Gas Backsplash When Filling Tank

Does anyone else have an issue with gas splashing back out of the filler neck when fueling their Cougar? I have a 69 and when I go to put fuel in my tank it will backsplash out of the filler neck unless I go VERY slow. Even then it will sometimes splash out. The tank is vented so I don’t think it’s pressure build up. I see over on the Mustang forums that its a common problem but I don’t see any posts about it on the Cougar forums.

My car is far from stock and my tank is a replacement EFI tank from Tanks,Inc. but it is a factory style tank with a factory filler neck. I believe it’s the large mouth neck causing the problem but I wanted to see if I was on an island with this or if others have the issue and solved it.

I have the same problem with my '68. I think the problem is two-fold, at least in my case: (1) our cars were not designed for modern gas pump spigots (or is that the other way around?), and (2) my particular Cougar’s rear end is a bit lower than standard. It has always been that way. I just pump gas slowly and even then it overfills once in a while.

Such is life.

I’m 6’ 5” tall so it’s a pain to have to stay hunched over the back of the car for 10 minutes as I slowly fill the tank. I also don’t like the gas slashing over my painted bumper and valance. I have a couple of ideas based on what the Mustang guys are doing but I wanted to see if the Cougars guys came up with anything different.

I’ve had many cougars and a couple mustangs over the past 40 years and this has always been an issue.

Check out this thread on the 69stang forum. Lots of good info on modifying the filler neck.

http://1969stang.com/forum/index.php?/topic/54623-fuel-neck-filler-mods/

Yes I have read that thread

Interesting. I have a similar problem with my 69 and wondered if UK pumps were different from US ones.
Seems it’s an old style problem instead.

I’ve had the same problem over the years, ever since they went to the vapor recovery nozzles. Same with my '63 Falcon, '68 Cougar, and '70 Mustang. The best thing I’ve found to do is first, pull up on the right-hand side of the pump. Put the nozzle in such that it and the hose are parallel to the bumper/ground. Keep some pressure on the handle so that it gets as close as possible to, or actually touches the car. Fill slowly. Sometimes I can actually get the first trigger lock to catch - depends on the pump, etc. You should know about how much gas your car needs, so give up when it clicks off near to your guesstimate. Top-offs usually end up with smelly shoes.

FWIW, never have that problem with my '69, unless I top the hell out of the tank. Leave it to me for my experience to be completely different than everyone else’s…

On our 2 '69 Cyclones and the '69 XR-7 I’ve never had any problems filling the tank either. Fact of the matter is I’ve never had trouble putting gas in any car.Just insert the nozzle and pump away.

Well it’s an issue, especially with Mustangs. Not sure why some cars have the problem and others don’t. My car I can understand because of all the changes but when stock cars have the issue too I think it’s with the filler neck. I’m going to try a mod similar to what the Mustang guys are doing and post my results.

I would like to hear if any other Cougar guys have tried anything similar to the mod in the thread 69XR7RestoMod posted this link to: http://1969stang.com/forum/index.php?/topic/54623-fuel-neck-filler-mods/

If I’m not paying attention and try to get in a hurry it will overflow, if I take my time and go slow, listen for the fuel starting to come up the filler neck then I don’t have any issues.

How many gallons does a 69 tank take? Pumps shut down when my gauge says 3/4. I just assumed my gauge was bad.

Mine is 22 gal. but it’s a Tanks, Inc. EFI tank. I think the stock tank is 20 gallon.

I have a 69 and it sometimes happens when almost full, I’ve tried different things and I get less splash if I hold the nozzle at a 90° angle (so horizontal), that seems to help for me.

There are some good pictures here with part numbers as well. will be trying this out on my G restoration but not for quite awhile.

http://www.stangfix.com/threads/stop-fuel-spills-filler-neck-modification.23259/page-2

I don’t understand this issue at all. When I go to my Wally-Mart to get gas, I simply back up to another vehicle out in the parking lot, get my long rubber hose out, and start sucking, then quickly plunge the hose down my gas tank filler tube. Never had a problem with splash backs, and the cost is very minimal.

NOW I understand, I’ve just been doing it wrong all this time. Thanks for clearing that up and where are you parked?

Speaking of this very thing. I took the filler neck off the G I’m restoring and found a spiral wound wire cone inserted in the neck about half way down. I assumed this was to deter siphoning but wondered if it was from the factory or added during the oil embargo days of the mid seventy’s when siphoning was as common among teenagers as smoking?

I found that if you tilt the nozzle to the right that it has less splashback - but I live in Oz so you might have to tilt it to the left in The Northern Hemisphere

Straight in always results in splashback

From many coffee discussions about the backsplash some think the nozzles aren’t as long after the bend as the old ‘regular’ nozzles were. Back in the day pumping gas I would be cleaning the windows or checking the oil while the pump ran at full speed, very little ‘splash’.