Overfilling diesel (1 Viewer)

GJH

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We went to top up the diesel and gas this morning ready for our next trip. Gas was fine but the diesel didn't stop. Normally I hear a gurgling sound and then the overfill protector clicks and stops the fuel. This morning I heard the gurgle and then diesel started spilling out of the filler neck.

Never known that happen on any vehicle (petrol or diesel) that we've had so can anyone advise what causes it and how I can prevent it in future?

The attendant at the garage said that it hadn't happened for a long time but used to happen often on BT vans so is it a problem with the garage or the van?
 
Jun 2, 2010
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Diesel pump delivering a load of bubbles in the fuel?

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GJH

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Sounds like a faulty pump to me.

Diesel pump delivering a load of bubbles in the fuel?

Thanks. I hoped it was their pump rather than the van. I've used it only once before and it was OK then. Hope they fix it because the place is convenient. It isn't far away, we can pull up at the LPG pump to top up the Alugas bottle and then pull forward a few feet to fill up the diesel.
 

vwalan

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hi could also be that some vehicles arent breathing properly and the filler neck gets full of fuel then air from the tank blows it out . just have to be careful when filling .also some pumps are a fast fill for trucks etc . they can fill quicker than the breathers on the tank work.
 

Road Burner

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Over filling diesel

Happened to me in a slightly different way. I was filling up my Bessacar E560 and wanted to fill it to capacity. So I heard the click (cut off) . Like I do with the car I tried to top it up a bit more, resulting in quite an overspill. Lesson learned . stop filling after pump cuts off.

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motor roamin

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hi could also be that some vehicles arent breathing properly and the filler neck gets full of fuel then air from the tank blows it out . just have to be careful when filling .also some pumps are a fast fill for trucks etc . they can fill quicker than the breathers on the tank work.

Afraid if I am not very carefull that is what hapens to mine and I end up with 3/4 instead of a full tank :RollEyes:

All the best Rick
 
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Got to admit, I did the opposite :Doh: filled up, Click! stopped and paid.
Later in the day
"Hmm fuel is going down quick! hope i havent got a leak??"
Turned out I hadnt nearly filled it!! (You would have thought I would have noticed when paying that it was a "bit" less!!)

With my old L200, I had to rock the cab when it first clicked to let the bubbles settle!
I would say it is a "Bubbly" dispenser nozzle, and you will need to keep an eye when filling!:Smile:
 

Snowbird

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Worst is when it blows back all over your suede brogues. Ruined a very expensive pair doing just that.:Sad:

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mikebeaches

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Happened to me in a slightly different way. I was filling up my Bessacar E560 and wanted to fill it to capacity. So I heard the click (cut off) . Like I do with the car I tried to top it up a bit more, resulting in quite an overspill. Lesson learned . stop filling after pump cuts off.

Interesting thread - same as above happened to me in France last week. Fortunately, the spill wasn't too bad and I always stand out of the way in any case.

BUT, according to the Fiat handbook for the van (X250), there are significant warnings NOT to overfill the tank; advising it can cause serious damage. I don't know what that is all about and what damage it can cause - should I be concerned? Think it's probably the second time it's happened since having the van new just over 18 months ago.

Can somebody explain what the problem is? Surely, commercial vans get 'topped up to, and over, the brim' all the time.
 

JJ

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[HI]Interesting thread [/HI]- same as above happened to me in France last week. Fortunately, the spill wasn't too bad and I always stand out of the way in any case.

Not more interesting than one on washing net curtains surely? :Eeek:

JJ :Cool:

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callumwa

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Worst is when it blows back all over your suede brogues. Ruined a very expensive pair doing just that.:Sad:

Were they Blue ones?

image1xl.jpg


Rock On......:thumb:
 

vwalan

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hi mb, commercials have a real big filler usually right on the top of the tank .you dont leave them to fill up themselves as very often the nozzle falls to the floor .you learn fast .keep your eyes on what you are doing.
also you do have to allow for expansion . i filled one of my tanks to the brim leaving maroc .a few days later i had to syphon some out to put in one of the other tanks as the sun was causing the fuel to expand and come out the lid.
i had 3 big tanks on that truck .good job one was getting well down. cant waste it.
gotta have 500litre tanks if going to places with cheap fuel.
many have up to 1500ltr tanks . the accepted custom limit for cross borders .but have to be slung tanks not across the chassis.

