Can't fill gas tank

I have a 2002 exploder with 258k miles on it. Original engine and tranny, along with most every thing else. Has had 9 wheel bearings put in it though.
My problem now is it won't take gas when I try to fill it up. The nozzle keeps kicking off due to gas coming back up the fill tube. I have checked for blockage of the fill tube as best I could without taking the lines off, and have found nothing (coat hanger and snake). Sometimes, it takes it at about half the rate the pump will put it in at, most of the time it takes me 10 minutes to fill the tank from empty.

Any idea what is in the air circuit that could be plugged, or anything else that could cause this?
I searched the forum but could find nothing. Maybe using wrong search strings, but ....

Any help appreciated. Hate to go get an F150 just because the ole girl won't drink when I lead her to the creek.

D

Could be the evaporative canister. Had same problem with my Ford Rangers and once dealer changed canister, the problem went away.

Thanks XLT03.
I'm thinking along those lines too. I have read somewhere that when you top off the tank (which I do) and gas gets in the vapour canister it turns whatever is in there hard or something. Or maybe I'm wishing:
I will get out my CD and see where the raqscal is.

D

Yep, topping off the tank will send the liquid into canister.

nine wheel bearings! thats something definitely to look forward too! original engine and tranny though?? not bad!

Sorry to come late to the party.

There is a screen to prevent people from stealing your gas. Maybe it's got trash on it, but without a scope or camera to look at it, it'll be hard to determine.

Shawn

try checking the vent hose on the charcoal canister, when it's clogged it builds pressure on the tank shutting the nozzle of the fuel pump.


-----------------------------------------------------------
MY MOUNTY
http://www.facebook.com/diyfordexplorer?sk=photos

Typically there is a canister vent solenoid that allows air to be pushed out when filling the gas tank. This solenoid may be plugged. Also, do you use the same gas station and pump? I have found sometimes that my explorer does this too. If i pull out the pump nozzle a little bit it works fine.

What was your resolution?
My 2002 Explorer just started doing the same thing. The strange thing is - after my wife said that she couldn't fill at two different stations, I took it out and pumped it myself. The first few minutes the nozzle was shutting off, but after maybe 2-3 gallons I was able to get a steady flow, though extremely slow. Then I went full flow and it was OK. I stopped it and started at full flow and it was still fine. I'm stumped. Maybe something in a screen moved, or the check ball in the feeder line shifted, or a block in the canister cleared?

My mounty done this I took the filler neck off and nothing in it took the tube off nothing. I was putting it all back together and for some reason stuck my finger back in the tank where the line goes in. I felt a cone shaped thing in the tank. It feels like the open end of the cone is toward the inside of the tank if you get what I mean. I pushed on it a bit and it moved. I got a screwdriver and pushed it several times. I t kept getting easier and is kinda springloaded that makes it pop back out. I think the purpose of this thing is to block the gass from flowing out of the tank say if you were to flip over. It was stuck maybe some deposit build up on it and when I moved it I broke it loose. I haven't had a problem since. Not a bad fix, just get under the ride and disconnect the hose where the gas goes in and give it a try. Hope this helps.
STu

Thanks for the reply, stuart. I'll see at my next fill but it sure seems like I pushed something back into place, and that spring loaded piece makes total sense. Hopefully I'll have your luck and never see it again.

Mine wouldn't take about 10cents if you turned the pump on wide open. But if you let it run really slow you could get some into it. Thank God it was summer! I hope that fixed yours. Did it feel like it was stuck when you pushed your finger back in the tank filler neck?
Stu

New to Explorer but long time car collector/restorer.
Fuel tanks tend to accumulate water & water vapor. If this anti-spill door is mostly above the fuel level, metal parts are going to rust & corrode. The hinge point may suffer and potentially seize. For a multitude of reasons, water & water vapor being just one of them; About once a month I dump a can of Seafoam in the fuel tank with a fill up. I also run it for the first two tanks of a long trip.

I was skeptical when I was first told about this magic potion, but I have found, over time, that the stuff really works. It has a lubricating quality that also prolongs the life of the fuel pump. Additionally, it has detergent qualities that help your fuel injectors. As a former skeptic, I NOW use it regularly on all of my cars. I believe that it may prevent or cure the anti-spill hinge issue by lubricating the hinge and/or preventing the problem before it starts.

I am a moderator on another forum for Lincoln products and read ALL the posts. It is quite popular with our members/users.

It might be worth a try. <shrug>

Art

I've used seafoam for quite some time. Hasn't helped. I'm going to drop the hose off of it and feel around down in the tank to see.
Still having the issue. It went away for three fill ups, but is back again. Gas drips out of the rubber boot that is halfway down the fill tube. Don't know what that is about, but have ran out of things to do without tearing something apart.
With 261k miles on her, I hate to put a lot of effort in it, but then again, she's been pretty good to me. Hate to let her die here.

D

Hope this works Dave. Really a quick and easy fix if that is the problem. Just one bolt or screw cant remember to remove a hose clamp if I am thinking right and pulll the hose off. Then try to push your finger into the tank. The obstruction is almost too far to reach with my finger so I used a ratchet handle I believe to push on it. It got easier as I done it. Hope this helps.
Stu

I have also been suffering from this too, but have been limping along with it for about six months. What I have noticed is the older gas pumps are more friendly as the pump gas slower.

Mike

It didn't work. The plug is tapered, and has a spring behind it. I could shove it back about 2" or 3" OK. There was nothing in the hose from the fill hole to the tank either. I guess I'm looking for the vent now. Anyone know where it is located?

D

Oh well, wish that had been it. Not too hard to get to. I took the whole filler neck out prior to finding what was wrong with mine "ofcourse". Not too hard, kinda a pain to put back if I remember right. Hope you figure it out soon keep us posted. Oh ya, if that thing is pushing that far I would say it is ok.
Stu

I am having this same problem on my 02 Explorer. I can pump either extrememly slow or something is causing no air flow for continued pumping. Called the Ford House $400-$700 to fix it. If the problem is semi-small I would sure rather do it myself. Can someone tell me exactly where the canister is, in case it is not the vent hose? Guess I could buy the book. Just need it fixed. Sucks spending what feels like an hour pumping gas in the cold!

I work at the local Ford dealer & I bet we see this issue a couple of times a month. More times than not, we'll find that a spider has made a nest (prepping for winter) in the vent hose....blocking off any air/vapor flow.
Might want to start looking there first.