Issue Pumping Gas
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Joined: May 2014
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Issue Pumping Gas
Hello All,
My wife has experienced an issue pumping gas the last 2 times in our Durango. Basically, the pump (2 different stations) isn't recognizing that it needs to stop and continues to pump gas when the car is full. Leading to a waterfall of fuel behind the rear fender. Obviously, you take it to the dealership and they don't know what to do about it, so I'm reaching out to see if others may have had this issue?
I know the Durango has a different gas fill system, I learned that the hard way when I was trying to add gas from a gas can. Same thing, waterfall of gas behind the rear fender. Can't help but think that this type of fill system is leading to the problem we're having.
Any thoughts or experience is truly appreciated. Thanks!
My wife has experienced an issue pumping gas the last 2 times in our Durango. Basically, the pump (2 different stations) isn't recognizing that it needs to stop and continues to pump gas when the car is full. Leading to a waterfall of fuel behind the rear fender. Obviously, you take it to the dealership and they don't know what to do about it, so I'm reaching out to see if others may have had this issue?
I know the Durango has a different gas fill system, I learned that the hard way when I was trying to add gas from a gas can. Same thing, waterfall of gas behind the rear fender. Can't help but think that this type of fill system is leading to the problem we're having.
Any thoughts or experience is truly appreciated. Thanks!
Professional
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 175
Likes: 7
From: West Chester, PA
This is not a vehicle issue. The fuel shut-off valve in the pump is not functioning properly.
Quoted from How Stuff Works
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/gas-pump5.htm
Quoted from How Stuff Works
The Automatic Shut-off
When the customer removes the pump handle from its place on the side of the dispenser, this action activates a switch that starts the dispenser operation. (In some cases the switch is spring-loaded and activates automatically; in others, the customer must raise a small lever manually to begin the process.) At that point, the customer simply inserts the nozzle into the car's gas tank and pulls the lever. Stopping the flow of gas is just as simple -- the customer need only release the lever to cut off the stream of fuel.
But what if the tank fills unexpectedly to the brim and the gasoline threatens to overflow? As anyone who's ever operated a gas pump knows, the pump will switch off automatically. But how does the pump know when to stop pumping?
As the gas level in the tank rises, the distance between the dispenser nozzle and the fuel grows smaller. A small pipe called a venturi runs alongside the gas nozzle. When the end of the venturi pipe becomes submerged in the rising gas, it chokes off the air pressure that holds the nozzle handle open and shuts down the flow of gas. Unfortunately, this shutdown can sometimes happen before the tank is full as the rapidly flowing gas backs up on its way into the tank. This can cause the gas handle to spring open before pumping is complete, leaving the annoyed customer to squeeze the handle again and risk the possibility of overflow. Pausing briefly will allow the gas to continue into the tank and the pump nozzle to start pouring gas again.
When the customer removes the pump handle from its place on the side of the dispenser, this action activates a switch that starts the dispenser operation. (In some cases the switch is spring-loaded and activates automatically; in others, the customer must raise a small lever manually to begin the process.) At that point, the customer simply inserts the nozzle into the car's gas tank and pulls the lever. Stopping the flow of gas is just as simple -- the customer need only release the lever to cut off the stream of fuel.
But what if the tank fills unexpectedly to the brim and the gasoline threatens to overflow? As anyone who's ever operated a gas pump knows, the pump will switch off automatically. But how does the pump know when to stop pumping?
As the gas level in the tank rises, the distance between the dispenser nozzle and the fuel grows smaller. A small pipe called a venturi runs alongside the gas nozzle. When the end of the venturi pipe becomes submerged in the rising gas, it chokes off the air pressure that holds the nozzle handle open and shuts down the flow of gas. Unfortunately, this shutdown can sometimes happen before the tank is full as the rapidly flowing gas backs up on its way into the tank. This can cause the gas handle to spring open before pumping is complete, leaving the annoyed customer to squeeze the handle again and risk the possibility of overflow. Pausing briefly will allow the gas to continue into the tank and the pump nozzle to start pouring gas again.
