Fuel filling problems

Hi, I have a 86 XJ, and have some problems with filling fuel. (I tried searching, found a lot but nothing relevant, please point me in the right direction if this has been discussed before).

When I start filling the gas gun clicks after just a few seconds, it believes the tank is full. Gas seem to foam up into the filler tube. It doesn't overflow, but gas level is up to top of filler neck, then sinks.

I had a theory. I have dented the tank up off road, and the filler tube extends to a little over the bottom of the tank. When dented, it's almost tight allowing the fuel to enter the tank very slowly. But all diagrams and drawings I've seen there is nothing like that in the filler tube.


Any ideas?

My 87 did the same thing. You are right about the filler tube design. If you look inside one of these tanks you'll see that the filler tube extends inside the tank almost all the way to the bottom, so you cannot fill it fast even when it isn't dented, and as it gets fuller, it fills more slowly as the filler tube itself is full of gas to the existing tank level. The advantage? If you turn the tank upside down the gas will not come out.

Sounds as if you need a new tank. If you dented it in the middle, make sure when you do this that the sender unit isn't bent too.

i've had a similar problem with my 90 all i did was pull the nozzle out about half way when filling and it has worked everytime

If it is a steel tank and the dent is a smooth pushed in dent find a BIG magnet, attach and see if you can pull it out, or one of the big pump-it-up suction cups that glass companies use, that provided the bottom of the tank is smooth. You might even have some luck with a full tank and a slap hammer to pop it out working around the dent, sometimes they will pop back out. If it's creased and really dented then I'd go with a new tank...

It's an '86 fer cryin' out loud. If the tank doesn't leak now, it will tmorrow. Spring for a new one.

Got the same problem with mine. But im getting a new one and I suggest you doing the same but if your budget dosnt allow it try pulling out the dents with a glass puller thingy and see if that helps. Also to prevent this from hapening agian you should seriously consider a gas tank shid of some kind(I'm getting one from skidrow).