Slow Fuel Fill Rate?

Having a great time with my new 2023 T4R SR5, but I'm kinda curious -- when I fill it up, I have to fill it very slowly. If I just put the nozzle in the gas tank entrance and crank it, the flow very quickly backs up and stops. Even on half-speed it stops. I have to sit and hold it at quarter-speed in order to fill up. Anybody having that problem? Here's the view down the tank, does this look different/wrong?

 

Does it do the same at different pumps at other stations? Sometimes certain pumps are very finicky.

 

If it's not the pump, it's an obstruction or failure in the evap system. There's a vent tube that allows air up into the filler neck and when the level is high enough to cut off airflow to the vent, it seals it off and the resulting backpressure shuts off the pump. It's usually a bad valve but it'll need to be looked at.

 

So far it's been all three pumps I've tried. Not a huge representative sample, I know...

 

Ah, okay. Well this vehicle is Gold certified, so I'll get it over to the dealership and have them deal with it. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

 

Something may be wrong as @Lost Woods stated above then. Mine will shut off right away on certain pumps once in a while, but only at first, and if I reposition the pump nozzle, it takes care of it...

 

That's most often an evap system problem, maybe a vent valve stuck closed.

 

What is the white piece in the center? Mine does not have it. Maybe something added to newer models? Mine is a 2015. Pic for reference;

 

This or a defective/saturated canister were the usual issues when I did smog diagnostics. The valve fails closed on most and doesn't allow for proper venting so it acts like the tank is full all the time.

 

That doesn't sound promising. I'm glad I have the warranty!

 

As stated below on others, mine does not have that white plastic piece in it.

Can you grab that metal ring and remove that plastic piece? Thats your restriction.

 

The plastic insert is in newer Runners and I believe in all Toyotas now. It’s not something left in there. Idk what it does.

Others have it: https://www.4runners.com/threads/20...eck-question-leaving-me-a-bit-confused.32545/

 

I have noticed the same thing on my new to me 2023. Pump shuts off way before tank is full. I had to pump a lot slower. It happened on my first fill, second fill was fine, then happened again on my third fill.

 

Have you been overfilling your tank? Keep activating the nozzle several times after it first clicks off, to get the tank really really full? If so, you probably saturated the charcoal canister with gasoline so it no longer vents fumes, causing pressure to build in the tank and the nozzle to pop off prematurely now.

 

I had noticed the white plastic piece on mine before. I don't have any filling issue and just thought it was some static electricity insulator to prevent a spark.

 

this.

 

take that plastic piece out. Mine doesnt have that and I dont have filling issues

 

That's an interesting idea.

 

I'm hesitant to take out a stock part, as most all of them are there for a reason. Dealership is gonna sort it out tomorrow morning, so I'm looking for a read from them first. I'm gonna laugh if they fix it by pulling out that part though...

 

Update for the Mildly Curious: Turns out it's a faulty rollover valve sensor in the base of the filler tube. Designed to engage in the event of a rollover accident and prevent (or greatly slow) the loss of fuel through the filler tube. Covered by the emissions warranty (which I didn't know it had), but apparently they have to get the parts from Mars or so, because it's gonna take a week to get them. Works for me.

By the way, the white plastic thingie (pretty sure that's the technical name for it) in the opening of the tube is there to provide a better purchase on the gas nozzle, as well as frustrate those trying to put the wrong fuel into their vehicles. It's supposed to be there, apparently. Go figure.

 

Well, go freeking figure!

There are far too many things introduced by the govt and auto makers to provide unwanted protection from world events, such as rolling our vehicles over.
And now they are placing white plastic thingies so we can place the gas nozzle EXACTLY where it needs to be to introduce fuel into the filler tube. I don't remember needing any such apparatus to help me guide any of my nozzles into the proper hole for filling!.... did I really say that?

I guess 2023 has become the age of unawareness!

 

LOL! Can't argue that. But say that quietly... pretty sure your 4Runner heard that and it's probably already in Toyota's hands by now...

 

Glad to hear they found a solution. I see regular fill up adventures awaiting you in the near future!

 

strange they put that on your 2023 but not on my 2022

 

Oh wow, it's not on the 2023? Makes me wonder what was happening that made them think to add it.

Anybody else have one on a previous model year?

 

Another update: my brother-in-law is a recently retired body work expert. He says that plastic insert is also there to cut down on the fumes and possible overspray that can result from filling the tank. Said it was an emissions-oriented thing that was possibly mandated by one or more states for their emissions requirements? I'd think all cars after a certain time would have something similar if that were the case...

 

Sooo, dealership update: The problem is a faulty rollover valve sensor. Apparently these have a sensor that picks up when your 4Runner has rolled over, and automatically shuts down the filler tube so gas can't leak out of it. Very thoughtful. However, sometimes the sensor goes bad, and it leaves the valve in a state where it will take on some gas from the tube, but won't let anything go back out. The result? A new gas tank for me. Apparently the whole thing is a sealed unit. It's covered under the emissions warranty that I didn't know I had. Anyway, should have it fixed next week.

 

I wonder what year they started putting those rollover sensors in. Would be good to know for future troubleshooting purposes.

 

Excellent question. I'll see if the service guys know the answer and will post what I get on here.

 

I wonder if this becomes an issue widespread will the tanks be retrofitted to previous year tanks and eliminate those sensors.