To an arachnid called the yellow sac spider, ubiquitous in North America, there is nothing sweeter than the smell of gasoline. Not that these little creepy-crawlies are gear heads, per se—rather, a chemical that spiders use to communicate and congregate called cuticular hydrocarbon is also present in gasoline.
This is precisely why some scientists speculate that a gas tank smells like home sweet home to a yellow sac. And even though the creature generally measures no more than 10 millimeters in length, its dense, cocoon-like webs can cause big problems for vehicle owners.
A worrisome web: Why spiders and gas tank vent lines don’t mix
Several years ago, yellow sacs were first discovered taking up residence inside gas tank vent lines. “These particular arachnids are not sedentary—they are hunters and constantly roaming,” says David Gimby, a Ford fuel systems engineer. “When it’s time to build a birthing cocoon or an over-winter cocoon, they seek a cavity or a depression, like a fuel vapor line opening, which allows them to maximize the use of their silk.”
Cocoon building is all well and good in the spider’s natural setting, but such dense structures inside fuel vapor lines can decrease vehicle performance and eventually damage the engine. In fact, this particular variety of spider vandalism has already prompted several automobile recalls.
Gimby and his colleagues have been working to keep spiders out of Ford cars for more than 15 years. Their efforts are so well known throughout the company that colleagues have even dubbed them, “The Spidermen.”
David Gimby, Ford fuel system engineer, models the fuel filter and the yellow sac spider.
Spidermen to the rescue! Meet the spider screen
Back in 2004, the team came up with their first blocking tool, called the spider screen. It was effectively designed to allow fuel vapour and air to pass through, while keeping unwanted eight-legged guests out.
“Spiders can be a nuisance for our vehicle owners,” continues Gimby. “We studied these species to discern how they nest, then designed an effective device for excluding the larger, problematic spiders from nesting in our cars.”
Ford’s arachnid answer: A new-and-improved spider screen
A new-and-improved version of the device is already showing up in Ford’s North American lineup, and is set to make its worldwide debut in the 2016 Ford Focus RS.
Spiderman William Euliss, a Ford fuel systems engineer, adds, “We are constantly improving and adapting, even when it comes to technologies that are already working. There is a significant amount of engineering that goes into every detail of our vehicles, like the spider screen.”
Looks like those yellow sacs will have to find new digs for their web-slinging from now on.