Gas Spurts out When filling the gas tank

Tiny
RAYGREEN3
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING
  • 4 CYL
  • 68,000 MILES
The last 3 times I filled the gas tank, just as the pump clicks off the gas splashes out of the tank filler tube onto the side of the car, and ground.
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 AT 3:17 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Under the vehicle where the filler tube attaches to the side of the car, there is a breather tube that runs along side of it to the fuel tank. The purpose of that tube is to allow air to escape from the tank as fuel fills the tank. It is steel near the top of the filler tube and then attaches to a plastic tube. Check to make sure the tube is not damaged, bent, or plugged. If air can't escape from the tank when filling, the fuel has nowhere to go except out on to the side of the vehicle. (Really a pain to get gas).

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 AT 3:37 AM
Tiny
RAYGREEN3
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How do I get access to this breather tube. I tried looking under the vehicle and could not locate this breather tube. It looks pretty sealed underneath. I could not see anyway to access it from the filler opening either.
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 AT 3:06 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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It most likely has a shield around it. Follow the hoses from the tank back and you will see where they go up to the filler tube.
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Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 AT 4:12 PM
Tiny
RAYGREEN3
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  • 4 POSTS
Actually the problem stopped. I took the car to my local mechanic because I needed to get the rear brakes changed. They told me that I should let the car idol at the pump for a minute before I shut the key off. That it gives the tank time to balance out the gas in the tanks. Since that time I have not had the problem at any fill up.
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Sunday, March 13th, 2011 AT 5:34 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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That is interesting. I will try it when we see the problem again. I'm not sure what it does, but it's worth a try.
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Sunday, March 13th, 2011 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
RAYGREEN3
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
They were running a diagnostics on it and came across this and printed it out for me. "Inform the customer to idle the vehicle for 60 to 90 seconds upon stopping if the vehicle was driven aggressively. This is due to the fact that on the LX/LE/LC/L2 the fuel tank is a unique saddle tank design and needs 30 to 60 seconds while the engine is running to level the fuel in both half's of the fuel tank. Allowing the vehicle to idle for this amount of time will let the fuel pump transfer fuel to the left side tank, opening the control valve and allowing normal fueling. "

I let it idle a few times like that and now it's been normal since then. I have not even had to let the car idle before fueling since doing it that first few times.
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Sunday, March 13th, 2011 AT 6:52 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Thank you for that information. I'm sure it will help many.
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Monday, March 14th, 2011 AT 5:04 AM

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