Everybody:I drive a 1995 Honda Civic with 120,000 miles. It has been a great car. I have done maintenance as called for. At about 105000 miles, it became difficult the gas tank, and the gas gage read full
even when it had been driven 200-250 miles.
At 110,000 miles, my Honda dealer replace the breather tube and two way valve. After that it was quicker to fill up and the gas gage was somewhat more accurate. However, it now is very hard to refill the tank and the gas gage is once again not working correctly. Hsa anyone had a similar experience. Where do we go from here?
Thanks.
chuck6032@aol.com
When you do gas up, at least when it worked properly, did you stop at the first click? Or did you keep adding gas until you couldn’t get any more in the tank? Overfilling the tank can damage the two way valve and the canister.
Have to admit did not stop at first click. Any ideas.
Take it to a mechanic and confess what you have done to damage the car.
Not funny. We have done nothing and the Honda Dealer is once again trying to find the root of the problem. This is a serious problem.
If you check your owner’s manual and or stickers on the car or fuel cap, you will find a warning about topping off the tank. Topping off the tank causes damage to the fuel system and results in exactly what you are complaining about.
I don’t think that Whitey was trying to be funny. By continuing to force gas into the tank, you have likely caused damage to the valve and the carbon canister that are the core parts of the evaporative emissions system. By telling the mechanics exactly what you have been in the habit of doing, you might be able to help guide them to the source of the problem.
If the carbon canister needs to be replaced, you can expect a repair bill in the $300.–$400. range. Based on that cost, I think that you will find that forcing in enough extra gas to go…maybe 12 miles…is just not worth it.
Read VDC’s post.
The EPA prohibits evaporating gasoline fumes into the air. However, your gas tank needs to breath in and out in order to accept and to pump out the gas. In order to accomodate these conflicting needs, manufacturers have put in a charcoal filter for the tank to breath through. The charcoal captures the hydrocarbons. Charcoal is carbon, and carbon sticks well to carbon.
You may have saturated the charcoal bed in the canister through which the tank breaths. This can happen when you “top off” the tank regularly. It cannot breath through a saturated bed. If it cannot expel air, it cannot accept gas.
The CHARCOAL CANISTER has nothing to do with filling the gas tank. Nothing!
The filler neck of the gas tank is a more complex, multi-part component, than most people realize. There is an anti-spill valve, also, which prevents fuel spillage in case the vehicle turns onto its side (or, roof). If stuck closed, this valve can become an anti-fill valve.
Unless the dealer’s mechanics can do a better job, you should seek out a good independent shop. If supposed repairer says something about the charcoal canister being the cause, run like a bat out of a bell !