engine running while getting gas !!!
- Thread starter 97tbird
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The worse thing I've seen at the gas station was when a lady was filling up her VW Toureg and went inside and went to the bathroom. I pulled up and the gas tank was full and gas was overflowing all over, it looked like it had just started. I quickly shut it off and went inside and told the attendant. They cam out and started clean-up. About 5 minutes later the lady finally came out, clueless. I'd much rather see her standing there watching what was going on with her engine running.
Originally Posted By: Pablo
From mori "Pablum" is funny. From you, not so much. Besides, be original.
So, did you say this to the second person who called you Pabs? Just curious.
From mori "Pablum" is funny. From you, not so much. Besides, be original.
So, did you say this to the second person who called you Pabs? Just curious.
No.
Originally Posted By: WishIhadatruck
The worse thing I've seen at the gas station was when a lady was filling up her VW Toureg and went inside and went to the bathroom. I pulled up and the gas tank was full and gas was overflowing all over....
So the nozzle control was broken?
The worse thing I've seen at the gas station was when a lady was filling up her VW Toureg and went inside and went to the bathroom. I pulled up and the gas tank was full and gas was overflowing all over....
So the nozzle control was broken?
I've seen guys a few pumps away at a big self service station smoking a cigarette, with the engine running pumping gas. Pretty stupid actually, but of the handful of people I've seen doing it, no one has ignited, yet!
I've fueled up with the engine running exactly twice in my life. We used to have a 1981 Chevy Impala with a starting problem. If the engine was fully warmed up and then shut off, it wouldn't restart until it had fully cooled, which took several hours.
We were on a long road trip with this beast, so I would always find the farthest away pump at the least busy gas station I could find. I still felt like a criminal while doing it.
We were on a long road trip with this beast, so I would always find the farthest away pump at the least busy gas station I could find. I still felt like a criminal while doing it.
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: WishIhadatruck
The worse thing I've seen at the gas station was when a lady was filling up her VW Toureg and went inside and went to the bathroom. I pulled up and the gas tank was full and gas was overflowing all over....
So the nozzle control was broken?
In Oz, back in 1987, when they realised that people were clicking the handle and going to the bathroom, rather than cleaning windows while the pump ran, they disabled ALL of the auto fill functions.
The pump didn't know that it had fallen o the floor, and was feeding nothing, so continued to pump.
Was working as a console operator back in 1987...people would stick cigarette lighters under the handle to keep the pump running while they washed the windows or went for a whizz.
Cigarette lighters end on.
Originally Posted By: WishIhadatruck
The worse thing I've seen at the gas station was when a lady was filling up her VW Toureg and went inside and went to the bathroom. I pulled up and the gas tank was full and gas was overflowing all over....
So the nozzle control was broken?
In Oz, back in 1987, when they realised that people were clicking the handle and going to the bathroom, rather than cleaning windows while the pump ran, they disabled ALL of the auto fill functions.
The pump didn't know that it had fallen o the floor, and was feeding nothing, so continued to pump.
Was working as a console operator back in 1987...people would stick cigarette lighters under the handle to keep the pump running while they washed the windows or went for a whizz.
Cigarette lighters end on.
My dad did this EVERY time we would get gas back when I was a kid. EVERY time. Luckily, nothing ever happened.
I would do it sometimes on my Civic when it was cold out and I didn't want to shut it off after just driving to the station 1/8 of a mile.....but then my fuel gauge gets all messed up for a while. So I stopped doing it.
I would do it sometimes on my Civic when it was cold out and I didn't want to shut it off after just driving to the station 1/8 of a mile.....but then my fuel gauge gets all messed up for a while. So I stopped doing it.
the biggest danger probably isnt sparking from the engine igniting gas vapors but rather improperly parked idling vehicles. "gee, i thought it was in park".
Occasionally the shut-off mechanisms will malfunction. It happened to me years ago, (while I was standing there) but it's not very common. But Murphy's Law prevents me from locking it "on" and walking away.
I have been known to leave the car running while I fill. I normally always fill up at the gas station next door to my office, and I don't like starting the car cold after work, driving 1/16 of a mile and shutting it off. I'm not the least bit concerned about the running car causing a fire, but I do take steps to get rid of static electricity. I normally just keep one hand on the car and the other hand on the nozzle until I'm finished.
I have been known to leave the car running while I fill. I normally always fill up at the gas station next door to my office, and I don't like starting the car cold after work, driving 1/16 of a mile and shutting it off. I'm not the least bit concerned about the running car causing a fire, but I do take steps to get rid of static electricity. I normally just keep one hand on the car and the other hand on the nozzle until I'm finished.
