Help car won't refill with gas!!!!

**McCalester** · 01-22-2007, 10:56 PM

Has anyone experienced this problem your xc70. Today my gas light came on and I drove to the station to fill up. I started to fill the tank and the pump shut off. I started it again and it shut off again. When I pulled the pump out gas shot straight in the air and it would not allow me to put in any gas. All I can say is I have never seen anything like it.

Please if you have any idea why I would love to know.

**coolwhipdefuser** · 01-23-2007, 10:27 PM

Hmm...this sounds rather familiar. I had a little trouble near the beginning when I first filled up my tank in my XC. I found that it was just because I was plulling the handle all the way on the pump, and most of the time you can't do that. Most cars it works no problem, but with Volvos, I've noticed you can't have the pump "wide open", or else it will continue to shut off.

Hope that helps, and welcome to the forums!

**McCalester** · 01-24-2007, 07:54 AM

Actually, I tried that as well. I finally took it to the dealer yesterday since I could no longer drive on empty. They could not put gas in as well. It is currently being diagnosed. No one has ever seen anything like it!!!!

**mrscullini** · 01-24-2007, 08:58 AM

i've been thinking about this for a couple days since your original post. it seems to me that a possiblility is that the fuel tank is not allowing the air to purge as fuel fills. i am not sure by which method the air purges upon filling but one thought is that the purge line is plugged.

**tgrumaj** · 01-24-2007, 08:59 AM

the old banana in the fuel tank trick...a variation of the banana (or potato) in the exhaust trick. The only other thing I can think of is somehow a large amount of pressure is building up in the tank and isn't being release though the normal means. Be sure to let us know what it was once the dealer diagnosis.

**coolwhipdefuser** · 01-24-2007, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by mrscullini

i've been thinking about this for a couple days since your original post. it seems to me that a possiblility is that the fuel tank is not allowing the air to purge as fuel fills. i am not sure by which method the air purges upon filling but one thought is that the purge line is plugged.

I think you're probably right. Don't the pumps sense pressure or something, and that is why they shut off? I don't really know how those things can tell when your tank is full, but it sounds like mrscullini is right with the air thing. I'm curious to know what the problem is.

**mrscullini** · 01-24-2007, 12:24 PM

the way most fuel filling pumps work is not by sensing pressure but by sensing fuel at the nozzle. i forget exactly how it works but if you look at the end of the nozzle you will notice holes radially on the nozzle. these holes fill with fuel once the tank is full and that signal the pump to stop. it is a completely mechanical sensing.

check this link for a much more thorough explanation.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question25.htm

Originally Posted by coolwhipdefuser

I think you're probably right. Don't the pumps sense pressure or something, and that is why they shut off? I don't really know how those things can tell when your tank is full, but it sounds like mrscullini is right with the air thing. I'm curious to know what the problem is.

**McCalester** · 01-24-2007, 02:22 PM

Unbelievable! The dealer found a spider that had wove a very intricate web under the flap that allows the gas to enter into the tank. The web was not allowing the flap to open. Now I think I have heard everything. I'm actually on my way out the door to pick it up now. Thank you all of you who replied.