Fuel Delivery and Air Induction: Service Precautions
WARNING:- BEFORE PERFORMING ANY SERVICE OR REPAIR ON COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) EQUIPPED VEHICLES, THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS MUST BE READ AND FOLLOWED:
- THE CNG SYSTEM SHOULD BE SERVICED ONLY BY QUALIFIED NATURAL GAS VEHICLE TECHNICIANS.
- NATURAL GAS VAPORS AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ARE LIGHTER THAN AIR AND WILL RISE AND DISPERSE IN OPEN AREAS. IN ENCLOSED AREAS, NATURAL GAS VAPOR MAY COLLECT AND FORM A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE. IF THE VEHICLE IS ROUTINELY PLACED IN AN ENCLOSED AREA, THE AREA SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND/OR A NATURAL GAS DETECTION SYSTEM. FOR LONG TERM STORAGE, THE MANUAL SHUTOFF VALVE AND EACH INDIVIDUAL FUEL CONTROL VALVE SHOULD BE CLOSED.
- A FIRE OR EXPLOSION COULD RESULT IF A SOURCE OF IGNITION OR FLAME IS PRESENT WITH NATURAL GAS IN A CONFINED-UNVENTILATED AREA. PROVIDE PROPER VENTILATION WHEN SERVICING CNG VEHICLES.
- NATURAL GAS CONTAINS AN ODOR ADDITIVE. OCCASIONALLY, MILD NATURAL GAS ODORS MAY BE NOTICED DURING ENGINE STARTING AND AFTER ENGINE SHUT DOWN. THIS IS BECAUSE OF SMALL QUANTITIES OF UNBURNED GAS IN THE ENGINE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. WHILE THESE ARE NORMAL, AS ARE GASOLINE ODORS IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, A PERSISTENT ODOR OF NATURAL GAS INDICATES A LEAK IS PRESENT. HAVE THE VEHICLE CHECKED IMMEDIATELY FOR SOURCE OF LEAK. IF A LEAK IS DETERMINED TO EXIST, DO NOT BRING THE VEHICLE INTO AN UNVENTILATED AREA.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WELD ANY PART OF THE FUEL CYLINDERS OR ANY OTHER FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REFILL THE FUEL CYLINDERS IF ANY OF THE OUTER COMPOSITE (CYLINDER COVERING) HAS UNRAVELED.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MODIFY ANY FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT OR REPLACE ANY COMPONENT WITH PARTS THAT DO NOT MEET CHRYSLER CORPORATION REQUIREMENTS.
- DO NOT APPLY ANY PAINT OR UNDERCOATING MATERIAL TO ANY FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORCE OPEN OR TAMPER WITH ANY FUEL TUBES OR VALVES. A SUDDEN RELEASE OF HIGH-PRESSURE GAS MAY OCCUR RESULTING IN BODILY INJURY.
- DO NOT PARK OR SERVICE VEHICLE NEAR ANY SOURCE OF EXCESSIVE HEAT OR OPEN FLAMES.
- DO NOT USE A PAINT OVEN TO CURE ANY PAINT REPAIRS AS CNG FUEL CYLINDERS ON THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH PRESSURE RELIEF SAFETY DEVICES. THESE DEVICES WILL VENT TO THE ATMOSPHERE AT APPROXIMATELY 103 DEGREES C (217 DEGREES F).
- WHEN A VEHICLE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE OR DISLOCATION TO THE CNG SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND PRESSURE TESTED. THIS SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE BEING RETURNED TO SERVICE.
- ANY FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT, INCLUDING THE CYLINDERS, THAT HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO FIRE, MAY NOT BE RETURNED TO SERVICE DUE TO REDUCED PRESSURE CAPABILITY
- U.S. REQUIREMENTS: EACH CNG FUEL CYLINDER MANUFACTURED ON OR AFTER MARCH 27, 1995 MUST BE REMOVED AND REINSPECTED AFTER A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR FIRE AND AT LEAST EVERY 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES (WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) FOR DAMAGE AND DETERIORATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 304 COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS FUEL CONTAINERS AND COMPRESSED GAS ASSOCIATION (CGA), ARLINGTON, VA. GUIDELINES C-6.4. RETEST MARKINGS MUST BE STAMPED ON THE CYLINDER NECK OR MARKED ON A LABEL SECURELY AFFIXED TO THE CYLINDER AND OVERCOATED WITH EPOXY NEAR THE ORIGINAL TEST DATE. REHEAT TREATMENT OR REPAIR OF REJECTED CYLINDERS IS NOT AUTHORIZED. THE FUEL CYLINDER EXPIRES AND MUST BE REMOVED FROM SERVICE FIFTEEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE. A LABEL ON THE FUEL FILLER DOOR STATES THE CYLINDER RETEST DATE AND CYLINDER EXPIRATION DATE. A SIMILAR LABEL IS ATTACHED TO EACH FUEL CYLINDER. IF THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROPER INSPECTION OF THE CNG CYLINDER, CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AS IDENTIFIED ON THE CYLINDER LABEL.
- CANADIAN REQUIREMENTS: THE CYLINDER MUST BE REINSPECTED AFTER A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR FIRE AND AT LEAST EVERY 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES (WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) FOR DAMAGE AND DETERIORATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION (CSA) B51-97, PART 2 HIGH-PRESSURE CYLINDERS FOR THE ONBOARD STORAGE OF NATURAL GAS AS A FUEL FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES AND COMPRESSED GAS ASSOCIATION (CGA), ARLINGTON, VA. GUIDELINES C-6.4. RETEST DATES MUST BE STAMPED ON THE EXPOSED METALLIC SURFACE OF THE CYLINDER NECK OR MARKED ON A LABEL SECURELY AFFIXED TO THE CYLINDER AND OVERCOATED WITH EPOXY NEAR THE ORIGINAL TEST DATE. REHEAT TREATMENT OR REPAIR OF REJECTED CYLINDERS IS NOT AUTHORIZED. THE FUEL CYLINDER EXPIRES AND MUST BE REMOVED FROM SERVICE FIFTEEN YEARS FROM THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE. A LABEL ON THE FUEL FILLER DOOR STATES THE FIRST CYLINDER RETEST DATE AND CYLINDER EXPIRATION DATE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS BE INSPECTED PERIODICALLY FOR LEAKS AND/OR EXCESSIVE WEAR.
- FUEL THE VEHICLE USING A NGV I CERTIFIED FILL NOZZLE AS SPECIFIED ON THE LABEL INSIDE THE FUEL FILLER DOOR. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FUEL THE VEHICLE WITH ANY OTHER TYPE OF NOZZLE.
- BEFORE ANY PART OF THE CNG FUEL SYSTEM IS OPENED FOR REPAIR, THE SYSTEM MUST BE PURGED OF ALL NATURAL GAS. REFER TO FUEL SYSTEM PURGING IN THIS SECTION.