Can I Damage my Car by Filling the Gas Tank TOO Full?

Avenger · 11-15-2006, 10:20 AM

I normally fill the Civic up the filler neck...........but a salesman warned me about this last night that it can damage the car. He found out that I get about 200km before the fuel gague drops one bar. I don't see how this can damage the car though. Is this true or is he feeding me BS?

Thanks,
Rob

CHRIS · 11-15-2006, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avenger

I normally fill the Civic up the filler neck...........but a salesman warned me about this last night that it can damage the car. He found out that I get about 200km before the fuel gague drops one bar. I don't see how this can damage the car though. Is this true or is he feeding me BS?

Thanks,
Rob

i doubt it, i just know the surface fumes evaporate so in a way your waisting that last 50 cents.

hoanger · 11-15-2006, 10:31 AM

i have the coupe and the most i've ever gotten on one BAR was 110KM and that was the first time i got the car.
ever since then i've gotten like 90KM
200KM is hard to believe...

although, there is debate on the gas tank meter and how inaccurate it is.

**jasonandre** · 11-15-2006, 10:36 AM

I've never heard of such as thing. You probably shouldn't based on the fact that you could cause a small spill on your paint from the overage, which eats it away.

Just turn off that part of your OCD that wants to fill her up and just let the automatic nozzle kick-off be the end of your refueling.

Avenger · 11-15-2006, 10:42 AM

......TRUE. But I like to top it off because gas prices here are only at their lowest point once a week (usually Mondays or Tuesdays).....and then prices jump about 10 cents per litre (35 cents a gallon) Monday or Tuesday night for another week of price gouging.

**jasonandre** · 11-15-2006, 10:52 AM

Well if you're that desperate, buy a spare gas can, fill it up, and put it in the trunk.

dc1974 · 11-15-2006, 11:05 AM

1. There is a vapor collection system in your car that runs to the filler neck of the gas tank. If you fill up too much, you can foul that system and cause damage, increased fuel consumption and poor emmissions.

2. In some places, gas stations have vapor recovery systems in the pump head. Fill up too full and gas starts getting sucked back into the stations tanks (from your tank) and you pay for gas that goes back to the station.

NiD4SPD · 11-15-2006, 03:56 PM

Also some hybrids (not sure if the civic is one of them) have rubber bladder gas tanks that expand as you fill them, to save weight. If you overfill that you are stretching the material more than designed and could wreck something

themuse03 · 11-15-2006, 05:36 PM

it wouldn't hurt you to listen to your salesman once in a while...

Civic4u · 11-15-2006, 05:50 PM

Wooow! Don't know it really true, but make me

wannapar3 · 11-15-2006, 06:06 PM

Your Salesman is correct. It's called topping off and it can damage your Evaporative emissions system. If this occurs and the repair shop suspects you are Topping off you could be responsible for the repair costs.
I know in some states it is now Illegal to Top Off.
For the small amount of extra fuel you gain weighed against the risk of damaging some pretty expensive components. Risk- Reward, IMO not worth It.

VTecVoodoo · 11-15-2006, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civic4u

Wooow! Don't know it really true, but make me

me tarzan, you jane?

fa1 · 11-15-2006, 09:42 PM

I did it ONCE. Had 50 cent left of my $20 when the pump clicked and I was in a hurry. But NEVER AGAIN will I hurt my baby...

marka · 11-16-2006, 05:31 PM

Howdy,

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannapar3

Your Salesman is correct. It's called topping off and it can damage your Evaporative emissions system. If this occurs and the repair shop suspects you are Topping off you could be responsible for the repair costs.
I know in some states it is now Illegal to Top Off.
For the small amount of extra fuel you gain weighed against the risk of damaging some pretty expensive components. Risk- Reward, IMO not worth It.

Can you describe how and why this hurts the emissions system?

I'm not doubting that it can, I'd just like to understand how it works and why this would be a problem.

Thanks!

Mark

**Yodums** · 11-16-2006, 05:39 PM

Your answer lies in this thread: Question about "topping off" during gas fill up

:) Lots of good info in there.

radiocontrolhead · 11-16-2006, 08:02 PM

i think it ruins ur floaty also.

targettuning · 11-20-2006, 03:14 PM

nope no floaty damage but possible damage to your vapor recovery system which has been part of new vehicles since about 2000. How? well fuel vapors that collect in your tank need to go somewhere so they don't escape into the atmosphere. They get routed to the underhood charcoal collection canister where stored until engine start when vapors then get fed into the engine to be burned. Overfill may feed raw gas into that canister destroying its capability to store vapors and possibly setting a check engine code for "emisions".

