# Filling my tank

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 17, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865 "2007-07-17T21:10:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nlk0506](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/45deac/32.png) [@nlk0506](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nlk0506)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865/1 "2007-07-17T21:10:52Z")

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I have a 99 olds intrigue that when i go to fill it up with gas never gets full before the pump shuts off and spits gas back at me. Any suggestions on what the problem is and how i can fix it

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865/2 "2007-07-17T21:33:51Z")

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Pressure is building up when you are filling the tank…towards the end of the fill up withdraw the nozzle a bit to release the back pressure.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865/3 "2007-07-17T23:17:42Z")

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Have you been topping off the tank and now it is starting to spit back?

You likely have damaged the charcoal canister and it will need to be replaced.

If you have not been topping it off, it still could be the canister or it may also be another venting problem.

```
In some cases the car just does not like the pumps at some stations, you may want to try a different one. 

```

Good Luck

Look around in your manual or on the car and you will likely find a notice not to top off the tank when refueling.

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**Author:** ![nlk0506](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/45deac/32.png) [@nlk0506](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nlk0506)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865/4 "2007-07-18T16:26:14Z")

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no, usually my low fuel light is on or am at or below a quarter of a tank when i fill up. Is it hard to replace the charcoal canister??

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/filling-my-tank/1865/5 "2007-07-18T20:05:47Z")

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You may have misunderstood Josephs post.

He’s not talking about an almost or empty tank.

He’s talking of a bad habit a lot of drivers get into.

That is one of ‘topping off’ the fuel tank after the nozzle initially clicks off.

Your tank may not be venting properly.

The charcoal canister MAY be saturated or it may not.

The purge valve should be checked to see if it is working.

The purge valve lets the gas vapors from the canister into the engine to be burnt off.  
If it doesn’t, the canister can become saturated.

Some are easy to get at and are expensive so make sure it NEEDS changing before you do it.

A repair manual would be handy if trying this yourself.  
Check out a Haynes repair manual for your vehicle and have fun.