Question Regarding Jeep Gladiator Gas Overfilling

[dcmdon]

I don't understand why people do that. How many signs are there at gas stations telling you to not do exactly that?

Do you obey every sign that you see?

I've been doing it for years and never had a problem. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I can get almost 2 extra gallons in if I top off.

Thats 15% more fuel and more range. My plan will probably be to continue to top off as I always have. If it causes any trouble while I'm in warranty, I'll have it fixed for free and then stop topping off.

If in 3 years I don't have any trouble I'll continue to top off.

For what its worth, the Gladiator evap canister costs about $135.

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[kevman65]

I thought this thread was about the pump itself overfilling the tank, not the person. 4 out of 5 fill-ups if I jam the nozzle as far as I can and use the auto hold thing and just stand back and watch my truck fill with gas, when its full it always disengages the hold open lever then burp out about 1/4 cup of gas all down the side of my truck and on the fender. Different stations, different speeds of fill and even different depth of the nozzle in the filler neck and none of it seems to matter. Fuel always flying out.

If you go back and read what he stated, it is about him "clicking the handle" after the handle disengages from filling. That is a human habit, not the machine.
As others have stated, the pumps around me ALWAYS kick off too soon and I get 2-3 more gallons in AFTER the pump handle disengages.

 

[Aonarch]

If you go back and read what he stated, it is about him "clicking the handle" after the handle disengages from filling. That is a human habit, not the machine.
As others have stated, the pumps around me ALWAYS kick off too soon and I get 2-3 more gallons in AFTER the pump handle disengages.

It is important for people to understhand that this is different than "topping off."

I was filling up yesterday and the pump handle clicked off. I looked at how many gallons were dispensed, did the mental math and figured that I still had around 3 gallons to go. So I manually held the handle till it stopped again.

I didn't overfill the tank, the unintelligent pump handle prematurely clicked off.

Again, that is different than deliberately trying to maximize your volume of fuel by filling it all the way up the filler neck, which can cause issues.

For example, my Ducati will not start if I overfill it. It has a really small fuel tank, so every drop counts.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

https://www.moparmagazine.com/2018/07/too-much-in-the-tank/

 

[Jefe1018]

I'll wait 30 seconds, let the fuel settle and do another click. It's usually less than a tenth of a gallon. I have never had an issue, but that doesn't mean that I won't one day - especially when you consider how complex modern EPA mandated systems have become.

I would say if it'll help you sleep better at night, stop doing it all together.

It should also be noted that fuels tend to expand and condense with ambient temperatures, so overfilling without room for expansion can be considered dangerous.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'll wait 30 seconds, let the fuel settle and do another click. It's usually less than a tenth of a gallon. I have never had an issue, but that doesn't mean that I won't one day - especially when you consider how complex modern EPA mandated systems have become.

I would say if it'll help you sleep better at night, stop doing it all together.

It should also be noted that fuels tend to expand and condense with ambient temperatures, so overfilling without room for expansion can be considered dangerous.

I learned that - twice. I guess the lesson once wasn't good enough. My Chevy truck, I was going to go on a trip the following day so topped it off the evening before. Underground tanks means fuel is almost always at ~55 (if you don't know what the ~ means, Google can help)
The next day it was hot and I went out to the garage to find fuel on the floor and the whole place stunk up.
Oh, but that wasn't enough for it to sink in - did that on my Javelin and anyone who knows certain AMCs knows where the filler is. It was going to a show the next day.......... gas all over the asphalt parking lot, rear valance, vanity plate, etc.
I think I've learned. That one really hurt.

 

[Higher_Ground]

Hmm. I never use the auto filler. Burned once, why touch the heat again? (I had it fail to cut off once... that wasn't fun).

I hold the handle until it's done. It doesn't take that long. You can hear when it's starting to get close to full and then slow down the rate if you want to get a little extra in.


I find it interesting that most everyone on this forum agrees that they fill up before reaching 1/2, 1/4, etc. tank left... but they're also going out of the way to squeeze an extra 1/10th or less in with each fill.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hmm. I never use the auto filler. Burned once, why touch the heat again? (I had it fail to cut off once... that wasn't fun).