11-15-2006, 10:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
Avenger Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kitchener, ON Age: 29 Posts: 897 Rob iTrader: 0 / 0%	Can I Damage my Car by Filling the Gas Tank TOO Full? I normally fill the Civic up the filler neck...........but a salesman warned me about this last night that it can damage the car. He found out that I get about 200km before the fuel gague drops one bar. I don't see how this can damage the car though. Is this true or is he feeding me BS? Thanks, Rob

11-16-2006, 05:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
Yodums Scrodums Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 8,480 HIRO - ಠ_ಠ iTrader: 10 / 100%	Your answer lies in this thread: Question about "topping off" during gas fill up :) Lots of good info in there. __________________ 2007 Taffeta White Civic Si Coupe

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11-15-2006, 10:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
hoanger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 5,807 Jason iTrader: 2 / 100%	i have the coupe and the most i've ever gotten on one BAR was 110KM and that was the first time i got the car. ever since then i've gotten like 90KM 200KM is hard to believe... although, there is debate on the gas tank meter and how inaccurate it is.

11-15-2006, 10:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
Avenger Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kitchener, ON Age: 29 Posts: 897 Rob iTrader: 0 / 0%	......TRUE. But I like to top it off because gas prices here are only at their lowest point once a week (usually Mondays or Tuesdays).....and then prices jump about 10 cents per litre (35 cents a gallon) Monday or Tuesday night for another week of price gouging.

11-15-2006, 11:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
dc1974 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 96 iTrader: 0 / 0%	1. There is a vapor collection system in your car that runs to the filler neck of the gas tank. If you fill up too much, you can foul that system and cause damage, increased fuel consumption and poor emmissions. 2. In some places, gas stations have vapor recovery systems in the pump head. Fill up too full and gas starts getting sucked back into the stations tanks (from your tank) and you pay for gas that goes back to the station.

11-15-2006, 03:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
NiD4SPD Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Calgary Age: 25 Posts: 162 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Also some hybrids (not sure if the civic is one of them) have rubber bladder gas tanks that expand as you fill them, to save weight. If you overfill that you are stretching the material more than designed and could wreck something

11-15-2006, 05:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
themuse03 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 213 iTrader: 0 / 0%	it wouldn't hurt you to listen to your salesman once in a while...

11-15-2006, 05:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Civic4u Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Humble, TX Posts: 6,670 iTrader: 7 / 100%	Wooow! Don't know it really true, but make me

11-15-2006, 06:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
wannapar3 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Upstate NY. Posts: 263 iTrader: 2 / 100%	Your Salesman is correct. It's called topping off and it can damage your Evaporative emissions system. If this occurs and the repair shop suspects you are Topping off you could be responsible for the repair costs. I know in some states it is now Illegal to Top Off. For the small amount of extra fuel you gain weighed against the risk of damaging some pretty expensive components. Risk- Reward, IMO not worth It.

11-15-2006, 09:42 PM	#13 (permalink)
fa1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: SF, CA Age: 19 Posts: 2,464 FA Squad Member #17 iTrader: 1 / 100%	I did it ONCE. Had 50 cent left of my $20 when the pump clicked and I was in a hurry. But NEVER AGAIN will I hurt my baby...

11-16-2006, 08:02 PM	#16 (permalink)
radiocontrolhead Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hollywood, ca Age: 21 Posts: 2,927 Danny iTrader: 0 / 0%	i think it ruins ur floaty also.

11-20-2006, 03:14 PM	#17 (permalink)
targettuning Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: south central Pa Posts: 161 iTrader: 0 / 0%	nope no floaty damage but possible damage to your vapor recovery system which has been part of new vehicles since about 2000. How? well fuel vapors that collect in your tank need to go somewhere so they don't escape into the atmosphere. They get routed to the underhood charcoal collection canister where stored until engine start when vapors then get fed into the engine to be burned. Overfill may feed raw gas into that canister destroying its capability to store vapors and possibly setting a check engine code for "emisions".