Fuel in the tank - Click! Pump stops.

[Extreme_One]

Almost every time I fill up, no matter which fuel station I use, the pump continually stops with a click - the same as when the tank is full.

Fuel goes in - click - pump stops. Squeeze the trigger, more fuel in - click - pump stops.

The only solution I've found is to lift and raise the hose from the pump to the filing nozzle. This allows me to fill the tank and the only click I get is when the tank is full.

Any idea what's happening, and is there a way to solve it permanently?

[Hybrid21]

Have you had the car since new Simon ? Has it always done this ?

Sounds like not enough air getting into the tank as your filling it, normally a breather valve to facilitate this.

Someone with the same type of vehicle should be along shortly to advise.

Certainly doesn't do it with my RAV4.

[Stivino]

18 minutes ago, Hybrid21 said:

Sounds like not enough air getting into the tank as your filling it

The air leaves the tank as you put fuel in.

[Extreme_One]

20 minutes ago, Hybrid21 said:

Have you had the car since new Simon ? Has it always done this ?

Yes I've had it from new and it's done the same thing from day one.

[Cyker]

When you say different pump do you mean an entirely different forecourt? I used to get it with my Fiesta on certain forecourts; Only solutions were to rotate the nozzle slightly, not squeeze the trigger as hard, or hold it away as you say.

For some reason the filler pipe is backwashing slightly too much fuel and it's going into that little hole on the end of the fuel nozzle, which triggers the cut-off.

In fact, now that I think of it, the Sainsburys fuel station in Watford also causes me this problem in my Mk4, whereas e.g. the one in Enfield doesn't!!

 

[Roy124]

Simon, to be quite clear, the pump clicks we'll before the tank is full and stops several times? 

If that's right I'm with Cyker. 

In normal operation, to be safe however, do not refuel to the very last click. That can be tricky if it clicks several times.  Best thing on that case. Check distance run since full, estimate fuel needed, refuel to that quantity.  It will be close to full and avoid over fuelling. 

[TonyHSD]

Yes, air can’t escape properly, happens sometimes to my Auris too, just reposition the nozzle differently and this should do it. My car has a recall and  filler tube changed but don’t remember for what reason was this recall done. It does not happen often though. 👍

[Extreme_One]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll try changing the angle I'm holding the nozzle to see if that does the trick.

[Hybrid21]

3 hours ago, Stivino said:

The air leaves the tank as you put fuel in.

You know what I mean Stephen 😀

[Hybrid21]

None of my cars have ever done this when refuelling, probably because I fill very slowly as I'm busy watching the pounds dial spin round 😀

[Cyker]

Ahh for the days when the pounds ticked up slower than the litres!

[Roy124]

I seem to recall 2 hands, gallons and pints.  Price on a ready reckoner and your windscreen cleaned and oil checked. 300 miles per pint. 

[Cyker]

That reminds me of an old Spur petrol station we used to use when I was a kid, which was the only non-self serve petrol station I'd ever seen!

Seems like such a bizarre concept now, esp. as we're moving to fully automated stations like the Asda one in Colindale (I think?)

Weirdly there was a  Shell in Chingford that went through a phase where they offered to fill for you, but I think it stopped because it wasn't popular (I think the idea just weirded people out  )

 

[AndrueC]

One of my Honda Jazz used to have this problem. I found that holding the nozzle upside down fixed it. No idea what the cause is but the tank on the Jazz is unusual in that it's relatively flat (it's underneath the seats).

[TonyHSD]

2 minutes ago, AndrueC said:

One of my Honda Jazz used to have this problem. I found that holding the nozzle upside down fixed it. No idea what the cause is but the tank on the Jazz is unusual in that it's relatively flat (it's underneath the seats).

Yes, I do this trick in the Toyota when park on the other side of the pump and stretch the hose around the back bumper , fill ups well without hiccups 👌👍

[Hornet3D]

12 minutes ago, AndrueC said:

One of my Honda Jazz used to have this problem. I found that holding the nozzle upside down fixed it. No idea what the cause is but the tank on the Jazz is unusual in that it's relatively flat (it's underneath the seats).

