filling your gas tank

[JohnIreland]

Yes it seems simple enough...but every 996 I've owned has had an issue with the filler nozzle at Shell stations. In order to get the gas to flow into the tank, I have to insert it upside down. So a week or so back I was doing this and I accidently overfilled the tank. I waited and waited while it kept dribbling out of the open spout until it seemed safe to put the cap back on and drive home. About 70 or so miles later, at about 3/4 tank, I stopped at a Chevron to top up. And now this Chevron nozzle gave me issues...I got 3 gallons into the tank, called it a day and drove on. But the gas gauge barely moved up. I remember reading about the gauge not reading correctly when the fuel is too low. Anyway I'm not guessing I'll have to take a long drive and get it down to maybe 1/4 full, then fill it up again and see if the problem solves itself. Sticky float in the tank? Any thoughts or experience with this? I won't go to Shell anymore, it is just not worth going through the contortions.

[gnat]

The chevron issue could be that the shell incident soaked the exhaust filter. If that isn't working it screws with the auto shutoff pumps.

Downside of the C4 is that it has a saddle tank setup to straddle the drive shaft. It is easy to piss the float off if you over fill it or let it get too low (like halfway through the warning area). If you're lucky it will fix itself. If not you need a PIWIS to reset it.

[Dr_Strangelove]

Not many thoughts on this but plenty of experience with this. The gas station on the way out of my neighborhood is a Shell and to be honest with you I'm more pissed off about the incessant commercials they keep piping out of their stupid little TV's on the pumps rather than the fact that I, on a good day, can only get the tank to fill... call it 7/8th's full. Not nearly as bad as 3/4.

I seem to recall looking this up when my car was new to me and I found a lot of "normal, normal, normal, normal," answers online. People were saying it was actually the newer pump equipment evap sensors are too sensitive and are built for "traditional" tank placement which is not only in the rear but I understand the angle that the fuel travels down the collection pipe within the 996 is different than most cars. Can't remember if it was more steep or shallow but it had something to do with the path of travel affecting the sensor within the nozzle.

[Einsteiger]

My '99 must be defective - I have not had any issues at the pump, but I really can't recall stopping at one of the local Shell stations. I found a couple of places that are top tier and offer 91 octane, ethanol-free premium. My indy thinks that 91 ethanol-free is better in this vintage than a 93 octane product with ethanol blended in. Here in Kansas, they always blend in ethanol unless it specifically states no-ethanol.

That said, I cut quite a figure bending over listening to the filler opening while filling - waiting for that sound of the fuel reaching the upper part of the filler neck and shutting off before it overflows.

[32wildbilly]

Yes it seems simple enough...but every 996 I've owned has had an issue with the filler nozzle at Shell stations. In order to get the gas to flow into the tank, I have to insert it upside down. So a week or so back I was doing this and I accidently overfilled the tank. I waited and waited while it kept dribbling out of the open spout until it seemed safe to put the cap back on and drive home. About 70 or so miles later, at about 3/4 tank, I stopped at a Chevron to top up. And now this Chevron nozzle gave me issues...I got 3 gallons into the tank, called it a day and drove on. But the gas gauge barely moved up. I remember reading about the gauge not reading correctly when the fuel is too low. Anyway I'm not guessing I'll have to take a long drive and get it down to maybe 1/4 full, then fill it up again and see if the problem solves itself. Sticky float in the tank? Any thoughts or experience with this? I won't go to Shell anymore, it is just not worth going through the contortions.

I have filled up at Shell since I bought my C4S in 2014 and have never had a gauge problem nor have I ever had to put the nozzle in upside down. Do you near/left coasters have those funky accordian things over the nozzle pipe? Could that be an issue with our cars? Maybe I'm just lucky so far.

[FRUNKenstein]

I honestly don’t recall if I had a problem filling up with my ‘99 C4. But, the Turbro gives me problems pretty much everywhere. It is so rare that I get a full tank that I actually take a picture to memorialize the occasion whenever it happens.

[JohnIreland]

The chevron issue could be that the shell incident soaked the exhaust filter. If that isn't working it screws with the auto shutoff pumps.

Downside of the C4 is that it has a saddle tank setup to straddle the drive shaft. It is easy to piss the float off if you over fill it or let it get too low (like halfway through the warning area). If you're lucky it will fix itself. If not you need a PIWIS to reset it.

Right after the overfill I did smell fuel when I first got in the car and started it up. But that has gone away. What you say makes sense...I'll drive it down to 1/4 full and see if it resets. However, what is a PIWIS?

Thanks.

[gnat]

The chevron issue could be that the shell incident soaked the exhaust filter. If that isn't working it screws with the auto shutoff pumps.

Downside of the C4 is that it has a saddle tank setup to straddle the drive shaft. It is easy to piss the float off if you over fill it or let it get too low (like halfway through the warning area). If you're lucky it will fix itself. If not you need a PIWIS to reset it.

Right after the overfill I did smell fuel when I first got in the car and started it up. But that has gone away. What you say makes sense...I'll drive it down to 1/4 full and see if it resets. However, what is a PIWIS?

Thanks.

Porsche something something Information(?) System.

Technically it was an earlier system that I can't remember the name of for the 996 era cars, but the PIWIS (I think they are still on version 3) handles all the old system's functions as well. Basically it's to the Durametric what today's computers are to the original calculator watches.

They are only found at dealers and shops that specialize in Porsche's because they are bloody expensive (and they require a yearly subscription service too which also isn't cheap).

[Optionman1]

Now that my 996 has become a 130 mile per day daily driver i'm filling up every other day at a Shell in NJ. Never had any issue requiring upside down handle though on occasion it will "auto-stop" the fill at 3/4 vs full, but this is maybe 1 in 10 fill-ups.

[OceanBlue2000]

Now that my 996 has become a 130 mile per day daily driver i'm filling up every other day at a Shell in NJ. Never had any issue requiring upside down handle though on occasion it will "auto-stop" the fill at 3/4 vs full, but this is maybe 1 in 10 fill-ups.

I get the 'early' stop too. I thought the gas gauge was faulty but sometimes it fills up to the 4 and sometimes it doesn't. Here in NJ we are not allowed to pump our own gas and not one attendant has figured out what to do with my gas cap.