I wanted a title that would communicate the unique nature of my refuling issue to avoid being linked to that same tired old thread about 05 & 06 TJs and their splashback valves (with the video of the mechanic who looks right at a TJ and calls it a Cherokee).
At the moment, my biggest regret in life is the bone-headed decision to replace a gas tank skid plate that was so rusted apart that it was in multiple pieces strapped together with structural zip-ties. Clearly I should've just slapped another zip-tie on there!
Ever since I replaced the skid plate, straps, filler-neck, filter, and sender seal, my 4.0L 03 TJ has been been in full rebellion at the gas station. It takes great patience and skill to pull the pump's trigger lightly enough to not shut the pump off immediately, making refueling into a long and humiliating ordeal.
No, my splash-back valve does not look like that, it was not stuck, and I went back and ripped it out anyways just in case.
No, no lines were pinched above the tank. How would that happen anyway? They're all hard plastic except for the one 7” rubber line to the neck.
First, I tried replacing the filler hose, since it looked pretty kinky (would not take home to mother). No change.
Some basic troubleshooting logic from Identifix made sense to me:
Disconnect lines from the tank to the EVAP system and the vent line to the neck. If the issue persists, the problem is in the tank.
With the EVAP system completely disconnected from the tank and filler neck, there was no change. It would seem that the EVAP system is exonerated and the problem in the tank.
Since I do not care if my EVAP system throws codes, I dropped the tank again and gutted any non-essential components that could possibly become stuck and interfere with fuel flow or venting. I removed the splash-back valve from the filler inlet, and removed the two check valves from the two vent outlets on top of the tank. Aside from the sender/pump assembly, my fuel tank no longer has any moving parts that could possibly bind.
To my horror, the problem still persisted at multiple gas stations and it made no difference whether the EVAP and filler vent lines were disconnected.
What could prevent a tank that can vent freely to the atmosphere from accepting fuel though a new and unrestricted filler hose?
The filler neck? Isn't that just a tapered tube with a flap? The flap appears to work and the tube appears unrestricted. There is a very slight angle where the filler neck meets the filler tube, but it almost seems crazy to think it would have any effect on the flow of fuel.
I'm out of sane ideas and would be happy to read any suggestions of any sanity level.
At the moment, my biggest regret in life is the bone-headed decision to replace a gas tank skid plate that was so rusted apart that it was in multiple pieces strapped together with structural zip-ties. Clearly I should've just slapped another zip-tie on there!
Ever since I replaced the skid plate, straps, filler-neck, filter, and sender seal, my 4.0L 03 TJ has been been in full rebellion at the gas station. It takes great patience and skill to pull the pump's trigger lightly enough to not shut the pump off immediately, making refueling into a long and humiliating ordeal.
No, my splash-back valve does not look like that, it was not stuck, and I went back and ripped it out anyways just in case.
No, no lines were pinched above the tank. How would that happen anyway? They're all hard plastic except for the one 7” rubber line to the neck.
First, I tried replacing the filler hose, since it looked pretty kinky (would not take home to mother). No change.
Some basic troubleshooting logic from Identifix made sense to me:
Disconnect lines from the tank to the EVAP system and the vent line to the neck. If the issue persists, the problem is in the tank.
With the EVAP system completely disconnected from the tank and filler neck, there was no change. It would seem that the EVAP system is exonerated and the problem in the tank.
Since I do not care if my EVAP system throws codes, I dropped the tank again and gutted any non-essential components that could possibly become stuck and interfere with fuel flow or venting. I removed the splash-back valve from the filler inlet, and removed the two check valves from the two vent outlets on top of the tank. Aside from the sender/pump assembly, my fuel tank no longer has any moving parts that could possibly bind.
To my horror, the problem still persisted at multiple gas stations and it made no difference whether the EVAP and filler vent lines were disconnected.
What could prevent a tank that can vent freely to the atmosphere from accepting fuel though a new and unrestricted filler hose?
The filler neck? Isn't that just a tapered tube with a flap? The flap appears to work and the tube appears unrestricted. There is a very slight angle where the filler neck meets the filler tube, but it almost seems crazy to think it would have any effect on the flow of fuel.
I'm out of sane ideas and would be happy to read any suggestions of any sanity level.
