Query About Pumping Petrol

[mcfcbiker]

Hey guys, I have a pretty dumb question about using the petrol pumps.

I went to fill up my bike today for the first time and had a nightmare with the pump. When I squeezed the trigger the petrol started flowing on the machine but then the trigger would 'ping' and the petrol wouldn't flow anymore.

I could only squeeze the trigger really really softly to make the fuel flow and it seemed to take an absolute age for the figures to move round (pounds and litres) but even then the trigger would keep disengaging and Id have to stop and start again.

My YBR 125 has like a cup with holes in just inside the petrol tank and my friend thought it might be that which was causing the problem in such that the fuel was swishing up around the nozzle and causing a cut off.

Does anyone know what I was doing wrong, I felt quite stupid

Cheers for any advice you can give me.
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Current Bike = 2011 Triumph Street Triple R
Previous Bikes = Yamaha YBR 125, Honda CBF 125, SYM XS 125K

[felicity]

Don't put the nozzle so far into the tank next time. As long as the petrol goes into the tank, the nozzle doesn't need to be in the hole at all (but make sure you don't spill it all over the tank, obviously).

[Alex_B]

Press the trigger a bit lighter/softer, with the nozzle slightly above the tank BUT in it still. (I hope that's easy enough to understand).

You will get less flow and not hit the auto overflow cutoff.

It's not your car you're filling you know

I love filling the bike, yea I know it's still money but it's so cheap in comparison
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[mistergixer]

As others have pointed out, don't put the nozzle so far in.

Petrol pumps have an auto cut-out in order to avoid overfilling and spills.

I had a car which was a nightmare for doing it, the nozzle had to go in at an exact angle and depth otherwise it would cut out all the time if I squeezed the handle onto full flow.
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[Teflon-Mike]

Yeah, its the 'over fill/spill protection' system in the petrol pump.
Basically there is a second hole in the nozzle, and as fuel is pumped out the big hole, air is sucked back through the small one, if that hole is under fuel, then the reverse flow of air causes a vacuum, and that triggers the pump top cut out so you cant over fill the tank, or if its sloshing in the kneck, avoids spills.

They are often pretty sensetive and can be a real PITA, especially if you have a car, that has a narrow filer kneck with tight bend in it, so you have to hold the noddle half out the hols to stop the 'puddling' around the nozzle, and stand there for ages to pump out, 50l or so of juice!

At least a bikes tank only holds 15l or so!

Can have similar problems though, especiallu on bikes with saddle tank over back-bone frame, where the filler kneck is only an inch or so over the 'hump' that goes over the frame's back-bone inside the tank!

And yes, the mesh 'cup' or as its technically reffered to a 'fuel filler strainer' is not helping, fuel will be puddling in the strainer, before flowing into the tank, and can cause that cut-off on the pumps spill protection circuit.

TAKE IT OUT when you fill up.

They are normally removeable; and are there, usually for third world markets, or agricultural use, where the bike is likely to be filled from gerry-cans, rather than commercial pump, to stop any sediment being poured in with the fuel.

More usually encountered on stuff like lawn-mowers, for the same reason, though did have them on my Land-Rover.... which had twin 'expedition' tanks, holding 140l in the back tank, and 90 in the front...

Had exactly the same problem, with it cutting out, and trying to pump 230l squeezing it in at 1/4 throtle, first time, I WAS there rather a LONG time!

Later discovered the strainers, they were about six inches down the filler kneck, and about six inches long, so you couldn't see them peering a foot down a dark tube! Until I wondered what this bit of chain was for..... tugged it..... and pulled one out!

Filling was a LOT swifter after that... more so when a pump attendant suggested I use the HGV pump..... Only did so once or twice, it was rather scary watch the £'s crank up THAT fast, and that was when Derv was less than 80p/l! Still, even then, £180 to 'fill up' was rather daunting!
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[mcfcbiker]

Cheers guys, I dont have a car and this was the first time I had ever used a petrol pump.

I will follow your advice and hopefully it will be ok next time I need to fill up.
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Current Bike = 2011 Triumph Street Triple R
Previous Bikes = Yamaha YBR 125, Honda CBF 125, SYM XS 125K

[Rogerborg]

Yup, don't just ram it in deep and start pumping hard. You want to nuzzle your nozzle gently inside the rim, then steadily increase the pressure until you're gushing freely.
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[Efes123]

[Paulington]

Petrol pump using almost becomes an art to be honest, using the right pressure on the handle and holding it in the right place in relation to the hole can be very difficult to get the hang of, but you'll do it.

Also, as said above, you may well have just gotten a sensitive one, I have had some barely work at all in terms of cutting off, so much so that I have to watch it carefully and yet I've also had some that seem to trigger at the humidity in the air... .

Just be careful with the petrol, try to avoid spilling it on the tank/bike/paint/floor at all costs, even when you are finished pumping and taking the nozzle out, I tend to put my glove under the nozzle as I take it out/put it back on the fuel pump as getting petrol on the tank/paint/bike can ruin some paints, looks naff and is generally worth avoiding.

s for getting it on the floor that's obvious, you may pay for the fuel, forget about it, ride through it on the way out and end up on your arse.

You'll be all good next time. !
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[mcfcbiker]