Community Forums

RonVBT · 03-24-2017, 02:04 PM

I've seen posts about slow filling fuel tanks or fuel nozzles shutting off constantly but my problem is that the fuel nozzle won't stay in the tank filler unless I hold it. With a 80 gallon tank (as you all know) it can take a long time to fill the tank. I could be dumping the holding tanks, washing the window, or a dozen other things but I have to babysit the fuel nozzle. I've thought about making a holder for it but first, I'll reach out to the community to see if anyone has a fix.

I have a Thor Class A motorhome and the fuel fill has no angle to it at all. It comes straight out to the exterior wall (just about horizontal). If the fill was tilted up slightly, it would hold the nozzle better.

I don't have a problem with filling the tank at all if I hold the nozzle in the filler. The fuel flows freely but the nozzle won't stay in the filler by itself.

Stuart W · 03-24-2017, 04:14 PM

As the tank gets closer to full there is a fair amount air being displaced by fuel, and rushing out the filler neck. Filler neck angle sounds like a poor design. Could you attach a bungee to pull down causing the nozzle to touch top of the filler neck?

530ktm · 03-24-2017, 04:16 PM

I want to see a gas station that has a dump station next to the fuel pumps.

Sounds to me like you have a strange filler and you are faced with the holding of the pump. I would not even trust the pump to stay put even if it did not click off with that kind of a non existent angle. Nothing like having it fall out of the tank filler while it is still spewing fuel.

George Schweikle · 03-24-2017, 06:33 PM

We have seen this in some of the new Flying J stations. They have fuel, propane, water and dump on the same island.

And, I never let go of the fuel nozzle handle when refueling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 530ktm

I want to see a gas station that has a dump station next to the fuel pumps.....

Tahoejeep · 03-24-2017, 07:13 PM

When I saw this post, I thought the OP must have an older Allegro Bus. I also am frustrated at having to hold the nozzle while filling. I have no solution except standing there. Real fun when heading to AZ at the end of January and refueling out in the prairie wind. And I have a 90 gal tank. I would love to at least wash the windshield while filling.

powercat_ras · 03-24-2017, 07:49 PM

One thing to check is to see if someone put a Gas Bandit anti-theft anti-siphon device in the filler tube, it may be preventing the gas pump end from going the full way down into the filler tube. I put a Gas Bandit on my 2015 F53 and had this problem and had to remove the Gas Bandit and use a locking gas cap instead.

Here is the page of the Ford F53 Builder's Guide for 2011 that shows Ford's requirements that Thor was supposed to follow you can compare to your RV and see if there is any deviation. Sorry for the fuzzy image, you can Google 2011 Ford F53 Body Builders and get a link to a PDF of the original Ford document, it is available on line to view and download.

One caution I will share is I have had a fuel spill at Pilot / Flying J stations when fueling until I learned the hard way that the Ford F53 Fuel Filler Pipe does not reliably trigger the gas pump end sensing fuel tank is full shutoff at certain Pilot Flying J stations so I always stand by the pump end and listen for the sound of the fuel reaching the vent line and can manually stop the fuel if the pump does not. I have never had this issue anywhere other than Pilot / Flying J RV lane fuel pumps.

Good luck.

04fxsts · 03-25-2017, 05:27 AM

I also have had the nozzle not shut off at either a Pilot or F-J, not a big deal because I was standing next to the nozzle. Jim.

twinboat · 03-25-2017, 05:40 AM

If you don't want to hold the nozzle for so long, get fuel sooner.

In most NY gas stations and a few other places, including marine fueling docks, there is no latch. You must hold the nozzle and the lever. Try that for 500 gallons.

In every self service pump, it says stay with the nozzle when pumping.

RonVBT · 03-25-2017, 09:28 AM

I don't mind standing with my fuel nozzle so much but I just think it is ridiculous that the nozzle falls out of the filler.

I see that 'powercat_ras' has a picture of a filler that is at a good angle to help the nozzle stay in. My filler is perpendicular with the side of the coach. There's no hope of a nozzle staying in the filler.

twinboat, I don't let my tanks get much below 1/2. I believe in "Combat loading" when it's convenient for me. Besides, there is a standoff tube in the tank that shuts off the generator when the tank is around half empty on my unit.

530ktm, yes, Flying J and Pilot centers (Others I'm sure too) have RV islands that have Propane, Dump and fuel all together. The one I frequent most "Flying J #617" in Lodi, Ca. has the propane tank but then you have to pull forward 10 feet to get fuel and dump. All the RV lanes have pumps on both left and right and dump station on the left.

znt1186 · 03-25-2017, 09:46 AM

I have the same issue plus I can't use high speed pumps at truck stops. Found out at the cost of a diesel shower that my vent just won't vent the tank that fast. I have to hold the nozzle in place while filling a 150 gallon tank. rain or shine, cold or hot. I also try to refill at maybe a 1/4 tank, but it is still about 20 minutes standing outside holding the nozzle and trying to fill as quickly as possible without the DW making me strip in the parking lot before coming back into the coach after the diesel shower. I just dress for the occasion.

powercat_ras · 03-25-2017, 10:01 AM

We are talking Ford F53 Chassis Gasoline Class As that have fairly standard design Gasoline fillers - the only real difference vs. Gasoline pickup trucks being that they feed larger tanks that hold 80 gallons of Gasoline so if a tank is pretty empty when you start to fuel you can count on a few minutes away from the pump to wash winshield as the gasoline pumps are not higher flow rate even in the RV lanes.

I have always suspected that the problem with auto shutoff not being reliable in the RV lanes has something to do with how they "plumbed" the second set of gas pumps tied to the same fuel station on the passenger side of the lane.

oldgrizz · 03-25-2017, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonVBT

I've seen posts about slow filling fuel tanks or fuel nozzles shutting off constantly but my problem is that the fuel nozzle won't stay in the tank filler unless I hold it. With a 80 gallon tank (as you all know) it can take a long time to fill the tank. I could be dumping the holding tanks, washing the window, or a dozen other things but I have to babysit the fuel nozzle. I've thought about making a holder for it but first, I'll reach out to the community to see if anyone has a fix.

I have a Thor Class A motorhome and the fuel fill has no angle to it at all. It comes straight out to the exterior wall (just about horizontal). If the fill was tilted up slightly, it would hold the nozzle better.

I don't have a problem with filling the tank at all if I hold the nozzle in the filler. The fuel flows freely but the nozzle won't stay in the filler by itself.

You should not be leaving the tank when filling it anyway. Normally all the clips to hold the nozzle open are removed from tbe pumps.
We had a fuel tank for our trucks and the auto shut off feature was disconnected from the nozzles. The drivers had to hold it open even when fueling at minus 35 deg C and pumping 550 lit.

Dutch Star Don · 03-25-2017, 03:57 PM

Have you tried putting the nozzle in upside down so that the hose is pointing upward. I occasionally had to do that on my Monaco.

slickest1 · 03-25-2017, 05:46 PM

It is always nice to pull in for fuel and see where someone sprayed fuel all over everything.
I learned many years ago fueling trucks not to leave the fuel nozzle. Even when they are turned upside down they can flip over and you and your rig will get a bath. I have seen it many times and had it happen ONCE.