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Landy lover

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I do not know about the vehicles concerned here but I do know that some vehicles have breathers that terminate in a filter, non return valve, and anti flash above the level of the top of the tank. Overfilling will cause these to be contaminated if the fuel expands in the tank and reaches these - as they are a non service item and in truth many mechanics do not even know they are there as they are generally concealed in a cavity they are never looked at. Replacement can be a costly job
 

TheBig1

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not so expensive abroad as it is here, however a bubbling or frothing pump is likely to give short measures. As in less diesel delivered than registered as a percentage is gas/air.

as for the auto shut off kicking in, this may be caused by the breather hose belching out fumes or a baffled (internally seperated) tank causing an airlock where the tank shows as full until the content has settled in all chanbers.

A good trick is to wait 10 seconds after aouto shut off then try again

Agree with landylover, the valves and level sensors can be damaged by overfilling. To repair normally means draining down and taking the tank out. Not always as simple as you might think, so expensive
 

Jaws

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More to the point.....

I hope you put sand on the spill :winky:

Believe me, one of the worst things that can happen to a motorcyclist is putting a foot down at the pumps only for it to slip away from you.. Massive groin strain and a rather dented bike !! :Doh::cry:

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Jun 2, 2010
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More to the point.....

I hope you put sand on the spill :winky:

Believe me, one of the worst things that can happen to a motorcyclist is putting a foot down at the pumps only for it to slip away from you.. Massive groin strain and a rather dented bike !! :Doh::cry:

Or indeed getting into your car after stepping in fuel and finding your feet slipping off the pedals!!
 

Jaws

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But at least you dont end up with a leg trying to get behind your ear !!! :ROFLMAO:
 
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GJH

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More to the point.....

I hope you put sand on the spill :winky:

Believe me, one of the worst things that can happen to a motorcyclist is putting a foot down at the pumps only for it to slip away from you.. Massive groin strain and a rather dented bike !! :Doh::cry:

Yes - well, the manageress was as I made sure I reported it before paying.

Struck me since though. Faulty pump, diesel spills - I pay for spilt diesel :Angry:

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motor roamin

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More to the point.....

I hope you put sand on the spill :winky:

Believe me, one of the worst things that can happen to a motorcyclist is putting a foot down at the pumps only for it to slip away from you.. Massive groin strain and a rather dented bike !! :Doh::cry:

done that :RollEyes:
 

vwalan

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graham .just watch what you are doing .just do it slowly . many garages take the holding bit away so its just you pulling the trigger that works it .
truck drivers carry a plastic tool for keeping them pumping but we watch it all the way.
try holding the gunn trigger when filling big tanks . its not easy .we put a gadget in and wedge the trigger then pull it out when we see the fuel getting up the tank.

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mikebeaches

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I do not know about the vehicles concerned here but I do know that some vehicles have breathers that terminate in a filter, non return valve, and anti flash above the level of the top of the tank. Overfilling will cause these to be contaminated if the fuel expands in the tank and reaches these - as they are a non service item and in truth many mechanics do not even know they are there as they are generally concealed in a cavity they are never looked at. Replacement can be a costly job

That sounds as though it might be the concern. Just hope I've not caused serious damage.

Thanks for the info.

Mike
 
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GJH

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graham .just watch what you are doing .just do it slowly . many garages take the holding bit away so its just you pulling the trigger that works it .
truck drivers carry a plastic tool for keeping them pumping but we watch it all the way.
try holding the gunn trigger when filling big tanks . its not easy .we put a gadget in and wedge the trigger then pull it out when we see the fuel getting up the tank.