I had a Vauxhall many years ago that did the same thing and your trick of turning the nozzle upside down also worked for me.

[Hornet3D]

5 hours ago, Roy124 said:

Simon, to be quite clear, the pump clicks we'll before the tank is full and stops several times? 

If that's right I'm with Cyker. 

In normal operation, to be safe however, do not refuel to the very last click. That can be tricky if it clicks several times.  Best thing on that case. Check distance run since full, estimate fuel needed, refuel to that quantity.  It will be close to full and avoid over fuelling. 

 That is the more serious part of the problem as you do not want to fill the tank to the very top as it can result in damage to the vapour collection system.  I always used to with my old Honda CRV but since I found out this can cause expensive damage I always stop filling as soon as the pump clicks off, but them I do not have the problem described here.

[Roy124]

I think I use 'wrong side pumps' more often than others as they seem to be used last. 

In Lanzarote, on the road from Receife to Playa Blanca is a service station.  It does seem odd at first having someone do it for you. 

[Cyker]

Need to be careful when holding the dispenser upside-down tho'!

I tried to fill my car with the nozzle upside down once because I was on the wrong side and that was the only way it'd go in (Extra long hoses my shiny metal <REDACTED>), and it sprayed everywhere because the overfill-sensor wasn't triggered!  

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

I liked the old way of an attendant filling the tank for you.

In my Anglia in the 1970s it was somewhat inconvenient in the few stations that were self service then,as I was young and daft and always in a hurry and managed to spill petrol on my flared trousers with turn ups, sometimes even on my cheesecloth shirt too.

This led to embarrassment later when in a disco blaring out bee gees numbers doused in brut after shave (and petrol) when the ladies of the day would wrinkle their noses a bit and back away slowly.

Not to mention the risk of combustion, everyone was smoking back then.

Still, everything is better and safer now for those of us who survived these hazards intact, yeah right 😆

[Roy124]

I had an Anglia too. Does the PyeWype or bar over Woolies mean anything.  I didn't smoke but had several pairs of trousers burnt from passing cigarette butts 😕. 

Could you sell a 'modern' Ford Anglia today?  39 bhp, fixed rake plastic seats, rubber mats, no radio, plastic steering wheel, floor dip switch and a click indicator switch on the dash?  Obviously all the new comfirmity rules would add extra cost. Still, no need for anti tail gate measures.  You would need to accelerate hard and still not get there. 

[Hybrid21]

10 hours ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

I liked the old way of an attendant filling the tank for you.

In my Anglia in the 1970s it was somewhat inconvenient in the few stations that were self service then,as I was young and daft and always in a hurry and managed to spill petrol on my flared trousers with turn ups, sometimes even on my cheesecloth shirt too.

This led to embarrassment later when in a disco blaring out bee gees numbers doused in brut after shave (and petrol) when the ladies of the day would wrinkle their noses a bit and back away slowly.

Not to mention the risk of combustion, everyone was smoking back then.

Still, everything is better and safer now for those of us who survived these hazards intact, yeah right 😆

Those were the days Paul 😀

Bet you felt you were the bees knees in your Anglia, as I did in my MK1 GT Cortina, with furry headrests and cushions in the back window 😀

[Hybrid21]

Also remember going into the local Esso station and putting in ten penny shots of Redex with the petrol and telling the assistant that it was only two shots 😀

 

[50p]

Hmm, seem to remember a promise of cheaper fuel once the pumps were automated as they no longer had to pay an attendant to do the job ....

[Rambler56]

It's usually down to the calibration of the pump (I assume a sensor measures back pressure in the nozzle?).  Some shut off too early, others shut off too late.  I always stand back when filling the tank as my suit trousers and shoes got drenched when it didn't shut off properly one day and about half a pint of petrol blew back (the Jet garage blamed the pump calibration and paid for my dry cleaning and  damage to my shoes).  If any nozzle shuts off early, and it happens from time to time with every car I've ever had, I just pull the nozzle out an inch or so and that seems to cure it and I report the problem to the cashier.