Fuel Fill Problems...

[creekman]

First off I've read some of the TSB's, fuel level posts, but I'm not sure where to start with my problem... I had the car down for 7 months, on my first drive I ran out of gas, UGH... The fuel gauge showed 3/8 of a tank when it went dry. When we put gas back in the gauge started working. For the last 2,000 miles The gauge seems to have been working, but I never let the tank go below 1/4 of a tank.

For whatever reason it appeared that the gauge was stuck again at about 1/4 of a tank so this evening I tried to fill it up. I got about 6 gallons in it, but the gas nozzle would back up every few seconds. I fought it and got 5.5 gallons in and quit. I complained to the cashier about the backing up he said that he had had a lot of complaints. So from there I went down the street to another gas station and had the same problem. I had driven 225 miles mostly city driving so between the 2 gas stops I got 6.1 gallons in the tank. I'm not getting 36 MPG so something is a mist here... After the 6 gallons the gauge still was reading 1/4 tank.

I read where if the cluster is changed that you might have to re-calibrate the sender. I've had my cluster out and the circuit boards were removed so could that be one issue? Does the spitting back of gas during filling have anything to do with the gas gauge?

Summary:

1. Gas gauge is not working

2. Gas fill with not take fuel without shutting off the nozzle every 10-15 seconds.

3. Battery had been disconnected for 7 months.

4. Instrument cluster has been worked on, same gauge.

5. Can the backing up of gas in the fill pipe be caused by a bad fuel gauge?

6. My MPG and miles to empty doesn't work due to my engine conversion. I believe the Porsche engine measures

the fuel flow, thus the panel is able to give MPG and miles left to go.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated...

Thanks,

[kbrandsma]

That's not all to uncommon.

Here are a couple of leads for you to try. (check venting)

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/43505-gas-filling-problem-solved/

Lamborghini fix for similar problem. I carry one under my gas cap and use it every 12-15 fill-ups:

http://www.lamboweb.com/Repairs_Section/Gallardo_Repairs_Gas_Fill.htm

There are also a couple of TSB's under Boxster worth looking at. (again venting)

http://www.renntech.org/forums/files/getdownload/87-94boxster-fuel-tank-hose-modificationpdf/

You will need to be a contributing member to access TSB's on this site.

Edited May 6, 2014 by kbrandsma

[creekman]

Kbrand... My C4S E6 fuse shows it's for: TERM 30 TELEPHONE/HANDY, NAV, ORVR. I don't know what the ORVR is? However the fuse is good... I checked the connections on top of the tank and all seems good. When I push the filler pipe door in I hear a solenoid click.

Is the Figure 1 picture that shows on the Technical Information Sheet, "Fuel Tank Hose Modification" under the fender at the fuel fill cavity? Or in the tank itself?

Can a bad fuel gauge make it difficult to fill the tank, or does the plumbing make the fuel gauge not work? Fuel gauge seems stuck just above 1/4 tank.

I reviewed Loren's maintenance post on "Replacing the gas/fuel door actuator"

http://www.renntech.org/forums/tutorials/article/45-replacing-the-gasfuel-door-actuator/

However it doesn't say how to check to see if the actuator is good or not? Is the clicking I hear when I push the filler neck flap in coming from the actuator, so it's good?

Thanks for your reply...

Edited May 6, 2014 by creekman

[ditto]

I had the same fueling shutoff problem. I invert the gas pump nozzle now and can fill normally. Yup, upside down. The hose has a swivel so it works fine.

[creekman]

Good information... however in my case I have malfunction somewhere in the venting system. I've never had a problem in the past, just on the last fill up it said "no" to any gas.

What I've done since I don't know how to trouble shoot this, I'm going to take the car in to Jones Autowerks and let them look at it. However I needed to get some gas in the tank to get there, I removed the right front fender liner and removed this line which allowed me to put gas in the tank. I'll re-attach the line to drive the car. Interesting enough, the gas gauge is now working with the addition of gas, I think the calibration is off.

Once I know what is going on I'll post the results.

Here's a pix of the line that I removed.

Thanks for your reply...

[Y2K911]

Very interesting, Creekman. I always use the same Shell station to get non-ethanol 91 gas for my C2.

A couple of times last year, at the same station/pump, I could not put gas in, at higher rates but only at very slow rate.

Lately, it has been fine, so I thought this is a station pump nozzle issue that the owner finally resolved.

After reading your saga, it might not be the case and perhaps has more to do with what you are describing.

Thanks for sharing!

Martin

[kbrandsma]

Kbrand... My C4S E6 fuse shows it's for: TERM 30 TELEPHONE/HANDY, NAV, ORVR. I don't know what the ORVR is? However the fuse is good... I checked the connections on top of the tank and all seems good. When I push the filler pipe door in I hear a solenoid click.

Is the Figure 1 picture that shows on the Technical Information Sheet, "Fuel Tank Hose Modification" under the fender at the fuel fill cavity? Or in the tank itself?

Thanks for your reply...

It is in the tank itself.