A Burp Free Fueling

[Jerry Winchester]

Well it finally happened today. In preparing for my departure this Thursday, it was time to bite the bullet and fill the coach up. I generally store it full, but didn't get it done the other day when I parked it in the hanger.

But with diesel at the Flying J running $4.62, I opted for the Kroger grocery store just down the street. Fuel there was $4.48 and with my Kroger card, I got it for $4.38 but the downside is the small nozzle and negotiating the parking lot full of snapperhead cars.

And as I was there listening to my third old timer asking me about the camper, the nozzle clicked and I performed the required "jump back" to avoid the inevitable fuel burp. But none came. Was it the smaller nozzle and slower delivery? Must have been. I then pulled a trick from the Krakman and produced a flashlight to look down the filler neck. I proceeded to see how much fuel I could cram in the tank sans burp. It started filling up in the neck at 149.89 gallons, so I stopped.

I am going to try this one more time but when time is not of the essence, maybe the big honking truck nozzle and its sure fire diesel bath is a thing of the past.

[dale farley]

Jerry, I am sure it was the small nozzle. I always use a small nozzle if possible, and I have never had the burping problem. When I have to use the large nozzle, I set it on the lowest setting.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

We fueld twice along the way to Pahrump and then in Knoxville on our return.

My batting average of no drip fueling was .666. At the Flying J west of ABQ I stuck both big boy truck nozzles in and let it rip. At 210 gallons I heard the click (I was cleaning off the bugs from the windshield) and expected to hear and see the splash. It never came.

On the return I stopped at the same Flying J and after 166 gallons I heard the click and then the whoosh, and then the splash. Same two nozzles, and this time it puked.

The final fueling was when we got home, at a Pilot, and this time I used both nozzles again. I heard the click at 187 gallons and not a drop came out.

Except for the fuel running down from the little fill door and getting behind the reflector just beneath the little door (and getting black crud under there) the puking is now just one of life's little annoyances. It is going to do it any time I use a big boy nozzle at random so I accept that fact and move on.

I will not use the dinky nozzles because it takes forever to fill.

[adamdegraff]

Daryl at Marathon in Texas showed me a trick...

Use the big nozzle, but stuff about a dozen of those tri-fold paper towels available at the gas station in and around the fill door space. They do get diesel soaked, but then it doesn't spray all over the place. Then using your gloved hand, remove the paper towel and throw it away. Or, squeeze it out of the paper towel into your tank. (That's about $3 worth, right? )

I know I go overboard, but I also wear rubber boots and big chemical gloves when I fill up. Then, my first stop when I go to pay is the bathroom where I wash my gloves. They truckers laugh at first, and then they say "ya know, that's not such a bad idea." Duh! Diesel stinks and it will give you cancer if you expose yourself enough to it. The boots are so I don't track it back into the coach. Takes an extra 30 seconds. Totally worth it I think.

One question.... if you fill from both sides, as was said in a previous post, why no big splash? Might it be that the pressure is relieved? Could one just open the other door and still fill from one? Could be worth some trial. This diesel spillage thing isn't good for anybody. Makes a mess, wastes fuel, bad for the environment....

~Adam

[0533]

Daryl at Marathon in Texas showed me a trick...

Use the big nozzle, but stuff about a dozen of those tri-fold paper towels available at the gas station in and around the fill door space. They do get diesel soaked, but then it doesn't spray all over the place. Then using your gloved hand, remove the paper towel and throw it away. Or, squeeze it out of the paper towel into your tank. (That's about $3 worth, right? )

I know I go overboard, but I also wear rubber boots and big chemical gloves when I fill up. Then, my first stop when I go to pay is the bathroom where I wash my gloves. They truckers laugh at first, and then they say "ya know, that's not such a bad idea." Duh! Diesel stinks and it will give you cancer if you expose yourself enough to it. The boots are so I don't track it back into the coach. Takes an extra 30 seconds. Totally worth it I think.

One question.... if you fill from both sides, as was said in a previous post, why no big splash? Might it be that the pressure is relieved? Could one just open the other door and still fill from one? Could be worth some trial. This diesel spillage thing isn't good for anybody. Makes a mess, wastes fuel, bad for the environment....

~Adam

I finally had my first experience with the burp back syndrome at Flying J. The one thing I did differently was that I did not slow down the fill when I thought I was nearing what I expected I would need, in other words If I expect that i will need 125 I slow down the fill at 120 and feel my way to the actual top, and never have had a problem even using the big nozzle, but when I left it unattended to the end, I got a big burp back. I think the key is to know how much fuel you will need and run the nozzle manually at the end.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just so nobody gets a surprise diesel bath, you can go painfully slow and if the fuel is going to puke on you it will still happen. I cannot find a combination of things that makes mine puke or not puke. I am still experimenting, such as single hose fill, slowing the nozzle, tilting the bus, etc.

[jack14r]

I don't know what Prevost changed but my 05 XLII has never puked out diesel even with the big boy running full bore.JDUB'S 2001 would make a mess of the fuel island if I left the nozzle on high,I quickly learned to slow it down when within 10 gallons or so.I also think that it helps to take off both fuel caps and only use one nozzle.

[garyde]

I have been told to stay away from small stations because of the chance of water in the deisel tanks as well as the slow speed of fill.
Fortunately, I have not had a back flow issue.

[Jerry Winchester]

Sweet Victory

First trip to fuel the new bus and the nozzle kicked off with not a drop of fuel out the filler neck. I must be dreaming.

[merle&louise]

From time to time I have to change out a fuel nozzle at my convenience store because it won't cut off when the tank is full. I THINK that this is what MAY be causing the intermittent problems some of you are having. Also, some Prevosts will burp because of a design flaw in the neck of the tank. I remember reading on previous posts that Prevost has a "fix" for burping. If memory serves me correctly "the King of Bling" called Prevost and raised hell about it and they sent him a kit that fixed the puking problem.

I am no engineer but it seems to me if Prevost made the filler tube 3" in diameter instead of 1" the fuel and air in the tank could equalize and the problem would be solved.