Weird Fuel Thing

[FinallyVXRed]

I've had this a few times now, more annoying than serious but I'd like to know if theres a fix if poss.

When filling up the petrol station fuel pump clicks and wont add anymore fuel. I can take the nozzle out, wait 30 secs or so, even a few mins but no matter what I do I cant add more fuel.

Full up you would think? Nope! When I get back in the car its a good one or two clicks under full which represents quite a lot of petrol! Pain in the arse when you need to do a 300 mile trip so want it brimming!

If it were pump breather issues would have thought taking the pump nozzle out and letting any froth settle would cure it. I've even held the little filler flap in the very top of the filler pipe open to let it breath but it doesnt seem to make any difference. Very odd!
Anyone any ideas what might be stopping it filling right up?

Edited by FinallyVXRed on Friday 9th March 11:40

[s55shh]

Maybe it is full but the tank guage sender is sticking. First few fill ups on mine were giving strange readings.

[wayne marsh]

I don't know why, but I had the same thing happen but only once when no matter how hard I tried I could not fill the tank anymore than three quarters full. But, and here's the interesting bit. When I removed the nozzel there was a huge rush of fuel that erupted (that's not an exagerated statement) out of the fuel filler cap which bloody soaked me. I ended up driving the 60-miles home without a bloody shirt on. This is bad for two reasons - firstly it was not a pretty sight and secondly - it was minus 8 at the time the heater on the Monaro is crap. My apologies if this is ranting!

[FinallyVXRed]

s55shh said:

Maybe it is full but the tank guage sender is sticking. First few fill ups on mine were giving strange readings.

Yes I thought possible at first but the remainder in the tank lasts spot on for what it should if it were the correct reading and it also happened from empty this time and only took about £50 worth which is a fair bit less than it would if it really had filled up

[Demolition Man]

Mine does the same - I have found if you hold the nozzle 1cm out of the entrance and deliver the fuel realy slow.... it takes time, but you end up with the tank brimming

God knows what causes it in the first place.

[mobile01]

mine doesnt do that but my cavalier turbo used to be a right git, as if it didnt like petrol. only way i fond round it was put nozzle in and rotate it 90 degrees, worked a treat

[BATHVXR]

Same here althouhg even filling slowly dosnet seem to help....

[FinallyVXRed]

I'm glad its not only me and with others getting it too I would have thought it would be something that Greens/Picador or other dealers had come across that's assuming they ever fill the car up prior to sale

Are all you guys who have had this all in 6.0 VXRs?

[greens vauxhall]

FinallyVXRed said:

I'm glad its not only me and with others getting it too I would have thought it would be something that Greens/Picador or other dealers had come across that's assuming they ever fill the car up prior to sale

Are all you guys who have had this all in 6.0 VXRs?

I have never had fueling issue with any of the cars that I have had personally or any that I have fuelled!! We also have a petrol station and we do have some nozzles that fill cars better than others regardless of make. To my recollection we have never had to attend to a customers car that has had the issue either, but, if you want us to look at a potential issue, quite happy to do so.

[FinallyVXRed]

Yep I'd love you to be able to sort it but its yet another intermittent thing I have with the car and as you say you've never had it so the chances of you being able to reproduce it look pretty slim

I wonder if this is something odd like a combi of the car and type of fuel pump. Seems daft but I guess its possible?

I nearly always fill up at the same Shell garage and always fill with optimax or V-power as it is now. Do the others who get this also use shell/optimax?

[greens vauxhall]

The cars that we fuel for customers from Holborough are fuelled with V-power and we have no issues.

[FinallyVXRed]

That scuppers that theory then

How would you go about looking at something like this then Brian?

[mose]

V-Power, Texaco or BP goes in mine and its only when I refill with BP that I get the needle showing 80% or so full. Have had this for some time.

[greens vauxhall]

FinallyVXRed said:

That scuppers that theory then

How would you go about looking at something like this then Brian?

I imagine we would initially take the filler neck apart to ensure there were no issues. Aside from that I couldnt say.

[pcv8]

This problem is caused by the sensitivity of the fuel pump being used.

Go to different filling stations, or even different pumps at the same
filling station, and you will get a full tank of fuel rather than 3/4.

I have had the same problem on a number of occassions, in most cases
at particular pumps rather than stations. Surprisingly it appears to
happen more frequently at pumps with a low flow rate!

54K miles in less than 2 years at a best average of 250 miles per tank
adds up to over 200 fuel stops. (and £14K fuel bill-jeeze).

Fuel up somewhere else and you won't have a problem.

[FinallyVXRed]

Thats odd, I 'm a creature of habit and tend to use the same pump at the garage I do 99% of my fillups and it doesn't do it all the time at that pump just every now and again.

Never happened with my old motor only ever had it with the Monaro so I cant help thinking there is some subtle issue with the fuel inlet.

Edited by FinallyVXRed on Friday 9th March 20:01

[L8 VXR]

Have two company Monaro’s one 5.7 and one 6.0 both model year2005. Both experience the same filling problems all the way from Hampshire across Germany and back. Both fuel gauges read three quarter full after filling up. Only appears to happen after a long run. If we wait till next day to re-fuel no problems. Both these cars have had the entire fuel systems stripped out to replace in tank pumps and baffle systems and larger fuel supply lines and a return line fitted. The gauges still read wrong. Any thoughts?

[FinallyVXRed]

The problem I'm having is definitely not the gauge reading wrong which I proved by trying Demolition Mans idea of continuing the filling with the nozzle out and "dropping" the fuel into the neck of the inlet. It has filled up properly once since last posting but did the 3/4 thing again on me yesterday. After refusing to take anything more with the nozzle in, I checked the gauge and it was reading just over 3/4 full. I took the nozzle out, let it breath for a few mins and then put the nozzle back in. Tried to get more in and it just gave me the customary "click click, you ain't getting anymore fuel in here thing" so I removed the nozzle again but this time held it about an inch above the top of the inlet and squirted the fuel in. It did take ages as you do have to do this very very slowly but I got nearly another £10 in and the car then read full as it should.

Next time it does it I'm going to leave it 3/4 full and take the car round a few bendy country roads to shake up the tank a bit, drive back to the garage and see if I can then fill up after a good shake up. Maybe the tank is a weird shape at the top and depending on the level of the forecourt doesn't fill properly if on a slight incline.

Actually that's a better idea, I'll just turn the car round hopefully reversing any effect any incline has and try and fill up then, that's if I don't get arrested for attempting to drive off without paying probably grasping at straws a bit here but you never know

Edited by FinallyVXRed on Thursday 15th March 12:27

[baz7175]

Demolition Man said:

Mine does the same - I have found if you hold the nozzle 1cm out of the entrance and deliver the fuel realy slow.... it takes time, but you end up with the tank brimming

God knows what causes it in the first place.

We share the very same technique

[well_fans]

anyone reporting this got an 04 model car or are they all 05 and later with the tank in the boot?