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Fueling Up Issue

9K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  norm356 
#1 ·
I have read multiple threads about fueling up and the pumps shutting off with some extra room to add more gas into the FJ. This is not my issue. My issue I have often is that the pump stops as if my gas tank were full, but it is nowhere close. This is a sporadic issue that does not happen all the time.

Example: I drive and notice my gas light on so I go to fuel up. I do the credit card thing, pick up the nozzle, select 87, put the nozzle into the fuel fuller and start to fuel up. Just after I start... CLICK. Not even 1/2 a gallon in yet. Start again and CLICK. Again the pump stops and I have to squeeze the handle again. This annoys me so much as I've had it happen at least a dozen times before putting 2 gallons of fuel into the FJ. I've tried positioning the nozzle in different angles with minimal help.

By the way. I live in NY. The little 'assist' things that let you walk away from your vehicle while it holds the handle and fuels your vehicle up thingy are no longer there. So it has nothing to do with the first level or second level (as far as I can determine).

So i've tried to keep track of when and where this happens (gas station wise) as well as how much fuel I have in my FJ when I start to fill up. Nothing is consistant. I'm baffled. Is there something I'm doing wrong that I may be missing? I'm 25 and have been filling up cars for a while. I drive a lot so I fill up quite often. I would gather it's safe to say I can properly fill a vehicles gas tank lol.

To answer a question I see coming fast, Yes. I sometimes have issues at a specific pump and then again no issues at the same pump a different time.

Any help or input is appreciated. If this continues I will definitely be going back to the dealer and seeing what they say.

I have a 2012 FJ AT with ~37000 miles. I purchased with 17 miles on 12/30/2011.

Thanks,
Shocks
 
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#2 ·
I know its not much help, but mine's done this since new. The wife's Sequoia is the same. Both 2010s. I have asked the dealership about it and they don't know either.

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#3 ·
Known issue and it's something to do with the shape of the gas filler neck and/or the vent holes in the filler neck. Not much you can do about it other than pump slower or find the magic pump that always works! :cheers:


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#7 ·
i have had it very occassionally. I also had the same problem with my Mustang.'

It's just not an FJ issue.
 
#8 ·
I've experienced this issue since purchase back in 2010. I've just kind of gotten used to and always allow myself a little more time at the gas station just incase it happens. Mine's an 07 just to be clear
 
#9 ·
Normal issue and related to volume of gas coming from the pump. I've had some where I could just barely hold the handle open and other where I have no issues at all. Temperature also seems to play a factor I've found, though the temps in question are in the -30-40 range.
 
#10 ·
Speaking of the little assist thingy, I've seen some for sale online that you can carry in your pocket or on your keychain to use for the places where its missing.

As to your problem, agree with the above. You'll have better luck not having the spout all the way down in the tank. Then try not running it at 100%, but back off some, like 90%. Either it's filling too fast for the FJ's fuel filler line, or the nozzle's are too sensitive.
 
#17 ·
Lift the handle all the way up, so the spout is angled more downward towards the tank.

I had one gas station that the pumps would always cut off, holding the handle all the way up altered the flow enough to always go full speed and not cut off early. But you have to stand there and hold it the whole time...
 
#12 ·
Mine used to do it, but it's now very rare since I did a body lift. I think the few instances it happens now are more pump related. If you crawl under your FJ and look up to where the fuel filler is, you'll see the path is almost horizontal to get to the tank on a stock truck. I assume my fuel tank is mounted to the frame while the filler is mounted to the body and I ended up with a better angle with the lift, but I've just taken it for granted now that it works properly.
 
#13 ·
I have a '13, and I've had no problem filling (knock on wood). BUT I've had that problem on other vehicles. Try rotating the nozzle 10-20 degrees. That's what worked for me.

Have you had this problem since it was new or is this a recent development? If you discover an angle that improves the flow, report that to the dealer when you complain. It would definitely annoy me if it was a constant problem.
 
#14 ·
I thought this problem was just me. I have learned to hold the pump at the top after latching it to stay on. This works everytime! It seems as long as there is pressure forcing it in, then it can take the larger volume. Sucks to have to hold the pump the whole time, but at least I dont have to hold the trigger at all now.
 
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#15 ·
For me, if it is an angry pump, turning it sideways, partially inserting nozzle, putting it on the slower notch, none of it works other than slow manual fill. It seems it's not as frequent as it used to be though.

Maybe I need an excuse for a Bandi lift like Speedrye!


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#16 ·
Happens to me every now and then.

Solution:
  1. Push pump filler all the way in
  2. Hold pump handle up (pointing filler down)
  3. Squeeze pump handle (partial or full, doesn't matter)

Will fill up until full and click off when full every time. Only hassle is you have to hold the pump handle up.
 
#18 ·
I take a half step to the rear of my FJ and hold the handle horizontally to the ground... and then manually hold it open about 3/4. I can usually tell when it's thinking of clicking off by the feel and sound of it.
:cheers:
 
#19 ·
I can usually tell when it's thinking of clicking off by the feel and sound of it.
:cheers:
Good point. I can hear it coming too.

It sounds like a CAI sucking air when it's coming. You know you are monitoring the entire fill up with 300 clicks in the process!!!




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#20 ·
I've had this on both FJ's and it does it intermittently at the same pump. I may be wrong but I've noticed that the pumps speed is not consistent some times it's very fast and others very slow. I could be wrong but I think it might depend on how full the stations ground tanks are. I also think the angle the nozzle is placed in the filler neck makes a difference. If it pumps very fast and the gas is hitting the side of the filler neck it causes enough back pressure to stop the pump. As I say I may be totally full of it here but it makes sense to my pea brain.
 
