Gas reflux

I'm bummed out. The last 4 times I've gone to the gas station I've had gasoline spit-up all down the side of the Tiger even though I've stood there aiming the nozzle down the throat of the tank. New nozzles?

The car has been sitting in the garage for what seems like months and it has been Tiger driving weather here for longer than that. There is only a couple gallons in the tank and only because I dumped in what I had left over in a gas can the last time I took it out.

I was thinking to use the gas can's pour tube and stick it on the fill nozzle at the pump thinking it might give me a chance to fill up at the station without gas belching out all over the car.

Anybody else have this problem or am I the the only one? Any other suggestions?

Sign me, Gasless in L.A.

Does it do this as soon as you try and fill it ?. Is the fuel flowing through to the other tank ?. There is a vent tube that connects the tanks, is that clear ?. Seems strange as the tank is directly below the filler. Can't see how there could be a problem here.

The problem is dealing with the new nozzles they have here. They were just changed out recently at the station I usually get gas at.

I can't just stick it in anymore. The pump won't operate unless I pull up on the collar that's around the filler nozzle. By then the end of the nozzle isn't in the tank as far as it could be. And even though I've got the thing lined up and centered it spits out gas which runs down the side of the car.

Its the so cal nozzles. I had the same issue with every effort to gas up. Finally found the key. I insert the nozzle so its facing front of the car rather than sticking in from the side. Hold the black rubber nozzle cover back also as thought you were peeling it back as far as you can. Never spill a drop this way. Kind of tough on the fingers holding the rubber and spring back but don't do it often and it doesn't take long for 10 gallons.

Steve

Hey Gasless: I have the same problem. Etiologies: 1) the nozzles ARE shorter, so won't make contact with the metallic portion of the gas intact & allows reflux. 2) "Overfilling" Therapies: 1) Be sure nozzle makes metal-to-metal contact -- I turn the nozzle upside down in order to do it & pump SLOWLY. 2) Leave ignition "ON" & observe gas gauge -- stop filling less than full @ ~8 gals -- prevents sloshing on corners. 3) Pray (or swear). Here in Fallbrook, EXXON has short nozzles; ARCO's are longer (can't use Shell & there aren't others; altho, when out of town I've had no problem with 76's nozzles). +/- with Chevron. Hope this works -- see you @ Tigers United (?) Turtle & Hobbes

Hey, thanks tamer, Steve, and turtle.

I'll have to give turning the nozzle in different directions and see what happens. It'll be a quick and easy fix. I was getting really frustrated. Since I wasn't able to drive it I put the Tiger up on stands and have been tinkering underneath on a few things but as soon as its' back on it's feet I'll give this a try.

Yeah, I've been holding the nozzle cover spring up and it is kind of tough on the fingers. I noticed the other day how slow the machines pump now. Takes forever with a 20 gal. tank. Glad the Tiger is only 10 or my fingers might drop off. Maybe the higher the price per gal the slower they're set to run? LOL.

I also noticed that as I try to center the nozzle with the bigger the diameter of the cover the nozzle end itself moves closer to right side of the throat opening of the tank below. The filler and tank throat don't align but are offset by maybe 25%. I might have been aiming the nozzle right where the tank throat tube and rubber connector join causing gas to splash back out. I'll have to check that out as well.

Thanks, Justin

I was thinking to use the gas can's pour tube and stick it on the fill nozzle at the pump thinking it might give me a chance to fill up at the station without gas belching out all over the car.

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I would give it a try. If you can fill up your gas can OK it could work.

Finger saver

A metal plate similar to the scrap of aluminum in the picture might hold-back the pump bellows and spring if sized correctly to engage the shoulder on the nozzle? I tried it and it was easier on the fingers but something is needed to protect your paint around the filler. The cut up plastic cup is a work in progress, a rag might work fine and it would help if the tank spit back.

Unfortunately I had splash back down the side of the car even when trying this?!! I wax that part of the Tiger(s) frequently!

I like that spring/bellows retaining plate idea.

Maybe if it was round. It wouldn't have the pointy corners and would be less likely to mar the finish. In fact if it was 2" in diameter it would seat in the mouth of the filler neck and couldn't fall in. 2 slotted disks rotated 90-180* to each other would close the slot opening and eliminate any back splash. All it needs is the proper seal.

I commented about possibly using a spare gas can's filler tube as a nozzle extension but after doing some web research I believe it would cause problems with the pump's auto shut-off, kicking it off as soon as you started to pump.

Another problem with the extension tube, well actually a couple problems are 1) it could drop down into the tank which would be an inconvenience at worst and 2) where to put it afterwards. Wipe it off and throw it in the trunk where it might collect road dust and grit? And you're bound to get gas on your hands cleaning it off. With the retainer disk clean up would be easy, just wipe it off on you're jeans and stick it in you're pocket....just kidding Ah, would you believe it's a key fob with a Tiger/Alpine logo?

Does anybody know if the auto-shut-off feature works on the Tiger? Does the end of the nozzle go in far enough for it to shut-off? I've been afraid to try it because of all my recent gas burping experiences lately.

I've still got the cat up on stands or else I would rush out and try the retainer disk. Grrrreat idea just don't forget and leave it on the pump for the next user.

I don't really find it to be very hard on the fingers. It seems as if the most important part of the puzzle is to approach the filler from the cars rear. As far as auto shutoff goes as long as I'm there holding things I just read the pump, don't really care if I get a total fill or not since I'm not doing cross country trips. Have not used this myself but someone might try this thing built for just such a problem with motorcycles.

http://www.discount-leather.net/wimage/Mccuff.html

Maybe the whole issue doesn't bother me much because I'm used to fighting those nozzles from spending so many years riding a Honda Goldwing. With bikes you don't get the spit up of gas so much but the damn auto shutoff goes every few seconds even though the tank is only 1/2 full. You have to pull back on the nozzle covers to prevent that

I had a couple 2" OD SS washers with different IDs from another project so I took another car to get gas and check out the nozzles a little more.

On these particular nozzles I don't think the 2" diameter would work. It would just get swallowed up inside the bellows and I think even the M/C filler adapter would half disappear. The bellow itself I could keep pulled back all day with my little pinkie but I've used nozzles that would bend my fingers backwards.

My bike is less of a headache than the Tiger to fill so maybe I just need to learn the trick with these new nozzles. I'll just wait until I get the car back on the ground and give the "approach from the rear" nozzle placement a try and take it from there.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Finally got the Tiger back on the street after missing a couple summers. Bummer. Went to get gas and tried the "approach from the rear" method. Started out fine but got over confident and didn't hold the fume collector bellows up and I think that caused it drool a bit down the side of the car. It was an improvement though. Managed to get 2-1/2 gallons in before giving up.

I think that not holding the bellows up may have been the cause this time. I think I can visualize the problem. Sticking the nozzle in perpendicular to the side of the car, the gas shoots down one side and across the rounded bottom corners and up the other side and spits right back out the filler opening. Aiming the nozzle to the front or rear the gas shoots into the ends of the tank and would eliminate the spit out but when the bellows is used it tends to redirect the flow back to the side of the tank then down and back up hitting the bellows where the bellows drip gas down the side of the car.

Tiger Blue my response to your finger saver gizmo completely missed the point. I got too excited thinking I had found a solution to completely think your suggestion through.