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Blackdog Lin
6-4-14, 8:59pm
Was on half a tank today, so time to fill up my '94 Chevy Astrovan. I always just put the "dispenser" on auto and wait for it to click off. Have never had any trouble filling it up before. And my gas gauge is working - I knew that being on half a tank was just about accurate and where I'd think it should be.

After 3 1/2 gallons or so, it just clicked off. So I pulled the nozzle out, rearranged it back in, and put the clicker back on the auto clicker spot (forgive my use of overly-technical terms.) :) It almost immediately clicked off. Rinse and repeat, and at that point I gave up and ended up with a charge slip of $10.xx, instead of the $50.xx I intended to spend to fill it up. And my gauge now reads just a little over where it was before - again showing that my gas gauge is okay.

I'm thinking weather/humidity conditions, but that doesn't make sense. Today was 90 degrees with 90% (well, very high) humidity - but that's nothing compared to what we generally get later in the summer. And I've filled that tank up full many times in the unbearable heat and humidity of August.

What might this be? Please don't let it be me being oblivious to something very obvious.....:)

bae
6-4-14, 9:21pm
Try a different pump, I've had this happen before on multiple cars, and it always "gets better" magically the next time I try it elsewhere, and then usually the problematic pump won't reproduce the problem. I suspect the pump nozzle mechanism sometimes gets in a troublesome state, whether from dirt or weather conditions or maintenance or ...

Float On
6-5-14, 2:51am
Every now and then the station we use has trouble with the pumps. Can't get them to stay on or they go so slow it's impossible to wait long enough to get more than $1.00 worth. The other problem I've had lately is within my gas tank intake assembly. It's a capless kind with a self closing feature and it's been sticking lately to where I can't get the fuel nozzle inserted.

goldensmom
6-5-14, 7:21am
Sounds like problem with the pump or gas supply. I've had both problems in the past. When the gas supply gets very low at the gas station the pumps pump very slowly or just quit. I've seen pumps stop at 15 cents when the supply of gas was nearly gone. I doubt it's you or your vehicle.

Gardenarian
6-5-14, 12:14pm
Someone told me that it's a problem with "air in the tanks." I have no idea what this means. :~)
There is a certain gas station that always has that problem, and I avoid it.

Alan
6-5-14, 12:32pm
It sounds to me like your fuel tank is not venting properly, perhaps because of a defective vent valve. This valve is responsible for pushing out the air that settles in the space intended for the fuel. If the valve malfunctions and air cannot vent, then the fuel won't get in.

Blackdog Lin
6-5-14, 8:58pm
Thanks all. I'll go back tomorrow and make a point of trying a different pump. Very much hoping it was the pump and not the vehicle. We're getting ready to get rid of the old beast and I really don't want to have to put any money into any repairs.

nswef
6-8-14, 2:23pm
We were at a gas station in St. Augustine,FL once on vacation and the pump was very slow. We went inside and the clerk said, "You just gotta swing that gun around a bit and then it works." Made us laugh. We "swung that gun around" and it did go a little faster. She had to repeat it a few times before we understood.

Blackdog Lin
6-14-14, 10:13am
Update: thank goodness it must have been the pump I was at, not any problem with the van's tank. Filled up out-of-state last weekend (cheaper gas!) and it worked fine. Thanks y'all.