I’ve just recently purchased a very sweet Mitsubishi Galant. Looks super and runs fantastic. It has one odd problem. When I go to the gas station, I have to pump gas nearly one gallon at a time. When I squeeze the trigger hard, the pump will shut off after about a gallon (just like the pump does when your tank is full). This goes on and on, pumping about one gallon at a time. If I pump the gas very slowly, it doesn’t back up - so that is one solution ;-| Any one have any idea what is going on??
Does this happen at all gas stations or just certain stations? I’ve had problems like this with certain stations with my 1989 Accord and I just avoid those and go to the ones that work properly.
If it is at all stations it may be charcoal canister.
A vent hose runs off filler neck and goes to a canister with charcoal in it then hose goes to motor so gas fumes do not go into the air.
When people put gas in after pump clicks off raw gas get into canister and satcherates it, sorry for spelling.
It does not vent so pump keeps clicking off.
Be warned canisters are expensive.
There is an anti-spill device in the filler neck designed to prevent spills in the event of a roll-over accident. It’s sort of a ball-type check valve. Sometimes they get stuck (from over-filling) and from that point on, refueling becomes difficult…The valves can sometimes be freed up by sliding something flexible down the fill pipe to dislodge the stuck check-valve. You will feel the valve when you hit it.
Is the check engine light on? If yes might be the canister, otherwise I will start from the filler neck and its vent system.
By the way what year Galant is it? I recently bought a Sonata and had the same problem. It ended being a money looser for me. Now I am adding a gas fill-up to my pre-perchase inspection of a used car.
Just to repeat what already has been noted. If the prior owner had the habit of topping on the tank, they have have damaged the charcoal canister. It would need replacement. It could be the specific pump style that just does not get along with your car. It also could be that old check valve or any of several other problems like a kinked vent hose.
This question of difficulty to fill the gas tank continues to come up. There are ALWAYS two types of responses: 1. charcoal canister; 2. gas tank filler neck. The problem, for us, is that after the questioner does get the problem fixed, few (if any) tell us HOW it was fixed.
This has become an urban myth type of problem. It needs a resolution. It needs feedback from people.
When you say “money looser” - how much was it to fix?
I will have this looked at - probably not in the next few weeks (One daughter preparing to move away for college and getting her a car, one car is getting brakes/rotor at the first of the week…) But I will get it looked at -and- I will try to remember to post what happened here.
This is a 2001 Galant with 73000 miles. The car is in perfect condition inside and out. Runs super - honestly looks like it has sat in a showroom for 7 years. My father works at a dealership and this sweetheart deal came along - so I took it…
Oh, I forgot to add…
No, the check engine light is not on.
My Sonata was a money looser because no local mechanic was willing to work on it. At the recommendation of the selling dealer (he agreed to pitch in good will money) I took it to the Hyundai dealership, the diagnosed a gas tank vent valve problem and changed it but it didn’t fix the problem. I got fed up and honestly didn’t like the car as much as I had liked it initially. So returned it to the seller at a loss and fixed my older car as a temporary measure. Am actually looking to buy either a newer Galant or a Malibu or maybe a Camry. I felt my Galant was much better built than the Sonata.
I tried the hose down the filler neck and it didn’t help. Charcoal canister checked OK and was told that the filler neck vent line was OK too, so go figure.
There is a Mitsubishi Motors Technical Service Bulletin, TSB-01-13-011 November 2001, which addresses your problem: SUBJECT; SLOW FUEL FILL AND/OR PREMATURE FUEL NOZZLE SHUTOFF. This TSB says that there can be kinks, or obstructions, in the hoses between the filler neck and the tank. It, also, gives a replacement part number.
The charcoal canister, as a culprit, is a red herring.
Starting in 2001, the Galant design changed, eliminating the fuel tank filler tube valve/flap (TSB-02-13-00). Sometimes, that would fail and become an obstruction.
I think you are exactly correct. Today my mechanic told me that a service bulletin addressed this problem. It’s not a recall. My mechanic checked for kinked hoses to no avail. The part has been ordered and will be installed on Monday. Parts and labor may be about $200
Part was installed today. $210. It was the complete assembly between the spigot and the tank. It replaced one that looked identical to the one that came out. But hopefully something was different on the inside. Anyway… I went to fill it up with gas, and it received the gas normally, just as any car should. I dispensed the gas as quick as I could, with no back up. So hopefully all is fixed.
The new filler hose has a new and perhaps different check-valve in it. Cut the old hose apart and check it out…
EVERYBODY,
THE GAS TANK WOULD NOT FILL AT A NORMAL RATE BECAUSE OF THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK. It was NOT that red herring thing (You know, the charcoal thingie).
scoT1753, Thanks for the feedback.
Caddyman,
In 2001 the Galant design changed, eliminating the valve/flap. See TSB-02-13-00
I second the gas neck filler. Seems to have taken care of the problem. Was $312 at the dealer.