Green Handle Diesel Fuel Nozzle Won’t Go Into Fuel Neck

[Cracked_Windshield]

I’m thinking this had to have been discussed, but when I encountered the issue and did a Google search not much showed up Wasting about an hour of my trip.

Did a recent road trip from Missouri to Nevada and back. At a Loves Travel Stop in Garden City, Kansas, I attempted to put fuel in my 2022 diesel Rubicon at the auto diesel pump with a green handle and the nozzle wouldn’t enter the fuel tank. The interior flap was locked and pushing the nozzle in wouldn’t unlock it, so it prevented me from adding fuel.

It was a real head scratcher. A Loves employee insisted nothing was wrong with the pump or a nozzle and that it was in fact diesel. A Good Samaritan was sticking his fingers into the neck trying to figure it out, etc. He did a Google search, and only came up with the exterior fuel flap door latch being possible hung up or broken.

So we left the Love’s station and drove down the road to another brand. No issues there, the nozzle went right in and we successfully got fuel.

On the trip back, we encountered the exact same problem a second time at a Pilot Station in Belmont, AZ. But this time, we understood what was at work and moved to another pump, successfully getting fuel.

So beware of this locked fuel flap in the filler neck issue, and please don’t try to force the nozzle into the fuel tank. It’s a safety feature to prevent unleaded fuel nozzles from being inserted into the tank. If the nozzle doesn’t fit perfectly, the flap won’t unlock.

What’s at work is these fuel stations are putting unleaded fuel nozzles onto the diesel pumps, probably because of a parts shortage. Or maybe the person doing it is just stupid. Who knows. I contacted Loves customer service, which is a pain, and got a canned response. They don’t take phone calls, you gotta email them.

Found a post where a guy used the emergency funnel from under the seat to unlock the flap in a pinch if you’re nearly out of fuel and a pump with the wrong nozzle is the only one available.

I can’t help but wonder if some of you that experiencing fuel blow back out of the neck are using the smaller nozzles and just don’t realize it?

Safe travels, folks!

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[Divided_Wood]

Known issue. Anti-idiot device a lot of manufacturers have been putting in the last few years to avoid consumers putting gas in their diesel cars.

Search “fuel filler neck” or “fuel discriminator” and there are a few threads here and at the JL forum on how to remove.

I did mine last week. Kind of a pain in the ass but worth it so you don’t get hosed trying to fill up at truck stops. Also lets you fill at big rig pumps if that’s all that is available.

 

[kevman65]

There are two sizes of diesel fuel nozzles. The larger is normally found where the big boys fuel up, but get used on the auto/camper pumps all the time.

You happened to find a couple of the big boys where they shouldn't be. They will work on older diesel trucks and cars that DON'T have the newer, smaller fill necks.

 

[Cracked_Windshield]

There are two sizes of diesel fuel nozzles. The larger is normally found where the big boys fuel up, but get used on the auto/camper pumps all the time.

You happened to find a couple of the big boys where they shouldn't be. They will work on older diesel trucks and cars that DON'T have the newer, smaller fill necks.

The problem nozzles weren’t “big boys.” They were much smaller than the opening where the flap is, and because of that couldn’t trip the multi-point unlock mechanism.

We pulled ahead to the next pump and I verified the problem one was smaller, the same size as the unleaded nozzle on the same pump.

And there was a common theme: Both problem nozzles were new and shiny looking.

 

[Rusty PW]

I had the same issue with a nozzle on our trip coming back from Lake Powell. Stopped in Colorado to get fuel. The nozzle wouldn't go in. Used my finger to open the flap. But it wouldn't open with the nozzle. Ended up twisting the nozzle some and jamming it in.

 

[Divided_Wood]

Hence why a lot of people remove them—so you can use any nozzle. Here’s 9 pages about it from the JL forum: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...e-filler-neck-for-large-diesel-nozzles.48252/

 

[Cracked_Windshield]

Known issue. Anti-idiot device a lot of manufacturers have been putting in the last few years to avoid consumers putting gas in their diesel cars.

Search “fuel filler neck” or “fuel discriminator” and there are a few threads here and at the JL forum on how to remove.

I did mine last week. Kind of a pain in the ass but worth it so you don’t get hosed trying to fill up at truck stops. Also lets you fill at big rig pumps if that’s all that is available.

I suspect it’s not as widely known as you believe. Especially for new diesel owners. I literally had like 700 miles on the vehicle, and was afraid to leave Garden City without figuring it out because outside of that area is a pretty desolate fuel desert.

If it happens again, which it probably will, I’m gonna video the ordeal and upload it to YouTube. Rubes like me aren’t searching for “fuel discriminator.” I was punching in “nozzle won’t go in diesel fuel tank Jeep Gladiator,” and not getting any quick and easy results.

 

[Divided_Wood]

All good! Not trying to give you a hard time, just saying that there is a fix. VW had a lot of issues with folks misfueling their vehicles. For a while their solution was to put stickers on them saying “diesel only,” but starting around 2013 they added a similar flap and it’s been a popular mod to remove them. Like I said, mine was kind of a pain in the ass to do but the peace of mind knowing I’m not going to be stranded because I can’t get the nozzle in is worth it.

 

[Cracked_Windshield]

All good! Not trying to give you a hard time, just saying that there is a fix. VW had a lot of issues with folks misfueling their vehicles. For a while their solution was to put stickers on them saying “diesel only,” but starting around 2013 they added a similar flap and it’s been a popular mod to remove them. Like I said, mine was kind of a pain in the ass to do but the peace of mind knowing I’m not going to be stranded because I can’t get the nozzle in is worth it.

Feeling likewise, it’s respectful banter, and your points are well taken. And no doubt the right course for some folks. But we differ in the fact that I’m not willing to modify a brand new $66k vehicle and possibly void the warranty because some moron at Loves or Pilot or elsewhere put the wrong nozzle on the pump. I trade horses quite often. In a pinch, I know now to get the funnel out from under the rear seat and use it to unlock the tank.

 

[Gmac03]

Ran into this problem today, freaked me out, had I not found this thread with a quick search it would have been a problem due to being on a thruway and no other place to fuel up.

Thanks.

 

[Cracked_Windshield]

Ran into this problem today, freaked me out, had I not found this thread with a quick search it would have been a problem due to being on a thruway and no other place to fuel up.

Thanks.

Delighted to hear that this thread was useful, my intention when creating it. A lot of the old-timers think this fuel nozzle issue is widely known, but it wasn’t easy to find definitive info when I encountered this problem a few months ago.

We’ve changed our ways because of it on a recent road trip that’s still in progress. When fueling up, we first test the nozzle fit before running our credit card and starting the pump. Especially being that lots of stations are putting large $$$ holds on credit cards when fueling up to combat drive offs during these days of $5 per gallon diesel.

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