Anybody else notice this?

Aaron,
I have had this problem as well, and I think I know what causes it. Newer cars have a small "neck" in the filler. Originally, this was to be sure that leaded fuel spigots didn't get put into unleaded cars. I think. I could be wrong on that. Anyway, our ancient 308s have those wide fillers of the old days, that you could put a fire hose into. So the modern narrow fuel spigots don't sit straight in them. When you set the handle and let go, it sags and the fuel hits the top (or back) of the filler in the car before rushing down into the tank. This causes enough backpressure in the carefully calibrated handle sensor to kick off, thinking the tank is full. (This feature prevents you from overfilling the car, of course).

Try holding the fuel spigot perfectly straight in the filler, so the fuel goes straight down the hole. (i.e. pretend that you are trying to get the gas into the tank without it touching the sides of the filler hose) That's what I do and it completely eliminates the problem.

Birdman

I just read what I wrote and I have no idea if that is even slightly intelligible!

 

It's poetry. I ran out of kleenex.

FWIW, my 328 doesn't have that problem: the auto-shutoff works, at least at the Chevron station I go to.

 

My 328 has that problem at all gas stations except Chevron. Welcome to the club.

Dan

 

I've got a 1985 jeep that sometimes has that problem and I've found that if you twist the nozzle to the side so that it isn't vertical it will flow right in.

 

Hi Aaron, I have the same problem on my 77' 308gtb too, and I just hold the nozzle sort of like Birdman said. But I think you might be having a new problem now, and that is a leaky fuel hose (at the filler neck), which also happenned to me. Just be careful, that's how some of these old Ferraris catch on fire! It's probably time to replace that hose.
Si

 

Same problem here on an 85 308 GTS.
I am not wining any F-1 races with those pit stops.

 

Ditto on the 83

 

Same here...

Birdman is right. You gotta hold it in place...


She's a wild beast!

 

Same problem.

Dom

 

you are spot on! how do i know, little story. i had a grey market BMW that had to be federlized to drive in CA. long story short the filler neck needed a restriction peice in the neck to prevent the fueling of leaded gas. stupid since leaded is no onger available. it cost me back in '92 $1200 to machine that part for the neck. i still have it today. i'll take a pic and show you all.

maybe i'll run a few off for those tired of the problem.

 

found it! looks simple at first glance but it has many odd angles. the hole is not perpendicular to the surface plane.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Oh my God! A bridle!


"Hold on baby! Hold on!!!!!"

 

Same problem for my Mondial t, except at Chevron stations. They should be the recommended fuel supplier for Ferraris based on the replies to this post.

 

My 84 QV GTS same thing but its leavable.

 

No problems on my Mondy Qv, but my wife had an Escort then a fiesta and everytime you filled up it had that problem

 

Neither does mine.....its a bottomless pit, it'll take as much as you like as fast as you like

 

OK, what is it with Chevron? Have we just discovered that they are the cheap gas station that uses inferior shutoff valves?

Birdman

 

This isn't specific to F cars, but I have a couple of vehicles that take the high octane gas and sometimes it is the pumps that give fits, but according to a gas station owner I talked to who helped me one day, it is the high octane users that wreck the pumps! The only people who buy the Super are guys and they always top off, just give it another pump or two or three after the auto shut off. The recovery system and the auto shut off mechanism get filled with gas. I don't know how the auto shut off works, but apparently it is very sensitive to fuel (as it should be, I supose) and when the previous user fills it with fuel all it wants to do is shut off. The station owner took my pump from me, whacked it on the ground a couple of times kinda at a 45 deg angle, a bunch of gas came out of end (he was probably arrested by the EPA later that day). The rest of my fill-up was fine. Now when I have the problem I do the same and it works.

Keeping in mind how sensitive the auto-shutoff is, if your filler neck has a bend in it or the end is too close the sides where fuel coming out of the pump can splash back at the pump you will also have a problem.

 

I too have the same issue with my '82. I have found that Shell pumps are the worst, followed by BP. The best pumps, at least here in Cincinnati are Mobil which are at United Dairy Farmers. We do have one Chevron station here in town that I know of, but I haven't tried it yet. My old GT4 was WAY worse than the GTS is, but I know that frustration. I think the only other car I ever had that was a "slow fill" was a Triumph TR6. Not to mention it was awkward having the fuel filler dead smack in the middle of the car! Had to be VERY careful not to drip any fuel from the nozzle onto the paint after a fill up.

Cheers,
Aaron
'82 GTSi

 

Same problem on ’83 308. Haven’t found any good solution, but it gives me more time to talk with other customers at the pumps. What year is it? How fast have you had it? My (son/brother/nephew/etc.) has one just like it! And so on. To me it’s a fair tradeoff.