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I have a 1999 VS Speedster Kirk Duncan model.   Arrived Easter Monday 1999 on Navajo Reservation.   Driven all over.   Got gas at on and off Rez Gas stations forever....Till Today.   Got gas frequently on VS, 71 Bug, Wife's 2020 Golf and Daughters 97 Saab.   No issues.   Today no gas.   Went through the usual c sign on at gas up.   It said start filling.   Now to preserve my pristine Frunk Carpet , I insert the nozzel.   Put just the tip in and gas it up.   This way I can totally fill the tank w/o spillage , which results in the Car stinking up the ladies Garage with the odor of Gas.   This in turn turn the situation into a nuclear melt down.   Today no gas, Nada.   Shell, Suinday Dawn worker comes out and gives me the Corvair Ralph Nader Speach.   There's a NEW, little ring along the base of the nozzel at the rubber pad cushion.   This must be pressed hard to the Tank Lip to allow gas to flow.   I do soo, get a squirt of gas and Pump shuts down.   II try this multi times.   still a spurt and then no gas.  For those scientists her 0.001 gal is a spurt on the meter.  I try 86, 88, 90 Gas.   I try a different pump.   I go to 3 more, different gas stations.  I even turn the gas nozzel tip in various directions in the tank, o no avail.   Then a light flicker on in my head.   The nozzel must have some sort of back flow switch off in the tip. It feels gas it shuts off ump.   So i sit there with my revolutionary war musket squirt, stop wait, reinsert, squirt, repeat.   The issue is the tank has little depth and hence trips the shut off switch.   I've neve experienced this befoe, ether the Stab the tank ring switch, or I can't play Fire hose the tank.   Anybody else out there seen that  or do I go LeMans Race fill from gas cans sitting on the its Lip?

1957 Vintage Speedsters(Speedster)
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I think you need to make or have a fab shop make you an insert for your tank. Have them make it the same size and shape of the hole on your daily driver(which is smaller than your filler neck), but have them put a gentle curve a few inches in to turn the fuel away from the nozzle and eliminate the splash back. Kind of like a fuel snorkel?

Either that, or fill up some 5 gallon cans and bring them home to transfer to your Speedster. I'm thinking filling the 5 gallon cans may be as problematic as filling your Speedster.

Good luck.

@barncobob posted:

sometimes U can pull the rubber guard back(like peeling a banana)then itll flow...at least here in CA.

This is the method I use to monitor the filling of the tank on my VS built car. I grip the rubber part of the nozzle and pull it back up toward the handle exposing as much of the fuel filler nozzle as possible. Insert the tip of the nozzle into the tank and fill er' up.

The rubber ring needs to be depressed to allow the gas to flow. I need to do this by hand an my BMW motorcycle and my hot rods here in California. I just pull the ring back and squeeze the lever then watch and listen as the tank fills. You can hear the change in sound as the tank get close to full so it doesn't overflow. Hope that helps

Not all pumps have the rings on them like in California, but will soon change as you have experienced. The release of gas fumes is what they are trying to prevent by having a total seal before you can pump gas.

I, too, pump fuel into my VS with the two hand method.  One hand pulls the rubber vapor seal back and the other controls the lever.  It’s not just my VS…I have a 1957 Chevrolet Suburban with the same issue.  Come to think of it: I’ve done the same on any of the motorcycles I’ve had over the years.

The vapors don’t get caught, but my tank gets full.  I bet you can guess which one matters to me.

@MusbJim posted:

Driving through Oregon, I stopped for gasoline. I found out that I couldn't fill gas on my own, by Oregon law it had to be done by the gas station attendant.

The gas attendant that filled our tank must have been a ex-p0rn star because just as our tank was filled up, he pulled the nozzle out and sprayed gas all over the back of the car.

When Nancy and I drove through Oregon I pulled into he Costco, got out, fueled my car, and was about to leave when the attendant came over to scold me for fueling my own car. He accused me of trying to take away his job and everyone else's because I fueled up myself. I told him not to worry and that Oregon's socialism would make sure he stayed employed. There were at least 12 attendants at a 36 pump Costco and they were making at least $13.00 per hour, maybe more.

I looked it up and in the counties where the population is under 40K you can ump your own gas. From 6:00pm to 6:00am you can pump your own fuel which then allowed convenience stores to open 24 hours per day. If you pump diesel or ride a motorcycle you can also pump your own fuel.

In Oregon the law started in 1951 and it was common in other states as well. Now there are only two states that still have the law on their books; Oregon and New Jersey. It is also prohibited in Weymouth, Massachusetts and Huntington, New York.

Last edited by Robert M

I've stopped for gas in Jersey on a number of occasions in my Spyder. With zero exceptions, ALL attendants have stood there and let me pump it. They don't want to screw around with the through-hood filler, and possibly harm the car. They just stand there and admire the car. I tip them and they appear happy. Zero complaints and zero admonishments.

I have never had any issue pumping gas in my VS Speedster anywhere in CA. I had a VW Loaf West that was always a PITA in CA. I had to use a funnel to get it to work. Interesting thing about OR gas stations. You cannot pump your own gas, but you can fill your own growler. I just drove through OR last week and they are allowing you to pump your own Diesel for some reason. I have a BMW X5 35D.

I'll start with something helpful, as bikers have been dealing with this for a while in more populous states with tougher emissions laws.  Here's an example of a simple device to hold the corrugated hose part of the nozzle out of the way courtesy of the folks at Aerostitch.  I'm sure there are others, here's a LINK

I live in Oregon and moved here from New Jersey.  What I noticed was that in surrounding states that went to self pumping gas the prices didn't go down, and in many cases it went up.  People were used to paying X for gas and the extra savings either went to taxes, profits, or both.  So no real societal improvement.  I pumped gas as a young man and had no trouble hustling around to several cars at once, gassing them up, washing windows, checking oil, making change, etc.  I took pride in it.  That stuff came in waves anyway, it was never too bad for too long.  It was a great training ground for future work and school.  Same thing with bagging or boxing groceries, paperboy, etc.  (insert dad joke here: "I thought you'd grow up to be a professional boxer...boxing fruits and vegetables at the A&P.")  Those jobs are gone now.  It's like Ikea furniture.  Your couch costs the same as always, but you have to deliver it and assemble it yourself now.  An example of offloading manufacturing and distribution to the consumer.

There is zero problem around here pumping your own if you own something nice or unusual. The attendants will stay close by, but they're happy not to scratch your nice ride or spill gas in your crotch if you're riding bike.  State law allows you to pump your own in rural counties, and you can pump your own diesel anywhere because it's not as flammable as gasoline and considered less dangerous in the hands of the average moron. I'm not so sure about that. Morons prove to be unusually creative from time to time.

Last edited by JMM (Michael)
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