#25 ·
I've had this on both FJ's and it does it intermittently at the same pump. I may be wrong but I've noticed that the pumps speed is not consistent some times it's very fast and others very slow......
Yeah, I noticed this too. If there are other people clicking their pumps on and off (filling their vehicles) it creates a little surge and will surely click mine off.
 
#21 ·
This topic has been covered over maybe a zillion posts. It's the nature of the FJ beast, and only gets worse when certain gas station pumps are over-active., Me, I always put just the first 1 inch of the nozzle into the filler neck, just enough to lock it in place so it doesn't fall to the ground. Usually I can run the pumps at full tilt boogie, but most times I just set the nozzle at half throttle and spend my time cleaning the windows while she fills up. Works every time.
 
#22 ·
This topic has been covered ... I just set the nozzle at half throttle.
I appologize if this was covered. I did do a search but came up empty with the situation I described. Also, I cannot set the nozzle at any setting as the gas stations in NY do not have the (technically speacking of course) "thingy" to do that.

Anywho I have to fill up tomorrow as I'm under 1/4 tank. We shall see if I have this reoccur. If so I will try some of the techniques suggested earlier.

Thanks,
Shocks
 
#27 ·
just stick your cap under the lever to hold it. that way it will be slow enough to not click but you dont need to hold it.
I've been using that trick since I bought the thing.
 
#28 ·
I saw the parts diagram for the filler tube...
It shows a hard 90 degree bend..

Any plumber will tell you that is not a good thing..

So at first I thought it might just be backing up there..?
Does some gas have detergents and possible foam under turbulence?
My diesel foams like crazy, if gas foams at all the 90 could send it back to the pump as full.
But,
That same day my buddy came over, we were looking at the underside of the rear about a non related issue.
We saw 2 boxes screwed to the bottom of the deck. One big one small.

Out of the blue he said he thinks those are part of my fuel system....
I looked at it and thought very possible as there were wires heading that way.

He then went on to say one is probably some kind of filter for the fuel system....
He said he had to change or clean one on some other car in the past.
He said it has something to do with the Back Pressure while fueling.

As you know if you put fuel in the tank you have to displace the air that currently resides there.
You probably haven't noticed any hissing of air coming out from the filler neck while fueling??
It must be being released somewhere by some type of valve, that you probably don't want clogged so there is probably a filter for it...makes sense to be evacuating the gas fumes down below where least troublesome....
I could be way off base
This is just my current theory...
I am just talking out my rear but it all makes sense to me...

I am currently following up on schematics and identification of those two boxes to see what they are....would be really cool if its just a clogged filter or port....

SOG
(Some Old Guy)
 
#29 · (Edited)
Calbuild, will you post photos of what you are looking at?

There is a charcoal canister (big rectangular, black plastic box), with an air pump, solenoids and check valves to run an airtight leak test of the fuel system each night (approximately 4-6 hours after you park it). There is a 1/2" diameter breather tube from the top of the tank (with a check valve to prevent raw fuel going up it) to the canister, to capture the vapors as you fill the tank.

There is a snorkel from it that runs up alongside the filler neck, to an air filter located near the filler opening, but on the backside so you can't see it and no fuel could get on it. It is the air intake for the fuel tank as you use the fuel and need to replace it with air, and it is also the way for air to get out (after it has passed through the charcoal canister to give up its vapors) as you fill the tank.


Note that a smooth bend, by itself, is no deterrent to flow. As any plumber will tell you, changes in diameter (like, by threaded fittings) DO interfere with flow, but smooth bends do not (the code calculation for pressure loss has factors for the one, but not for the other). That's why the gas supply line from the street to your house is smaller diameter than the black pipe inside of your house, but they both carry the same flow, because the pipe fittings create friction but the smooth (yellow) flex pipe used outside, even when it has sharp bends, does not.

Additionally, the filler neck is 1" diameter, and the fuel flow from the nozzle is considerably smaller than that, even at full flow, so there's always a lot of air around the fuel as it pours down into the tank, further reducing possibility of friction issues. The whole system is designed to, as much as possible, prevent fuel backing up and splashing on you, or on the ground (dangerous).

The thing that turns off the filler nozzle (assuming its working correctly), is the 3rd tube that runs along the filler neck: it is 1/4" diameter, and it starts at the top of the tank and runs to the point right where the tip of the filler nozzle sits. When the tank gets full, the fuel shoots up that small diameter tube much more quickly than it backs up the 1" diameter main tube, and shoots a jet of fuel at the tip of the filler nozzle, "tickling" its shut off device, turning off the pump before the main tube has backed up and preventing it from spilling on you/the ground.

Generally, when I've seen a pump that isn't working right, either that filler nozzle shut off device was broken/ improperly adjusted, making it far too sensitive (as you can imagine, they are designed to fail safe, so a bad one will turn off way too easily), or the nozzle itself is dispensing the fuel far too foamy, and that foaming triggers its own shut off device. Maintaining those things costs money, so gas stations often try to keep bad ones in service as long as they can get away with, and let you struggle with it.


x2 on the suggestion of putting the cap under the filler lever in NYS where they've removed those filler nozzle lever holders. It works, but don't be surprised if the attendant yells at you for doing it. There was a VERY bad fire/explosion in New York, back in the early '80s, and rather than outlawing self serve like they did in NJ, they installed big fire suppression systems on each island and took off all of those nozzle holder-onners, making it a pain unless you use the "cap under the lever" trick.


N
 
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