Filling gas tank questions

[supton]

Two questions:

First, when I put in gas, 9 times out of 10, the darn thing immediately clicks off. Unless if I wait like 3 seconds after inserting. Since I generally am putting in 15-20 gallons I set the lock, only to have it start pumping and it... clicks off.

Yes, I could just count to 5 and then pump. But I'm curious. I swipe my card, select 87 octane, insert, attempt to pump. Only if I'm slow does it shut off.

Second, dad has a 2004-ish Forester, and he says he can only put in 0.1 gallon before it clicks off. It continuously keeps kicking out. IIRC the pump auto shutoff works off the air coming out of the tank; when it gets "lots" I guess it detects and shuts off. I know I can google it and learn more how that system works: but the question is, what should I be looking for on an '04 (or so) Subaru where it won't fill? Some google work indicates checking for a kink in the filler neck, or blocked vent. One link indicated it might be an anti-rollover valve that might be activated (a checkball meant to keep gas in the tank in case of a rollover); might this vehicle have one?

 

[oilmutt]

I had the same problem, go to a different station,problem solved.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: oilmutt
I had the same problem, go to a different station,problem solved.


+1 my wife had this issue with her 2005 Legacy and simply avoids certain stations and it works fine. The antique pumps seems better then those with those annoying boots(vapor catchers?).

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: oilmutt
I had the same problem, go to a different station,problem solved.


+2. We have a 2006 E350 KVM at work that I drive occasionally. The filler is almost at the rear, the newer pumps will click almost instantly and you have to hold it halfway out in order to fill it. Older stations, no problem.

 

[Colt45ws]

Yeah, if its the boot-type station, that alone could be it. They are very finiky.
On my CVPI, my issue was the vent valve was stuck closed. Normally, air from the tank goes into the charcoal canister and out the vent valve into the atmosphere.
When you start the car and it checks the tank seal it will command it closed. Since it was closed always it would pass this check so no check engine light.

But it was super annoying to have it click off all the time. The way I figured out it was a pressurization problem was when it would click off, if I went full open on the handle again without waiting it would click before I even got all the way open.
If I would wait about 5 seconds it would give me the same amount of time as the first time around.

 

[rslifkin]

Certain pump and car combinations seem to not get along well. And I've found sometimes when it happens, just positioning the nozzle slightly differently in the filler is enough to fix it.

 

[eljefino]

I've always "felt" even if not based in reality that holding the nozzle "gangsta style" (cocked 90 degrees) got me some benefit, as well as pulling it out as far as I could while still pushing that little spring loaded door thing in.

 

[shiny]

Usually if i pull the nozzle out slightly it'll stop clicking off.

 

[Rolla07]

I have that happen at costco..i just spin the handle upside down and it works.

 

[fdcg27]

I've seen this once in a while and really can't give you a good reason for it.
The first time I filled the BMW, which had come with a full tank when I bought it, I wondered what the problem was.
Never saw it again, even at the same gas station.
Just another one of those "who knows?" things.

 

[Nick1994]

When that happens to me I just pull the nozzle out a little and not have it shoved all the way in. Works fine for me.

 

[dblshock]

on a fill it clicks off, I then fill slow for another 2 gallons...neck to neck is how I calculate mileage.