I hold the handle until it's done. It doesn't take that long. You can hear when it's starting to get close to full and then slow down the rate if you want to get a little extra in.


I find it interesting that most everyone on this forum agrees that they fill up before reaching 1/2, 1/4, etc. tank left... but they're also going out of the way to squeeze an extra 1/10th or less in with each fill.

Naw, if it isn't down to 1/4 it's not worth the stop to fill and put in only 10 - 12 gallons or so. Travel through Nebraska or Kansas may be exceptions as you can go miles and miles with no stations. When leaving Iowa to head into IL I will sometimes top off just before the border to get through IL's crazy gas prices/taxes but otherwise, I keep driving based on when I know the next station is vs. miles left. (almost any NAV or GPS will show you where the next gas is)

 

[Aonarch]

I'll wait 30 seconds, let the fuel settle and do another click. It's usually less than a tenth of a gallon. I have never had an issue, but that doesn't mean that I won't one day - especially when you consider how complex modern EPA mandated systems have become.

I would say if it'll help you sleep better at night, stop doing it all together.

It should also be noted that fuels tend to expand and condense with ambient temperatures, so overfilling without room for expansion can be considered dangerous.

Actually this method is "fine" if you are trying to maximize fuel. Now I wouldn't do it every fill up, but say you are on a long leg of a trip, or going off-roading, sure go for it. As ShadowsPapa said, you need to becareful about temperature fluctuation and expansion if you are filling it, then parking it.

I'd only do one click, and make sure you wait at least 30 seconds for the fuel to settle before giving it that extra one click.

To me, it isn't worth my time for an extra .x gallons of fuel in a 22 gallon tank.

 

[Jefe1018]

Actually this method is "fine" if you are trying to maximize fuel. Now I wouldn't do it every fill up, but say you are on a long leg of a trip, or going off-roading, sure go for it. As ShadowsPapa said, you need to becareful about temperature fluctuation and expansion if you are filling it, then parking it.

I'd only do one click, and make sure you wait at least 30 seconds for the fuel to settle before giving it that extra one click.

To me, it isn't worth my time for an extra .x gallons of fuel in a 22 gallon tank.

LOL I said both those things... and before ShadowPappa too :D

 

[Dryfly24]

I always hear these horror stories about the dangers of overfilling but the truth is I’ve been doing it all my life with every vehicle I’ve ever topped off and never experienced a single issue. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, I’m just saying it’s never happened to me.

Now with that said, I don’t do it on my Gladiator because I learned early on that it doesn’t tolerate overfilling. The tank on these things seems to be very sensitive to it. More than any other vehicle I’ve ever driven. If I try to get more than a click out of it, more often than not I end up with a gusher of gasoline spewing all over the place so I stopped doing it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

LOL I said both those things... and before ShadowPappa too :D

Yes, you did - I followed-up with examples of how I re-learned my 8th grade science/physics lessons all over again. Nothing like personal experience to really make it sink in.

 

[dcmdon]

Hmm. I never use the auto filler. Burned once, why touch the heat again? (I had it fail to cut off once... that wasn't fun).

I hold the handle until it's done. It doesn't take that long. You can hear when it's starting to get close to full and then slow down the rate if you want to get a little extra in.


I find it interesting that most everyone on this forum agrees that they fill up before reaching 1/2, 1/4, etc. tank left... but they're also going out of the way to squeeze an extra 1/10th or less in with each fill.

I have always run my tank to about 1/4. Not because of any belief that it hurts the car. But I simply want to always be prepared in case the next 3 gas stations are closed or I need to wake up in the middle of the night and drive 100 miles for any reason.

One other thing re topping off. If I'm on my way home and will be putting the car in the garage 5 minutes after I fill up, I don't top off much.

But if I'm leaving for the day and know I'll be going at least 20 miles before stopping, I'll top off as much as I can.

 

[Tufelhundin]

I had a Sierra that I flooded the evaporation filter with, it threw a code. I took it in and they fixed it and suggested I dont top it off any more. Ok...what ever...


In my gladiator, I tend to fill it till it clicks and leave...That little extra 1-2gal "if that" is not going to get me but a couple hundred yards farther.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-lemons.37179/page-4#post-606178

A case of over-filling messing things up......... yes, this is EXTREME, but shows it's very possible.

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