Unusual Fuel Problem whilst filling Gu petrol Patrol.

Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 11:11
ThreadID: 66276 Views:2685 Replies:3 FollowUps:2
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The jerry can fire thread just reminded me of an incident we had
couple of weeks ago , which I typed up but never posted due to fires.
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Stopped to fill up main tank in Patrol yesterday , it was 45c
and sub tank had not been used and was about full.

Needed 135lt , and as I started to fill the main tank I noticed a little bubbling from the subtank filler.

Thought nothing of it and continued daydreaming as I filled up the main tank.
With about 110lt in main tank I looked at the petrol filler points and noticed the fuel was slowly pouring out of the sub tank filler onto the ground but the main tank filler looked perfect and petrol was still going in.

Interesting situation as I looked below the car at a large pool of petrol.

For the next 5 minutes (a long time in a queue at the pump) fuel continued to slowly pour out of sub tank filler hole onto ground.

Potentially a nasty enough situation to make one panic but my evaluation was that the situation was stable with petrol evaporating and dissappearing quickly in the very hot wind so I just waited till everything settled down.
Lost an estimate of 3 liters.

The pump had timed out by then, so I paid the bill, noted fuel on ground had gone and drove off.

Two hours later when temp dropped to 40c I went back and put the remaining 25 lt into the main tank without any sign of bubbly or fuel issues from the sub tank filler.

Trying to analyze what could have happened !
Haven't looked at manual just yet but I'm sure that
overflow from a patrol GU's subtank is piped into the main tank.

Possible senario - The fuel hose into the main tank might have partly collasped, restricting, but not fully stopping flow into main tank.

Perhaps such restriction caused fuel to back up and feed back into the sub tank until it overflowed.

Don't like coincidences and the above senario would require just the right amount of obstruction otherwise the main filler would have overflowed.

Engineers like to have reasons for things and I'm not happy about my conclusions.
Any further ideas guys ?
Robin Miller

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Reply By: Best Off Road - Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 11:46

Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 11:46
Robin,

A lot of weird things happened that day due to heat.

My SIL has a dedicated (bloody stupid idea) LPG Falcon. She travelled back from our place to Shepparton that day. On the way home she stopped to get LPG, the tank wouldn't let the gas in. She had to park in the shade for 20 minutes and then it took on the LPG.

Cheers,

Jim.

AnswerID: 350953

Follow Up By: Member - Warfer (VIC) - Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 12:03

Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 12:03
**On the way home she stopped to get LPG, the tank wouldn't let the gas in.**




Hiya Jim

Ive had the exact same issues with my Berlina and according to the Servo Chick it happens regulary...

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FollowupID: 619244

Reply By: redeye141 - Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 17:36

Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 17:36
Robin,

Do you have an after market tank as the normal tank on a patrol is 95 Litres ?

AnswerID: 351002

Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 19:28

Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 at 19:28
Hi Redeye

We have a long ranger 145lt main tank.
Robin Miller

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Reply By: jocker - Thursday, Feb 26, 2009 at 09:58

Thursday, Feb 26, 2009 at 09:58
Maybe the tank is contracting in volume with the cooling effect of fuel. Any condenser/valves will vent through other tank? Just a thought.
AnswerID: 351111

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