Technical What’s the trick to pumping fuel in old car without spilling it

Is there anything you can do to make pumping fuel in classics easier. On both of my classics I have to pump super slow and I’ll still usually make a mess. I always take some rags with me when pumping to try and not get it on paint. Is there a trick I don’t know about? HELP

 

You kind of have to shake it off a bit like at a urinal.
Other thing is find a funnel that has an opening large enough for the nozzle that’s small enough to fit the tank filler.

 

Come on man, it's traditional!

 

Mine still has the tank behind the seat, so I stand close so I can hear the pitch change as it gets closer to full. I stop it and go real slow the last bit to keep it from puking on the side of the cab and running board.

 

What car is it? Does it have a spark arrestor on the filler neck?

 

If the problem is the nozzle seal bit (not knowing if they have that where you are) there is typically a ring around the metal and you can make a clip that slides over the nozzle holding back that wondrous demon child of the epa and then just put the nozzle in and pump.

 

Try putting the nozzle in upside down in the filler neck.

 

And don't pull out too soon! Once you shut off the handle count to five before removing it from the tank.

 

Hmm...we are talking about cars, aren't we......??

 

49 Chevy and 65 Plymouth fury. Both original.

 

I always take a gas station paper towel and wrap it around the nozzle at the fill tube opening. If the nozzle doesn’t turn off right away the towel blocks and soaks up the flying gas before hitting any paint. Most of the time I agree, just like us old guys with enlarged prostrates. You have to shake it and let it drip.

 

I first don't ever pump gas into my tanks without holding the stupid spring loaded collars back by hand. I keep a pair of gloves in the trunks and pull the collars back on the nozzle, and watch as the tank fills. Once full I stop and let the nozzle drain completely, while I grab a paper towel or a rag to put over the nozzle as I pull it out.
These methods have kept me from dripping any gas down the body, or inside the trunk too.

 

On the 49 i squeeze, let go, squeeze l, let go over and over. At the slowest it’s still too fast. On the Plymouth the pump kicks out when barely squeezing handle. It takes super long to fill.

 

Sounds like you need a better tank vent. I like this one mounted as high as you can above the tank. Tanks Inc sells it.

 

Same thing on my old '56 F100 and my '64 C10.

On the C10 with stock tank behind the seat, I put the nozzle in upside down and on the first notch of the lever and it wouldn't burp or spit fuel at me. It's a trick I learned from a friend with a modern car that did the same thing to him.

On the F100, it had a square body Blazer tank between the rails and the filler neck in the fender. I found that if I jammed the gas cap into the lever at just the right angle, it would fill slower than the slowest notch and I wouldn't have to hold it. Once I modified the vent tube to a 5/8" hose and ran it up higher than the cap(actually hidden in the stake pocket), all was fixed and it would fill up at full blast like any new car.

 

And the damned gas pumps are playing music and selling shit to you while you try to listen! I can't hear for shit anyway. Pisses me off. All of my remaining cars have a good vent but my 49 ChevyWagon was terrible for this.

 

definately ish. Another tip is to empty your hose before sticking it in anything. There can be a lot of fuel in some delivery hoses. I always dump em first on the ground (I mean, in a enviromentaly safe, recyclable container, clearly labeled for petroleum products and flammable)

 

I carry a towel for wrapping around the nozzle to body. Have a early Econoline pick up and the tank fills from the bottom. Talk about slow!

 

I find if the nozzle isn't in all the way ( a bit over halfway is OK), it keeps going. Pushed in all the way it clicks off after a couple of seconds.

They put TV screens on the pumps with loud, annoying ads running continuously here for a while. When it started, I told the bloke at the counter that I won't be coming back here while the screens are there, and I will spread the message. 3 months later, they were all gone!

 

My Falcon is extremely slow to fill. The slowest possible rate is often to fast. Start - stop - start stop - etc., etc. I thought maybe the ventube was blocked, but after filling the tank on hot day gas will often expand enough to drip out the vent tube.

 

Maybe I’m dumb but .

I just know how much fuel my tank holds and fill it up to the appropriate level .

give the nozzle a couple seconds to drain and I’m done .


Not sure if I’m doing it right , sounds simple to me , I’ve owned stuff from the 40’s to current and this method has always done me well on those lonely nights at sea .

 

Tip of the day. Push the 2nd black square down on the right side. It will mute the sound. If not push every button, knob or square to shut it up. I tell everybody at our local gas station, so I don`t have to listen to the garbage 4 pumps away. They greatly thank me.

 

Mine shoots out gas a foot when it`s full. I stand clear as not to get gas on my leg. The hoses need to be a foot longer to reach the middle of my rear bumper. Where the filler is.

 

Do modern pumps run faster than those from say the 1960s?

 

Only the THIS SALE part does.

 

I try to aim the nozzle in the filler neck so that it hits the slope of neck right away and runs down its surface. In my mind, I think it doesn't create as much vapor, and resulting big bubble of gas vapors in the tank.

 

I put a whistle in the vent, when whistle stops I stop pumping. Still have to go slowish but at 1/4 tank it takes 12 gallons so I'm ready..

 

Reminds me of our 52 Chevy, the tank vent whistles as you fill up. Its gets higher pitched as it gets fuller (kinda sounds like a tea pot). Always wondered if that was a "designed feature" or just a fluke..

 

The problem is the filler neck vent line isn't large enough in diameter. Modern pumps flow much faster, so modern cars use about a 5/8" filler tube vent. I got fed up on the Willys and replaced my puny line with 5/8. Now it accepts fuel like a modern car. Still have to pay attention, because it will splash out when it gets full.