Filling Up Gas Question

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So my gas was pretty much down to the empty mark and i went to fill up gas and i got 11.837 gallons in there no problem then i hungup the nozzle and closed the cap and went in to add $8 more dollars so i opened the cap again and went to fill 2.367 gallons more but it kept clicking nonstop but i got it all in there without spilling but im wondering how is this when my gas tank is 16.5-17gallons? Nothing spilled out either usually it would if it was full wouldnt it?
 
What you added by your numbers is 14.204 gallons, most cars have 1.5 to 2 gallons left when the gauge reads empty. Seems normal to me.
 
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Sometimes the rollover check valve develops a bad attitude. When I have issues I pull the filler hose most of the way out so it just barely opens the unleaded restrictor flap. Helps me see if I'm getting any gurgling. You don't want to jam too much in there, it'll get sucked back into the station's tank via the vapor recovery system and that's gas you paid for!
 
Originally Posted By: boostedtsiawd
So my gas was pretty much down to the empty mark


So its gonna be hard to argue it should take 16.5-17 gallons unless you've purposefully drained the tank totally dry (even running a car out of gas, there might be 0-0.25 gallons of fuel in there realistically. The pump isn't perfect, neither is the gauge. "E" often means "low enough that you're hopefully scared you'll run out and the tiny bit left will get you there.)

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but it kept clicking nonstop but i got it all in there without spilling


Don't make a hobby of that. Overfilling a gas tank means if the fuel heats up it can easily expand and be pushed out of the filler cap (which is vented) or into the emissions system vent tubes. It stops because pressure has been formed due to gas sloshing up the filler neck and against the filler nozzle's mechanism. Usually you can get a bit more in because the fuel sloshes around the tank; there are baffles in there that can hold air pockets.

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Nothing spilled out either usually it would if it was full wouldnt it?


If you have it that full you'll have a big problem when the fuel warms up, and since it came out of an underground tank its inevitably going to happen, and find its way on the outside of your vehicle's body being totally wasted (usually).
 
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Its normal to have 2 or 3 gallons 'unread'. I know on my car when the gauge bottoms out and the Fuel light comes on, I have 3 gallons left. This is for people who 'push' it to not run out of gas as soon as the light comes on.
 
Originally Posted By: RiceCake

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but it kept clicking nonstop but i got it all in there without spilling


Don't make a hobby of that. Overfilling a gas tank means if the fuel heats up it can easily expand and be pushed out of the filler cap (which is vented) or into the emissions system vent tubes. It stops because pressure has been formed due to gas sloshing up the filler neck and against the filler nozzle's mechanism. Usually you can get a bit more in because the fuel sloshes around the tank; there are baffles in there that can hold air pockets.

My model of vehicle is known for filling the charcoal canister with fuel when people 'top up' excessively. What happens then is the next time the person tries to fill the tank, the nozzle clicks off every gallon or so unless they trickle it in there.
So pretty much for me, first click, and done. Even if it seems a little low.
 
You can jam a lot of fuel in if you run it right up the filler neck--easily more than the specified capacity. Why bother though? Stop when the pump clicks and you have less chance of it blowing back out and all down your paint (or arm).

But if the pump can actually pull fuel back out as eljefino says, then maybe you are paying the gas station to put some of their fuel back in their tank?
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Originally Posted By: TallPaul
But if the pump can actually pull fuel back out as eljefino says, then maybe you are paying the gas station to put some of their fuel back in their tank?
21.gif

Not a bad deal for the gas station!
 
well hopefully i didnt damage anything and instead the $8 got pumped back into the gas station cause my car is a 95 which is obd1 which i believe isnt as good as obd2 to detect faults if there was an issue?
 
If it starts running oddly or the check engine light comes on, then maybe something got messed up. But so far you are not reporting anything like that. You should be fine. Just don't do it again.
 
Im saying though its a 1995 obd1 i believe but possibly could be obd2 but i know for a fact obd1 isnt smart enough as obd2 to pickup things sometimes i remember one of my fuel injectors in my other obd1 car wasnt firing and i got no cel light telling me something is wrong instead a mechanic had to find out.
 
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I do this with the diesels all the time-the vent on the tank will you add extra fuel until the tank is TOTALLY full. The downside is-if there is a drastic temperature increase before you run some of it out, you'll end up with some on the driveway. It's not a good idea on modern gas vehicles, though, it causes the xB to run badly for the first 10 miles or so until the extra fuel is purged out of the charcoal canister.
 
I know you aren't supposed to, but I leave the engine running and stop filling at the first click of it off.

The way I see it, this lets the gas pump (nozzle) suck whatever vapor is caused by the engine running, and the fuel gets added to the engine more in real-time.. whatever infinitessimal amount that is.

The gas gauge fills up in real time, nothing even risks getting spilled out as I don't cram more fuel in there (and the station in Dorchester added another $2 once, so, whatever,) and, sure, some will call that a "bad habit," but.. Why put that wear/tear on your starter?

I also alternate tanks of 89/93. I usually gas up when it gets to half, or 1/3.. so I am always adding between 6 and 10 gallons, approximately. (18 gallon tank, approximately.) Could be either or, 89or 93.. 93 is $3.55 a gallon and it will take about 10 gallons this time, so the next time I will do that again with the 89. Switch (93..) Switch (89.) Repeat..
 
^ Yeah that's not a real great policy. The fuel system relies on a small vacuum to be present, you may confuse it by having the engine running when you add gas. There are also various solenoids that might be open when they should be closed, and you could plausibly ruin your charcoal canister more easily.
 
Lincoln Town Car was the ONLY car I had to put the nozzle in upside down, halfway out, etc when I was a gas station attendant to get it to fill properly.

Yes, Late-model Lincoln Town Car (anything after 1999, the curvy ones.) Every single one of them that came in needed that special treatment.

And yes, the limo drivers turned their cars off.
 
Originally Posted By: boostedtsiawd
Mine has a vapor canister not charcoal whats the difference?


More than likely, charcoal lurks within.
 
Vapor can, emissions can, charcoal can, etc etc etc...

Same difference.

Also to the guy filling his car with it running, a car is isolated from ground (earth) due to the tires. What you're doing has the potential to cause a static buildup within the chassis (which with a running engine and many moving parts can be easy) and a discharge that could ignite vapors, and is infinitesimally stupid to do for some (pointless) pursuit of believing its better.

You're wasting more gas letting it idle that way then whatever benefit you think you're getting anyhow. Also not only are starters cheap, but they last an exceptionally long time anyhow, some to the junkyard. Whatever favor you're doing your starter is costing you money and making fueling a huge fire risk.

Have some common sense, seriously...
 
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