The line from the fuel tank(s) to the refueling emissions canister(s) shall be connected.
(2) The test vehicle, with the engine shut off, shall be moved into the enclosure. The test vehicle windows and luggage compartment shall be opened if not already open.
(3) An electrical ground shall be attached to the vehicle. The vehicle fuel filler cap shall be removed and the enclosure door shall be closed and sealed within two minutes of cap removal. The FID (or HFID) trace shall be allowed to stabilize.
(4) The dispensed fuel temperature recording system shall be started.
(5)
(i) Within 10 minutes of closing and sealing the doors, analyze enclosure atmosphere for hydrocarbons and record. This is the initial (time = 0 minutes) hydrocarbon concentration, CHCi, required in § 86.143-96.
(ii) For methanol-fueled vehicles only, measure the initial concentration of methanol as described in § 86.133-96(i)(6).
(6) Within one minute of obtaining the initial FID (or HFID) reading, and methanol reading if applicable, the fuel nozzle shall be inserted into the filler neck of the test vehicle, to its maximum penetration, and the refueling operation shall be started. The plane of the nozzle's handle shall be approximately perpendicular to the floor of the laboratory. The fuel shall be dispensed at a temperature of 67±1.5 °F (19.4±0.8 °C) and at a dispensing rate of 9.8±0.3 gal/min (37.1±1.1 liter/min). In testing conducted by the Administrator, a lower dispensing rate (no lower than 4.0 gal/min (15.1 liter/min)) may be used.
(7)
(i) Partial refueling test. If the Administrator conducts the non-integrated system partial refueling test, the fuel flow shall continue until the amount of fuel pumped is equal to the fuel consumed during the driving, as determined in accordance with § 86.153-98(d)(3). The final volume of fuel dispensed must be within one-tenth of a U.S. gallon (0.38 liter) of the targeted amount. If automatic nozzle shut-off occurs prior to this point, the nozzle shall be reactivated within 15 seconds and fuel dispensing continued as needed. A minimum of 3 seconds shall elapse between any automatic shutoff and subsequent resumption of dispensing.
(ii) For all other refueling tests. The fuel flow shall continue until the refueling nozzle automatic shut-off is activated. The amount of fuel dispensed must be at least 85 percent of nominal fuel tank volume, determined to the nearest one-tenth of a U.S. gallon (0.38 liter). If automatic nozzle shut-off occurs prior to this point, the nozzle shall be reactivated within 15 seconds and fuel dispensing continued as needed. A minimum of 3 seconds shall elapse between any automatic shutoff and subsequent resumption of dispensing. Dispensing may not be manually terminated, unless the test vehicle has already clearly failed the test.
(8)
(i) The final reading of the evaporative enclosure FID analyzer shall be taken 60±5 seconds following the final shut-off of fuel flow. This is the final hydrocarbon concentration, CHCf, required in § 86.143-96. The elapsed time, in minutes, between the initial and final FID (or HFID) readings shall be recorded.
(ii) For methanol-fueled vehicles only. Measure the final concentration of methanol as described in § 86.133-96(m)(2).
(9) For vehicles equipped with more than one fuel tank, the procedures described in this section shall be performed for each fuel tank.
[59 FR 16299, Apr. 6, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 43898, Aug. 23, 1995]