Filling with the engine running - I do this all winter long as do most people in this area that have vehicles that will allow it without setting the CEL.
I don't drag the running fuel nozzle across the open engine compartment. I don't walk around the vehicle and try to push fuel up the exhaust pipe.
Given those simple safety precautions, can anyone explain how what I'm doing is more dangerous than having that same vehicle sitting there with the engine off?
I don't drag the running fuel nozzle across the open engine compartment. I don't walk around the vehicle and try to push fuel up the exhaust pipe.
Given those simple safety precautions, can anyone explain how what I'm doing is more dangerous than having that same vehicle sitting there with the engine off?
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: chet2
i leave my engine running..i dont like starting my car any more than i have to
Same here. I don't get back into the car since I'm only there for 2-3 mins at the most.
I've spent a LOT more time sitting at a light. I don't shut off my engines there either.
On the other hand, I've never (in 30 plus years and WAY to MANY miles) replaced a starter...
Love the comment about throwing something.
Be VERY CAREFUL. It could be the last thing you ever do at the worst, at the least you will have a major problem.
Take care, Bill
never replaced a starter? I know you put mega miles, but do you keep the vehicle more than ten years?
Originally Posted By: chet2
i leave my engine running..i dont like starting my car any more than i have to
Same here. I don't get back into the car since I'm only there for 2-3 mins at the most.
I've spent a LOT more time sitting at a light. I don't shut off my engines there either.
On the other hand, I've never (in 30 plus years and WAY to MANY miles) replaced a starter...
Love the comment about throwing something.
Take care, Bill
never replaced a starter? I know you put mega miles, but do you keep the vehicle more than ten years?
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
never replaced a starter? I know you put mega miles, but do you keep the vehicle more than ten years?
Yes. I just sold my 1968 Jeep that I bought in 1973. Had a 1971 truck till 1989. How about 1986 that we still have in the family. 1993 Van, 1978 truck, 1990 truck still in the family. All original starters.
Never had a injector off or a problem either. (will not talk about carbs. I've had issues with those)
Take care, bill
never replaced a starter? I know you put mega miles, but do you keep the vehicle more than ten years?
Yes. I just sold my 1968 Jeep that I bought in 1973. Had a 1971 truck till 1989. How about 1986 that we still have in the family. 1993 Van, 1978 truck, 1990 truck still in the family. All original starters.
Never had a injector off or a problem either. (will not talk about carbs. I've had issues with those)
Take care, bill
I do this in the winter sometimes.
It is looked down on now, but people did this for decades with no problems .
No big deal.
It is looked down on now, but people did this for decades with no problems .
No big deal.
Originally Posted By: Silk
People who leave the engine running are often runners - can't do that here,they'd shut the pump off from inside until you turned it off and came and prepaid.
Around here the clerk is nowhere near attentive enough to watch for visible tailpipe exhaust (if you can even see it) or other signs of idling. Typical convenience store setup has them inside a mini-fort within the store, surrounded by cigarettes and lotto tickets... not self-serve.
People who leave the engine running are often runners - can't do that here,they'd shut the pump off from inside until you turned it off and came and prepaid.
Around here the clerk is nowhere near attentive enough to watch for visible tailpipe exhaust (if you can even see it) or other signs of idling. Typical convenience store setup has them inside a mini-fort within the store, surrounded by cigarettes and lotto tickets... not self-serve.
Originally Posted By: Shannow
So where's the no risk/high risk relationship line drawn on this activity ?
If there was a dyno next to the pump, would you strap your car onto it, and have a helper hold it at full noise while you fed fuel into the tank ?
Why not ?
Exactly, it's so easy to turn off your car while you fuel. Lots of little potential risks involved with leaving it running that could be avoided by simply turning it off. You're not going to do damage by restarting your vehicle within those 10 mins.
So where's the no risk/high risk relationship line drawn on this activity ?
If there was a dyno next to the pump, would you strap your car onto it, and have a helper hold it at full noise while you fed fuel into the tank ?
Why not ?
Exactly, it's so easy to turn off your car while you fuel. Lots of little potential risks involved with leaving it running that could be avoided by simply turning it off. You're not going to do damage by restarting your vehicle within those 10 mins.
Leave it running, that way the A/C is on and you don't have to go through the trouble of restarting the engine.
No real danger of an explosion or filre.
No real danger of an explosion or filre.
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