I will definitely be watching out in future Alan. As I said, this has never happened to me before - on all other occasions (goodness knows how many previous times I've filled up, including once at the same pump) delivery has been cut off automatically. In future I'll listen for the gurgle and stop straight away ::bigsmile:
 

sedge

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Funnily enough that happened to us recently and can't recall now whether it was when we went down to Devon or in France. No click, no cutoff. Pete was watching the pump trying to nudge it up to the next whole £ or €, splosh.

I couldn't open the passenger door cos of where the filler is, so I dived over to the offiside, leapt out and sprinted into the shop to tell em.

They were already screaming at a bloke at the next pump standing by 'his' pump to get off his mobile phone :Doh: and move away - must have been in England because now I think, ISTR telling him exactly how it was LOL - finishing up with AND DO NOT START YOUR ENGINE WHATEVER YOU DO !! His car was actually sitting in a puddle of fuel. It might well be not quite as volatile as petrol (I don't know?) but anyway you wouldn't want to risk it surrounded by petrol pumps would you? They pushed his car clear.

And funnily enough Jaws (ROFL) we did wait until the chap came out with the bucket of sand - and when he went and got a new bag!

Think the car driver may have given me a dirty look, not sure ..... :ROFLMAO:

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TheBig1

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Funnily enough that happened to us recently and can't recall now whether it was when we went down to Devon or in France. No click, no cutoff. Pete was watching the pump trying to nudge it up to the next whole £ or €, splosh.

I couldn't open the passenger door cos of where the filler is, so I dived over to the offiside, leapt out and sprinted into the shop to tell em.

They were already screaming at a bloke at the next pump standing by 'his' pump to get off his mobile phone :Doh: and move away - must have been in England because now I think, ISTR telling him exactly how it was LOL - finishing up with AND DO NOT START YOUR ENGINE WHATEVER YOU DO !! His car was actually sitting in a puddle of fuel. It might well be not quite as volatile as petrol (I don't know?) but anyway you wouldn't want to risk it surrounded by petrol pumps would you? They pushed his car clear.

And funnily enough Jaws (ROFL) we did wait until the chap came out with the bucket of sand - and when he went and got a new bag!

Think the car driver may have given me a dirty look, not sure ..... :ROFLMAO:

If this was a diesel spill as it sounds, its highly unlikely to start a fire. To burn diesel, it needs to be compressed or vapourised, so in theory you can safely stub a ciggarette out in a puddle of diesel. Wouldnt recomend you try this by a petrol pump though:winky:
 

sedge

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Well no, that's what I meant, I kinda knew it didn't have the sort of volatility that petrol did, but couldn't remember why. Or if it was right even ! But the car had to be moved to strew the sand anyway, so ....

He was oblivious of polite and then increasingly more strident demands over the PA to 'Hey - you by Pump 4 next to the blue Metro - GET OFF YOUR PHONE !' LOL

or similar ..... :Eeek:

Actually Pete said to me It shouldn't matter cos it's diesel - but then we were quite surprised when the garage guys pushed the car out the way, so there must have been summat. (Or maybe they just thought he was such a lamebrain he'd prolly start it and slide straight into the front of the shop, so let's go OTT with this and scare him - I dunno ! )

Anyway, whatevva LOL, the thing didn't go click or stop and the fuel just pissed out everywhere ...... he's been riding/driving for the last 50 years and me for the last 28 and neither of us have had it happen or seen it happen ever before.

Odd.
 
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Worst is when it blows back all over your suede brogues. Ruined a very expensive pair doing just that.:Sad:
Filling car today, watching with horror as the price approached £100, but aware that much increased price may be accounting for it. Next thing I know my trousers are covered in diesel, as the cut out valve has not cut out. Manager checks pump, and it works all right on his van. What's my position on the spilled diesel which I've paid for, and my ruined trousers and shoes?

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