[jasdo34233]

Picture this:It is Thankgiving Day 2006 and five minutes earlier, I had bought my first SLK: A 1998 with 24,000 miles on it! The first thing I did was go to my usual gas station and my usual pump. I was shocked at how the pump nozzle didnt go very far into the car before it hit a hard stop. I took it out and put it back in 3 times ... each time the nozzle came to a solid stop. OK ... I accepted that the filler neck was a short one ... and proceeded to pump about 10 gallons of fuel, when the pump shut off the flow.
When I removed the nozzle, out came a veritable GEYSER of fuel that shot out about 3 feet, emptying about 2 gallons of fuel in the process!
Holy Poop! I was just about as embarrassed as I was frightened! I sheepishly got into my car and tried to drive away. The engine would fire up ... but then almost immediately die off. I kept restarting and each time it would run a little longer than the previous time before it died off. (So far ... am I having fun with my new toy yet?) Eventually I got it running steady without dying off. I figured that I had somehow pumped too much gas and needed to burn some off, so I got on the highway and took a little trip.
It turns out that the gas pump nozzle was just a little too large ... apparently it had been somwhat enlarged by use and the occasional bump, so that instead of entering the slk filler neck, it sat just outside the hole and filled both the tank and the overflow system before shutting off. I was lucky and there was no harm done. I have driven the car about 1500 miles over the last 4 months before replacing the fuel filter as part of ordinary scheduled maintenance.
Jasdo34233

 

[Mercedes Benz of Florida]

Picture this:It is Thankgiving Day 2006 and five minutes earlier, I had bought my first SLK: A 1998 with 24,000 miles on it! The first thing I did was go to my usual gas station and my usual pump. I was shocked at how the pump nozzle didnt go very far into the car before it hit a hard stop. I took it out and put it back in 3 times ... each time the nozzle came to a solid stop. OK ... I accepted that the filler neck was a short one ... and proceeded to pump about 10 gallons of fuel, when the pump shut off the flow.
When I removed the nozzle, out came a veritable GEYSER of fuel that shot out about 3 feet, emptying about 2 gallons of fuel in the process!
Holy Poop! I was just about as embarrassed as I was frightened! I sheepishly got into my car and tried to drive away. The engine would fire up ... but then almost immediately die off. I kept restarting and each time it would run a little longer than the previous time before it died off. (So far ... am I having fun with my new toy yet?) Eventually I got it running steady without dying off. I figured that I had somehow pumped too much gas and needed to burn some off, so I got on the highway and took a little trip.
It turns out that the gas pump nozzle was just a little too large ... apparently it had been somwhat enlarged by use and the occasional bump, so that instead of entering the slk filler neck, it sat just outside the hole and filled both the tank and the overflow system before shutting off. I was lucky and there was no harm done. I have driven the car about 1500 miles over the last 4 months before replacing the fuel filter as part of ordinary scheduled maintenance.
Jasdo34233

Sounds like you had your system greatly overpressurized.
WOW you must have FREAKED OUT
Hey; watch it. Make sure when you fill your gas tank, you open the cap and let it DEPRESSURIZE

 

[Bruce R.]

It would appear that you were very lucky, in most cases the charcoal canister had to be replaced when it was flooded with gas. The problem was not yours but at least partly the gas stations for not maintaining their equipment. By the same token, if the nozzle didn't fit right, maybe you should have thought twice about using it.......

 

[jasdo34233]

Geyser of gasoline

It would appear that you were very lucky, in most cases the charcoal canister had to be replaced when it was flooded with gas. The problem was not yours but at least partly the gas stations for not maintaining their equipment. By the same token, if the nozzle didn't fit right, maybe you should have thought twice about using it.......

Bruce: I had been using that very same fuel pump and nozzle for years! ... and even checked to be sure some prankster didnt switch hoses within the various pumps ... but, after reinserting the nozzle 3 times, I just figured that was how it fit.
You might imagine how concerned I was the next time I needed gas! I went to a different station ... and timidly inserted the nozzle ... and almost fell into the car because the nozzle went in so much farther than it did the first time I filled up! Hey ... I admit, this was not my finest moment ... and this time the joke is clearly on me ... but really, if this can happen to a fairly adept, former shade tree mechanic and generally handy 54 year old guy ... I would like to think this could happen to anyone! Actually, my geyser of gas experience kind of reminds me of the first time I tried to make a soft boiled egg in my brand new microwave ... but that is another story ... and a chuckle for another time.
When life serves up a chuckle ... ya gotta laugh!

 

[berk]

happened to me too. however i couldnt blame anyone but the station since here in oregon its illegal to self pump. the car ran like crap for a few days, now its ok, but i wonder if theres some performance lost due to this still, a year later. the geyser this is rediculous. at least they gave me 5$ for my broken car and spilled gas.

 

[nickwilcock]

Illegal to fill your own car up with fuel? Why??

"Where in the heck is Ausfahrt, Germany?" Just down the autobahn from Umleitung!

 

[Michael Pillay]

here in oregon its illegal to self pump.

Really!!! I did know that. There are not too many gas stations around me that are not self serve.

 

[Bruce R.]

If I remember, it's illegal to fuel your own car in New Jersey as well. It seems that they think you have to be a grade school drop out to handle such a technical job.........

 

[TheJimbo]

If I remember, it's illegal to fuel your own car in New Jersey as well. It seems that they think you have to be a grade school drop out to handle such a technical job.........

You're absolutely right Bruce, and what a PITA it was when I lived there. Always had to wait for an attendant that didn't give a rat's ass about your car. The ironic part is it costs on average 20 cents less per gallon of gas in NJ than in NY where there are less attendants since we can pump our own gas. Go figure.

 

[berk]

well here in oregon we not only cant pump our own but we vie for the nations most expensive fuel. super is over 3$ now, i dont even keep track anymore.

 

[Bruce R.]

well here in oregon we not only cant pump our own but we vie for the nations most expensive fuel. super is over 3$ now, i dont even keep track anymore.

Don't feelalone, it's been over $3.00 a gallon here for a while as well, but it appears to be coming down some. We'll see what it looks like on Monday....