Gas Fill-Up Annoyance

cicsprog · cicsprog's Garage

Wonder if anyone else has this annoyance. When I fill the p-car at the gas station the auto shut (trigger) constantly engages when trying to fill at full speed. Seems I have to position the gas nozzle in various positions and only squeeze the pump handle about 1/4 to 1/2 the way to fill my tank. Kind of stupid thing to post. Just wonder if some of you have the same problem. What the he!! am I doing wrong? I am still going to keep the car.

Jason

88 Cab

Jack K · 10-12-2002, 12:23 PM

Snap! I have the same problem.

Also, every now and then during filling, the gas sprays back out of the filler neck - even at the stage when not nearly full!

autobonrun · autobonrun's Garage

Strange as it may sound, I find if you rotate the nozzle such that it is completely upside down with the trigger pointing upward, it fills at full speed. I just use the side mirror to hold it in position.

My car is very predictable on mpg so when I get within a gallon of being full, I rotate it back around and control manually to keep it from splashing on the paint.

A related problem I have is that the gas tank cap seems to gall against the metal neck. Even if I don't screw it all the way in until it snaps, it feels like its welded on the next time I'm ready to fill up. It always comes loose, just very difficult to turn. I've been afraid to add a lubricant for fear of contaminating the gas.

Dignan · 10-12-2002, 12:48 PM

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! man! Have you guys stolen my car and passed it around for each other to drive?? hahah we all seem to have the same issues.. I have both mentioned.. the auto-shut off as well as the welded on Gas cap! too funny!!

Eric Mckenna
78SC

TimT · 10-12-2002, 01:44 PM

Strange as it may sound, I find if you rotate the nozzle such that it is completely upside down with the trigger pointing upward, it fills at full speed.

yeap thats exactly what i do

Milu · 10-12-2002, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TimT
Strange as it may sound, I find if you rotate the nozzle such that it is completely upside down with the trigger pointing upward, it fills at full speed.

yeap thats exactly what i do

Me too! I use the petrol cap to jam the trigger open while I clean the windscreen.

s_wilwerding · s_wilwerding's Garage

I only put the nozzle about half way in - that seems to work fine.

pwd72s · 10-12-2002, 04:45 PM

Worried about a lubed gasket polluting the gas? Hell, just rub a good 2 cycle oil on the gasket. Even if you get a drop or two in the tank, it won't hurt a thing, having been designed to mix with gas...

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

We have the same problem in the 4-runner, but it shuts off early... THe gas backs up in the filler neck... I've often thought this might me due to clogging in the tank vent...

If I fill it slowly afterwards, get 3-4 gallons more usually...

ANNOYING AS ALL H#$^

BYantzer · BYantzer's Garage

I am laughing my ass off here cause twofold. I was going to post this last week and I was at the dealership the other day picking up the womans car (boxster) and asked the head guy about the problem. He said that i needed to change out the neck of the tank. $473 plus labor. I laughed at him as i walked. I will try the upside down thing but i have always just worked it about half way and it has worked fine. It just takes a couple times to find the right spot but.................... it works.

jwetering · jwetering's Garage

Put the nozzle in upside down. It's safer, faster, and more logical.

If you put it in normal side up, but only half way in, then there is a risk it will fall out if you use the gas cap to hold the valve open.

When you stick the nozzle in upside down it is IMPOSSIBLE for it to fall out.

The reason that he upside down trick works is not mysterious. The pipe that runs fron the filler neck into the tank is shaped in such a way that when the nozzle is in upside down, the "trajectory" that the fuel takes is straight into the tank. When the nozzle is in normally, the fuel flows out onto the wall of the filler neck, which cuses splashing, and back pressure.

Porsche should have put this in their owners manual.

Tyson Schmidt · 10-12-2002, 08:33 PM

Yup, been doing that upside down thing on my '72 for the 11 years that I've owned the car.

And the '92 does the same thing! Tradition.

Paul Franssen · Paul Franssen's Garage

Okay, even over here in Belgium, we got exactly the same problem! Wonder how come? Anyway, thanks for the "upside down" trick, will try it next time, sound like a good position!

masraum · 10-13-2002, 10:49 AM

I much prefer the halfway in to the upside down thing. There's no chance of the halfway in nozzle coming out unless I drive off and forget it's in there which would be tough to do since it's right there in front of you.

weber92037 · weber92037's Garage

Same problem. Same solution.

Moses · 10-13-2002, 11:14 AM

I wonder if that all changes below the equator? Where are the Aussies on this one?

Moses · 10-13-2002, 11:16 AM

Oops! Missed Jack K.

Jack Olsen · 10-13-2002, 11:33 AM

Uh, mine works fine. Maybe it's out of spec somehow?

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

MOST of the problem is due to mommy soccer van drivers that try to squeeze 20 bucks of gas into 19.75 of space.......the extra .25 gets aspirated or sucked, depending on the vapor recovery equipment, into the vapor path......too lazy or busy to get change from the pay first cheapo stations.....

THEN, when YOU come in, the gas that is in the vapor line drains back and screws with high speed delivery and activates the shut off......

Mike Z
Smog weenie, gas station idiot savant....

Bill Douglas · 10-13-2002, 12:55 PM

Hi Moses - Kiwi here. Yup, I'd always thought it was a down-under thing needing to have the nozzel in upside down to match the nother hemisphers orientation.

Plus I find it a pain in the a$$ new gas stations with super fast pumps. It takes forever to get som gas into the car.