Gas overflows when filling up at gas station

[Jimhunter]

When filling up my 98 Sport Nautique gas tank at a gas station and the gas tank gets full, the gas pump doesn't shut off until AFTER it gushes out gas. Gas runs down the side of the boat (my Nautique decals are pealing off) and sometimes even runs a little into the boat on the upholstery. YUK!

Next to the hole for the gas is a vent. It looks clear and I can easily blow into it. The air goes in and then comes out (smelling like gas) after a few seconds. It seems that the vent is clear.

Help, I dread going to the gas station since it makes such a mess!

Thanks,
Jim

[jpduster]

RE: Gas overflows when filling up at gas station

Jim, you are not alone, I think everybody experiences same.
I've tried with the second cap off but the plastic tank still holds enough backpressure to expel gas.
At the station I have someone in the boat watch the tank and slow up to a trickle when the level gets close to the filler pipe. Very time consuming. I tend to avoid the station when possible now. I carry a couple of jerries (6 gallon each) in the car and top the boat up gradually throughout the week.Seems like a pain in the *ss but I have to fill the car regularly anyway so it works out well.

[Jimhunter]

RE: Gas overflows when filling up at gas station

Thanks for your input.

Anyone else have ideas on how to solve this one?

Jim

[Familyman]

Use your ear.... As soon as you start to hear gurgling coming out the vent, you are near full.

[DanielC]

Both the fill hose, and the vent hose are near the middle of the tank. My 1997 Ski does the same thing. I can fill it with gas cans, no problem, like JPduster said.
It helps to run the gas in slow. Another option is to not let the tank get close to full. If it is quiet, you can sometimes hear it start ot "gurgle" a little before it spits gas out.
If you fill the tank when you are done using the boat, you can take your time filling the boat, because you are not in a hurry to hit the water, when you are going out.
Mix up a little dishwashing detergent, and water in a spray bottle, and carry that with you. If the tank overflows, immediately spray the area down with the spray bottle, and wipe it off with a paper towel, or old cloth towel.
If your gelcoat gets discolored from the gas, it will buff out.
Sorry, no easy fixes, just kind of have to live with it.

[Proud2BeCC]

Same thing happened to me just after I put new pin stripe tape on. My original tape didn't have the reaction to the gas as much as the new tape. Anyone else feel the same?

[Jimhunter]

I guess it's good to know that I have company. It's hard to believe that this problem is so wide spread. Seems as though Nautique would have come up with a solution.

Guess I'll have to go slow and listen carefully.

Thanks all for your input!
Jim

[jpduster]

DanielC is right when he says when its quiet, our station plays music thru the P.A. (real hifi quality to as you can imagine) just to make sure you can't hear the gurgle in between breaks in traffic, aahh! Hence the 'by sight' method or the jerry cans.

[DanielC]

I think that is the real reason on the newer boats, there is a gas fill on both sides.
I pull my seat back out of the boat, so I can see the gas level in the tank. That also helps the seat dry out

[jpduster]

I've tried with the second cap off and it doesn't seem to make much difference, the second cap does help at a busy station as it doesn't matter which side the available bowser is on.

[saceone]

I thought I was the only one having this problem.
02 210 sante
6gal jerry cans is the best method but it still happens from time to time. bleh

[WakeSlayer]

I do not take mine to the gas station very often, but when I do, I wrap several paper towels from the windshield wiper station around the stem of the filler handle and let it go full speed. If I hear it start to gurgle I will go slow it down, but the towels pretty much prevent any overflow on to the boat. I have had this issue to varying degrees on all three Nautiques I have owned.

[ranger3]

It is not just Nautiques. We had a Triton before the 211 and it did the same thing. Listening for the gurgle is the only thing I've found that works. Most of the time, the traffic is too loud and you can't hear it.

[SkiTundra]

Happens in my '08 211 as well. The problem appears to be that having such an open vent prevents the backflow in the handle from automatically shutting off. I've thought that next time I fill up at a station I'm going to stick a piece of tape over the vent and see if that works. I do like to fill at land stations when I can as it's about $55 less than the marina.

BTW, none of the marina's I've filled at have had overflow problems. This caused me to wonder if something about the handle height relative to the pump had anything to do with it, but since the backflow sensing is in the handle itself I can't figure out how. I've also wondered if the marina's handles are set more sensitive, but the 2 I asked said that they didn't think so.

[BigBald]

I have had this issue with my 99 Sport and now the 07 216. I am having some other weird issues with my 216 so I don't fill it up all the way right now......but with the 99, I found the only way to minimized the overflow is to click the gauges on...and then watch the fuel gauge. As it approaches full...I then turn off the pump for a moment and let it vent out air. Sometimes, I will remove the nozzel for a moment. Then go back to a slow trickle feed...and listen carefully. But the sound isn't always the best way...so, I also use the towel method of catching the overfill.

As for marinas, I have found some marinas pumps are worse than others. I am thinking it based upon the pressure/flow of the pumps. For instance...when I boat at Griderhill Marina at Lake Cumberland, the pumps really push hard....even on the lowest setting. So, I have to be extra careful. And in that case, I can re-position folks in the boat. Adding a slight tilt to the boat to keep the inlet a bit higher seems to help. I am not sure it's really helping, but it kind of feels like it. But, at other marinas, the flow is so low, that I very little issues. Might be the difference in marinas that have a lot of "large" boat (or houseboat) traffice...and those that don't?