2009 Cambria. Half a tank of fuel so let's fill the tank before heading to Bishop and some trout fishing. First station, arco, the pump keeps trippingand gas won't flow. Tried pushing the nozzle into the fuel filler, all I got was a gallon. Pull ahead to next pump, same. OK, head down the road, pull into a Shell. Insert CC and bingo, pump will not activate and flow fuel, pull ahead to another pump, same ;tried the 3rd pump, same. So I called my friend brother James. Now James is a Class A mechanic. James worked for FORD Motor Company as a "lemon fixer" When the dealers mechanics were stumped James arrived. He said it sounded like either the vent was clogged OR some have a solenoid that shuts the fuel openingin case of vehicle rollover. He's talking cars, not motorhomes. Suggestion: fill it using a fuel can, see what happens.So, on my way to Adelonto and a store for a can. On the way I got to thinking. Dirty vent? Stuck valve? Maybe a sloshing of fuel will clean it out. I pulled into a Chevron and went to the furthest pump away from anyone and did a hard stop, (maybe 5 mph safely) put it into reverse and did the same. Well guess what, it took fuel and many stops after that. I need to study and learn how RV fuel tanks are set up to determine the cause. PS> One thing I did notice when removing the fuel cap was a lot of vacuum in the system, a whooshing sound when removing it. Ohh yeah, after fueling I went to stock up on food, my CC was locked for possible fraud use. Too many attempts at too many locations.

Sometimes the fuel filler pipe has to be longer and more convoluted to reach from where the chassis manufacturer places the tank, to where the coach manufacturer places the access door to the fill pipe. That's assuming the upfitter doesn't move it, to add some piece of equipment. My 2002 Roadtrek was like that. They moved the tank forward to make room for the Onan genset, and had to run a longer fill pipe with an odd bend in it to reach the access door. It was always hard to fill the tank without rotating the nozzle 90 degrees to the right, to get around the oddball bend in the pipe. Maybe? Interesting that sloshing the fuel fixed the problem. Probably not the same issue as my Roadtrek, if that did the trick.

I have owned the coach for about 5 years, this issue never came up before. I had a Chevy Chevette (not proud of that but great commute car) It was horrible to fuel, horrible.

klutchdust wrote:I have owned the coach for about 5 years, this issue never came up before. I had a Chevy Chevette (not proud of that but great commute car) It was horrible to fuel, horrible.I owned a Chevy Chevette too, 40 years ago. I was 18 and bought it brand new for $3,000 with only a part time job. It took me back and forth to school every day and if you put the back seat down and added a mattress pad, me and my girl could.....well, you get the idea. It was college! ;) :C

I had a Class C that would get fuel in the vent hose between the tank and filler tube. I had to lay on the ground and get the fuel out of the vent hose or the pump would trip constantly. The vent hose had a dip in it between the tank and fill.

Bizarre fueling situation. Issue #1 on trip. | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

klutchdust
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2020
theoldwizard1 wrote:
klutchdust wrote:
friend brother James. Now James is a Class A mechanic. James worked for FORD Motor Company as a "lemon fixer" When the dealers

mechanics were stumped James arrived. He said it sounded like either the vent was clogged OR some have a solenoid that shuts the fuel opening in case of vehicle rollover. He's talking cars, not motorhomes.

I am pretty certain the rollover one way valve is mechanical. No solenoid.

All gasoline vehicles, including motorhomes, have fairly sophisticated "vapor management" systems. They will have at least one, probably more, solenoid operated valves. The tank should be either at atmospheric pressure or a slight vacuum. Pressure is what kicks off the fuel fill handle.

Yes, he did mention the mechanical aspect of the one way valve. This was the first trip since October, maybe that had something to do with it, IDK.
klutchdust
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2020
marty1300 wrote:
Klutch, was it hot out? Had a similar situation on the way to a race in Bradenton on memorial weekend. Had Traveled about 3 hours in the heat of the day. Took forever to fill up and only needed half a tank . My brother in law had the same issue. We both have class C on the E450 chassis . Might be a vapor issue with the heat .?

Not really, maybe high 80's. I've been in worse heat before and didn't have an issue.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2020
klutchdust wrote:
friend brother James. Now James is a Class A mechanic. James worked for FORD Motor Company as a "lemon fixer" When the dealers

mechanics were stumped James arrived. He said it sounded like either the vent was clogged OR some have a solenoid that shuts the fuel opening in case of vehicle rollover. He's talking cars, not motorhomes.

I am pretty certain the rollover one way valve is mechanical. No solenoid.

All gasoline vehicles, including motorhomes, have fairly sophisticated "vapor management" systems. They will have at least one, probably more, solenoid operated valves. The tank should be either at atmospheric pressure or a slight vacuum. Pressure is what kicks off the fuel fill handle.
marty1300
Explorer
Jun 07, 2020
Klutch, was it hot out? Had a similar situation on the way to a race in Bradenton on memorial weekend. Had Traveled about 3 hours in the heat of the day. Took forever to fill up and only needed half a tank . My brother in law had the same issue. We both have class C on the E450 chassis . Might be a vapor issue with the heat .?
rexlion
Explorer
Jun 06, 2020
My dad had a Chevette for a year or so. It tried twice to kill him, so he sold it. (That's how he always told the story.)

First attempt: he was rounding a gentle highway curve at 50 mph, on the inside of the curve, when a weld on the rear axle gave way. It propelled the car to the oncoming lane, and an 18-wheeler was coming right then. Fortunately his reflexes were quick, and he ran it into the open field on the far side in time.

Second attempt: During a long drive he kept getting sleepy and nauseous. After stopping and feeling better, on a hunch he drove the rest of the way home with the windows open. Took it to the dealer the next day and they found that the exhaust had gotten loose in the engine compartment.
Capt_Steve
Explorer
Jun 06, 2020
My motorhome is a 1978 Dodge and I have a 1973 Chevy C-10 pickup. Both have trouble filling the tanks. I use a 'EZ FILL NOZZLE KEY' with an 18" piece of rubber washing machine drain hose. Works ok but I have to hold the pump handle while filling.
http://www.aerostich.com/e-z-fill-nozzle-key.html
BarabooBob
Explorer III
Jun 06, 2020
I had a Class C that would get fuel in the vent hose between the tank and filler tube. I had to lay on the ground and get the fuel out of the vent hose or the pump would trip constantly. The vent hose had a dip in it between the tank and fill.
BarabooBob
Explorer III
Jun 06, 2020
I had a Class C that would get fuel in the vent hose between the tank and filler tube. I had to lay on the ground and get the fuel out of the vent hose or the pump would trip constantly. The vent hose had a dip in it between the tank and fill.
RobWNY
Explorer
Jun 06, 2020
klutchdust wrote:
I have owned the coach for about 5 years, this issue never came up before. I had a Chevy Chevette (not proud of that but great commute car) It was horrible to fuel, horrible.

I owned a Chevy Chevette too, 40 years ago. I was 18 and bought it brand new for $3,000 with only a part time job. It took me back and forth to school every day and if you put the back seat down and added a mattress pad, me and my girl could.....well, you get the idea. It was college! ;) :C
klutchdust
Explorer II
Jun 06, 2020
I have owned the coach for about 5 years, this issue never came up before. I had a Chevy Chevette (not proud of that but great commute car) It was horrible to fuel, horrible.