fuel spill

AlanHunter · Post by **AlanHunter** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:25 pm

I filled up at Tesco today because I had a voucher for 5p a litre off (I usually go to Morrisons). The pump seemed to work a bit slower than at Morrisons so I was just leaning against the Bongo watching the dials on the pump. At about £38 the man at the pump across from me shouted that diesel was spilling out over the floor - the pump hadn't clicked off.

The pump maintenance man was on site so checked the pump but said it was working OK and that perhaps there had been an air lock in the fuel tank. Therefore fault in Bongo and no money back. No big deal in that the 5p off a litre probably covered the difference in price. However I wonder could an air lock have caused it as the fuel gauge shows as full as normal after fill up.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? It has never happened to me before.

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:31 pm

I usually keep an eye on the level as I've been caught out by it in the past. You can't always trust the auto cut off and at over a quid a litre you can't afford to spill even a drop!!

brookie · Post by **brookie** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:39 pm

It happened to me 5 minutes after picking up my Bongo, I filled up at a BP and the auto shut off didn't work for me either! A 200 mile drive home with diesel splashes all down my jeans, smelling like an HGV fitter!

A lesson learnt, don't rely on an auto shut - off.

Post by **westonwarrior** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:40 pm

I dont see why air in the tank will stop the autio shut off

I works by back pressure so if their is any thing stopping the flow IE diesel in the spout it should shut off no matter how much is in the tank.

I used to get it with another car where a anti syphon filter to to cause back pressure and shut off the pump just after I started filling up

daveblueozzie · Post by **daveblueozzie** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:45 pm

you have kind of answered your own question ,you said the the pump was slow,when filling your tank it does cut off but if you do it slow it fools the auto cut off system at least to a certain point . so this pump might not have been that sensative and with it being slow it overfilled.

roosteruk · Post by **roosteruk** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:59 pm

I have had it happen to me and my wife has just said it has happened to her also.
There is definatley something a miss here.

maxheadroom · Post by **maxheadroom** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:42 pm

It has happened to me, I think it has something to do with the Bongos filler pipe being so large, it seems bigger than UK cars, if it is maybe there is not enough back pressure to trip the pump out.

Maybe it's because it's a diesel and I'm used to petrol cars?

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:47 pm

Happened to me too, must admit I was filling up slowly, just spit out a little fuel

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:33 am

never happened to me

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:37 am

For some reason ( i dunno why

) i only ever squeeze the trigger half way, no matter how slow the pump, for no particular known reason, its just a habit i seem to have adopted.

One thing i have noticed though (if you are patient enough) is that another 4 litres of fuel can be squeezed into the tank after the first initial indication of it being full

That suggests to me that residual pressure is released very slowly,allowing more fuel in.

AlanHunter · Post by **AlanHunter** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:20 am

I feel much better knowing that I'm not the only one. I shall be more careful in the future.

Post by **Simon Jones** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:00 pm

I notice that the sound of the fuel going into the tank changes as it reaches the top - a bit like pouring water into a glass bottle. Therefore I can usually hear it just before it splashes out the filler, but I have been caught before by it "erupting" out of the filler. Just one of those things you have to deal with.

What I find more annoying is garages that run out of disposable gloves so I end up getting covered in diesel from the pump handle.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:18 pm

The diesel foams as it rushes into the tank. As it gets near to full the foam can trigger the autostop.

I tend to let it settle for a moment or two when it is getting near to full.

I can then squeeze in a few extra drops as the foam has settled.

smartmonkey · Post by **smartmonkey** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:49 pm

bigdaddycain wrote:For some reason ( i dunno why ) i only ever squeeze the trigger half way, no matter how slow the pump, for no particular known reason, its just a habit i seem to have adopted.

One thing i have noticed though (if you are patient enough) is that another 4 litres of fuel can be squeezed into the tank after the first initial indication of it being full That suggests to me that residual pressure is released very slowly,allowing more fuel in.

It is just the foam collapsing - it always froths up inside the tank and the foam takes up diesel space.

I often a bit of a splashback but I have never had the pump keep going. That is a faulty pump.