Tech Support Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Gas Pump Constantly Shuts Off During Refueling

29K views 55 replies 10 participants last post by  jcgriff2 
#1 ·
Hi. . .

I have a 1999 Lincoln Continental; 89,000 miles; original owner.

Starting about ~2 months ago, whenever I attempt to fill my car up, the gas pump shuts off every few seconds, requiring the attendant to start it again. He no sooner turns away - it clicks off again. The rate of flow of gas from the pump makes no difference whatsoever. These constant shut-offs tick the attendants off and they give up. (New Jersey has full-service gas only; no self-serve by law).

Recently, with the tank @ 1/4, the attendant yells "you full" after just $4.00 and at least 12 shut-offs. I took over and it resulted in an agonizing 10++ minutes to fill the tank, trying everything you can imagine with the gas pump - position, flow rate, etc... and it constantly shuts off the flow as if to indicate the tank is full.

I have tried different gas stations and different pumps - all with the same result.

I have Googled this and see a variety of solutions, but I don't know anything about car mechanics (Wrench97 can verify this!) and always end up ruining something on the few occasions I attempted self-repair. I obviously don't want to take the car to Lincoln for repairs due to the cost.

"Solutions" like this are asinine and are definitely not the answer as I've been putting gas in this same car the same way for 15 years now!
Today's gas pumps deliver fuel at a pretty fast rate and if your fuel tank neck is not straight (which on these cars it probably isn't) you will get splash-back and it will click the pump off. You either need to go at a slower rate by not squeezing the handle as much or buy a funnel and fill using that. Hope this helps.
http://lincolnforums.com/forums/thr...lling-Tank-TANK-IS-NOT-FULL?p=18635#post18635

I am finding more answers like this (please see posts #4, 5, 7) related to a clogged venting hose for fuel vapors - http://lincolnforums.com/forums/thr...lling-Tank-TANK-IS-NOT-FULL?p=25439#post25439

Many theories in this thread - http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/fo...l-the-gas-tank&p=872400&viewfull=1#post872400

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

John
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Not sure on Conti, but some cars have a breather hose along side the filler tube. You have to look under the car to see it. If it's plugged, that's the problem. I'll refrain from jokes about high speed driving.
 
#3 ·
On most cars today, the breather tube is inside the outer tube, On some, the outside tube is the breather and the filler is actually a smaller tube inside that, this is the way most fords are today.
Open the fuel door, should be 3 screws around the outside of the filler, loosen them and pull on the tube to see if you can reach the hose clamp on the outer tube. Sometimes you need to reach up from under the car, other times can get from the trunk, but most often through the filler door. When you get that loose, work the end off and slide it partway out. should be either a smaller rubber hose or a corrugated plastic tube on the back. If there isn't use a flashlight and look in the big hose.

If you see it inside, what I normally do is grab an old bottle brush and slip it inside it to pull the hose out, sometimes you just push the hose deeper, but normally the bottle brush goes in and the bristles flex back with enough strength to pull it out enough to reconnect it.

They often get pushed off by someone trying to siphon gas.
 
#6 ·
Yes - very well in fact.

New tires, battery, lower-control arm and overall thorough check by Firestone in April 2014. Made a recent 350+ mile trip; speeds hit triple digits at one point. No stalling, hesitation or other problems at all.

One variable that I'm not sure if it matters or not -- the car was in a LF head-on collision in May 2014 requiring ~$5k retail body repairs (LF fender, front bumper, left headlamp assembly, hood - all replaced + "straightening" - not sure what, though). It took 2 weeks to fix.

Could the accident have jolted something?

Cold weather?

Also, this is the first year out of the last 5 or so that I have not experienced stalling when the switch-over to ethanol blended gas commenced. The O2 sensor was replaced at least 2x in the last ~5 years to fix the stalling. Another year- the car's first tune-up fixed the problem. As I mentioned - I was fully expecting stalling issues as October approached, but none this year for some reason.
 
#10 ·
Its not just your Lincoln, my city work truck is gas and does the exact same thing, I looked the breather tube is directly connected to the main fill line so when ever it fills " toot fast" it shuts off,
I hope that helps out find out why yours does it
 
#11 ·
The accident could easily have shaken something loose.

Just did a search for filler tube replacements, and they show both styles, the inner/outer hoses and separate vent/fill tubes so I have to say I'm at a loss now.
Would definitely say it's in the filler/vent though.

The good thing is that the filler can normally be pulled without dropping the tank and inspected or cleared.
 
#14 ·
I don;t know it this will help you any at all but on my city work truck is a Chevy 3500 HD tool body with a gas engine, and it shuts off after 5 seconds of fueling every time, so heres what I do, turn the pump handle upside down and stay with it, note IT MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF WHEN FULL, if you do this, but thats what I have to do every three days,
which is another reason there are no GM products on my property
 
#21 ·
Interesting visit at the gas pump tonight.

When the attendant got ticked off at the constant shut-offs, I once again exited the car to take over. But since outside temp was 20F, I first started the car to keep the heat going.

Surprisingly, I was able to fill the tank without the pump clicking off - nearly 16 gallons - gas pump going as fast as it could.

Did I just get lucky or does the fact that the car was running this time affect anything?

I will repeat this (leave car idling) next time to test.
 
#22 ·
Possibly! Sounds like a vapor canister, purge valve, or one of the evap lines doing crazy things, jcgriff.
Waiting to see how it does next fillup.
 
#28 ·
Takes us back to a clogged vent.
When idling, the evap system has a valve that opens to the intake to clean fumes from the charcoal filter, which allows the gas tank to vent through it instead of the correct valve and vent.
Normally all in the same evap system, but the 'vent' valve is typically under the car near the tank.
 
#34 ·
A stuck purge valve is pretty common on certain vehicles, I'm thinking my wifes Ford F150 has a stuck valve,

jcgriff2 Do you have a Haynes or Chiltons manual to show you where the Purge valve and vent line are at?
 
#31 ·
If "a code was thrown" -- would it cause the Check Engine light to turn on?

Currently, the Check Engine light is not on.

If I could only get it to produce a kernel dump, then... :0

(Sorry... could not resist! -- Windbg sure does help me solve quite a few things in life!)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top