Hard to fill gas tank- Vent plugged?

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: Oldbag373861  (Original Message)
Sent: 8/15/2005 12:52 AM

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has a difficult time gassing up their Winnie. Every time I put gas in the tank, I have to practically dribble it in. If I attempt to fill it up at a regular rate, the nozzle will shut off, or gas will burble out of the fill pipe. Is this usual, or is there something wrong with my vent?



From: denison
Sent: 8/15/2005 5:54 AM

I notice this on my Winny, and one of my older cars too. I think the gas station pumps and nozzles have been re-engineered. They seem to dispense at higher pressure, and are more sensitive to back flow. I have to be more careful to have the nozzle pointing into the middle of the filler neck, and even so the pump will shut off for what seems like little or no backsplash. Sometimes I only get a 3/4 or 7/8ths full tank before I give up.
I conclude its part of the effort to stop spilling ANY gasoline inadvertently onto the ground.



From: k0lde1
Sent: 8/15/2005 2:00 PM

my RV has a similar problem. slow and easy does the trick though(
(i usually just use the middle trigger-lock-thing.

my old truck on the other had...

you have to hold the nozzle horizontally, pump slow, aim perfectly,and
sometimes tap dance to get teh @!#!@ thing to fill

good thing THAT tank is only ~ 13 gals



From: The_Pharaoh_Rulz_
Sent: 8/15/2005 8:59 PM

I have to take it slow with mine too.  - Sob



From: cooneytunes
Sent: 8/15/2005 9:00 PM

Same here as Denison......can only use about 1/2 throttle on a pump...I think your right Denison....too keep from spilling out like they use to the nozzle has been 
re-designed to make even a little back splash shut er' down......My 2000 Internation Diesel bus has a sticker that says, " Warning Do not fill more than 85 % of tank capasity, or fuel may spill and causing harm to the enviorment."    I guess the enviro-mentles don't want to hurt the ozone.  So, I have to fill my Winnie slowly, sometimes takes 2 to 3 times when I start pumping just to get the right flow.

Timmy



From: daved27c
Sent: 8/15/2005 10:56 PM

I have the same problem with my main tank. I thought it might have been the vent. To test that I started with the tank almost empty. (when isn't it on a classic winne?) I then removed the gas cap, and used an air gun to blow air through it. The vent was not blocked as I could hear air rushing out of the filler. I think the problem is that the filler comes into the tank to low. The gas will tend to level itself as you fill it. I just go REALLY slow when filling mine. Hope this helps

Dave



From: Oldbag373861
Sent: 8/16/2005 1:45 AM

Thanks for all the input guys. Now I know I don't have a spastic tank. Yeah, angle is a big thing here. I usually have to get down even with the tank to fill it right. makes me feel kind of silly with all those other folks around at the gas station, but then, here i am driving around a 31 year old bread box on wheels, so why not!



From: tshirtman
Sent: 8/16/2005 6:52 AM

My experience with my 71 was the fill nozzles were too horizontal. There was no angle to them. Not only was it hard to fill but there was a definite odor if I topped off the tanks. And it doesn't smell as good as the old leaded gas! Sold my D24C to a neighbor who belongs to a local 'club on a lake'. He got tired (read: too old!) to sleep in a tent on the ground. I know I am...
John T



From: ClydesdaleKevin
Sent: 8/18/2005 2:34 AM

My 72 413 has no vent to speak of.  Both tanks are hard to fill, with the secondary tank being harder to fill than the primary.  I think the other posts hit the nail on the head...back in the day, there wasn't any cutoff or vapor-recovery crap on gas pumps.  Our tanks have a filler hose that is nearly horizontal, and no safety crap.

In NJ, where only THEY can put gas in your vehicle (no self serve), I had to CONVINCE the kid working that he had to put the gas in slow and easy.  I knew how many gallons it took, and he listened.

In places where I can fill my own gas, I have a hose that fits almost any gas nozzel, which I put deep into the tank, especially the reserve tank.

I always try using the pump "as-is" first, and sometimes I'm lucky and it will fill rapidly, either tank.

Soemtimes I'm NOT lucky, and have to use the vinyl hose.

Kev



From: west coast redneck
Sent: 9/4/2005 11:37 AM

My  main tank is ok (78 brave) It's my rear auxilary tank is almost horizontal. Sometimes I try to go short or long on the gas station pad which ever is lower.I think also with our old Winnies rear suspention getting saggy ( just like us)  the angle works against us.I had my rear leafs re-arced & a extre leaf put in & it lifted the bum end up 5 inches  .Really feels alot firmer on the road too.Was worth the $300



From: Wasserhaus1
Sent: 9/7/2005 10:39 AM

Comming east from Iowa back to NJ with my ebay purchase in January in windchilling cold I got it down pretty quick on how to jockey the nozzle in the filler neck. In addition to what has already been said I also back off the nozzle so the vapor recovery housing does not contact the filler opening.  Not environmentally sound to do but it beats playing russian roulette with the trigger.

Kevin, being a resident of NJ - I've taken the laidback approach. I always ask to pump, if they insist I can't, I hang at the pump if I see they don't have the "technique" and wait patiently .  When I see the light go on over their head  indicating they can't get it, I politely ask if I can be of some help.  Never fails. LMAO. My regular station lets me pump from the get go now.

Tom,  14.5 mpg?  Guess it pays to know what you are doing under the hood.  My 318 gets around 5-7mpg. LOL