Fuel Filling Problems

[tashalm1]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site so please don't be too hard on me. Anyway I have a 1993 K reg Maestro & I'm having problems filling the petrol tank. At first I thought the petrol pump was faulty but I have been to several different stations now & the same thing. The pumps just keep cutting out & even if I try filling it extremely slowly I still have the same problem. I know the tank is nearly empty, so I would be most grateful if anyone has any ideas or suggestions as I'm not very good with this sort of stuff!!

[SimonR]

Hi there,

Bad luck!

That problem is not all that uncommon although I've not heard of anyone being completely unable to fill their tank! I've found in the past that it's all about the angle in which the nozzle in inserted. Try parking the car with the pump on the wrong side of the car, thus you have to stretch it over and are forced to insert it differently.

I had an old Daimler which had exactly this problem and that was the best solution I could find.

Cheers!

[D87 SMW]

Ever since the great 'petrol-spewing-back-out-the-filler' incident I had with a previous Maestro (see: petrol down trousers, wheel arch, wheel and forecourt), I've decided to only insert half the nozzle into the filler, thus allowing for air displacement from the tank. I don't fully press the trigger either, I pump fairly slowly (oo-err).

[Wetfish]

Isn't there a non-return valve at the bottom of the filler pipe? Possibly this is not openimg freely and you are only putting fuel into the filler pipe, which would explain your symptoms. Get some stiff wire and feed it down the filler pipe and see how far you can go down before you feel resistance and try and free the flap up.It might make a difference.

[Simon]

The flap valve can make a difference although I've never experienced a problem with mine. (Fitted a neck with a valve, old neck never had one). Is yours unleaded only - the restrictor in the neck may well be, errm, restricting. When filling an obstinate filler upper I always only insert half the nozzle - it really does help. My Rover 214 (non cat - no restrictor) was a real work of art to fill .Also check your fuel tank breather hose isn't clogged or kinked, the fluid will displace air in the tankage which needs to go somewhere. If the fuel froths up too much because of an inoperative breather hose then it'll operate the auto shut off at the nozzle. Finally, try filling up a little then rocking the car with the fuel cap off, this will "burp" the car in the same way as when you pat baby's back after eating or drinking, allowing things to settle.

[Austin-Rover]

As well as looking for fault with the car, try the petrol pump nozzle itself.

Are you using only one petrol fourcourt? If you look at any fuel nozzle, you will find a tiny round (what appears to look like a hole) sensor. These can be the source of many problems when filling your car. In normal operation they sense when your car is almost full and provide the 'cutoff' function on petrol pumps.

There are a huge number of factors that could be causing your problem. As well as those detailed above it could also be down to:

An iffy 'cutoff' function on the pump you are using.
The pump you are using dispensing too fast and consequently tripping the 'cutoff'
The 'cutoff' sensor on the nozzle could be squashed/damaged and therefore over sensitive


If you have not done so, I may suggest trying a different petrol station to your normal choice for buying fuel. However, if your problem is a recent occurance and you encounter the problem at every petrol station you visit, then I would go with there being a fault on the car.

Being creative with the angle of insertion can also help with successful fueling.

All things to consider.

[talkingcars]

Hi and welcome.

In my experience having owned several maestros, montegos and metros it is not an uncommon problem.

I have found the Sainsburys at Crawley to be worst.

I get around the problem by inserting the pump fully and then twisting it up so that the end of the nozzle is as close to me as possible (in the filler tube obviously).

James

[E_T_V]

Check that the vent hose isn't blocked. My turbo is terrible for this and takes an age to fill (almost as long as it takes the empty the tank!) :D
There are also different designs of filler pipe which is where my problem is I think, as I've got an unleaded one fitted to a leaded tank and the vents are different I believe.

[tashalm1]

Thankyou everyone for the different suggestions. I will try some of them out & let you know how I get on.

[BikerGran]

I have to fill quite slowly or it cuts off, prolly pull the lever about halfway in. Never had it blow back at me tho, just cuts off.

Another odd thing is that sometimes when the tank is nearly empty there's a rush of air when I take the cap off (dunno whether in or out!) - but other times there's not!

[Peter J]

My Maestro van has never been able to take petrol at the full speed of the pump ever since it was new, although it isn't very slow.
The most serious problem I have had is when I filled up at a local station where the sensor on the nozzle wasn't working properly and filled the tank up until it overflowed. I drove home (about 2 miles) and parked. Next day was quite sunny, and I smelt petrol. I found it was overflowing from around the fuel cap through expansion and had made quite a puddle on the floor :eek: I found a bottle and siphoned some out, at least a pint. So the tank had lost this, as well as what it used in driving home for 2 miles and what was on the floor. But about an hour later I smelt petrol overflowing again and had to syphon some more out. I never knew petrol would expand so much

[pandamonium]

the air rushing out of fuel filler pipe is natural due to the fact that the fuel has been sucked out of the tank (toward the engine) and there is no air inside to replace it. This is worst when you run a car from a full tank to almost empty.


PS. Did you know that an empty calor gas bottle is more volitile than a full one for the same reason?!