Can't Insert Fuel Nozzle into Gas Tank – What's Wrong?

If you can't put a gas nozzle into the filler neck, this may be extremely stressful. This is the way to get stranded right in the gas station and unable to buy any fuel. Thank goodness, there is the internet and you can read articles like this to help you resolve the problem immediately or at least plan your actions to get rid of the issue.

In short, if you can't insert the fuel nozzle into the filler neck, there may be a blockage, rust damage, broken and misshaped filler neck, wrong nozzle, or issues with the valve that covers the capless neck. Maybe, you are trying to insert the nozzle the wrong way (but I can't even imagine how it is possible).

I'm going to go step by step and explain all possible issues. Also, I will offer some immediate solutions that will help you eventually buy some fuel and get your car going.

Let's get started!

Why doesn't the fuel nozzle fit into the filler neck?

It's not always telling you about the actual problem with your car. You should know that so many people are just acting automatically on fuel pumps and making really strange mistakes and then asking the internet how to solve the problems that they got after making those mistakes.

Here, I've come up with several most common reasons why the gas nozzle doesn't fit into the filler neck of your car:

1. You are trying to insert the wrong nozzle

If you can't insert a nozzle into the filler neck, the first thing to check is the type of fuel you are trying to buy for your car. While most American vehicles use gasoline now, there are still some vehicles that drive on diesel, so fuel pumps have diesel nozzles available. And it's quite possible that you are trying to insert the diesel nozzle into the gas car.

The thing is that in many gas station chains, the diesel nozzles are wider and overall bigger than gas nozzles and they just won't fit to help you avoid filling diesel into your gas car. If this happens, the vehicle will need to undergo a serious set of repairs and maintenance procedures before you can drive it again.

So, just check whether the nozzle you are trying to use will give you the correct type of fuel. Surprisingly, this will solve the problem in about half of occasions.

2. The new type of nozzle doesn't fit in the old car

Gas stations gradually move to the new type of nozzles that are safer to use and are holding onto the filler neck harder. It means you can easily use them without holding them with your hand. But the shape of these nozzles doesn't fit all older filler necks. Although you can still insert them for about half of their length, you can't make them sit there without your help.

What's more, when you are trying to fill in some gas, the fuel may start fountaining out of the filler neck because of the wrong pressure building directly in the neck.

This problem has one solution:

• insert the nozzle gently to the maximum length;
• hold it with your hand at all times, don't let it just hang there;
• gently push the lever to allow the fuel slowly pour into the tank;
• after you finish, release the lever, wait for a couple of seconds, and get the nozzle out;
• don't forget about the cap.

So, many older cars will have this problem with unfitting nozzles and it's quite hard to solve this issue. You will always need to have full control over the process of filling up the tank. Be careful because you can let some petrol flow out of the filler neck.

3. Blockage in the filler neck

One more reason why you can't insert the nozzle into the filler neck may be the blockage in the neck. This may happen with cars that were sitting for a long time and suddenly you decided to drive them again. The blockage may have been formed by different factors like insects living in the neck or some object that was inserted into the neck by someone for some purpose.

It's not always easy to detect and repair the blockage because sometimes it's even invisible. To solve the problem, you will need some professional help. In a good repair shop, they will have special equipment with a camera that they usually use to inspect engines without taking them apart. Ask them to use this equipment and see what's going on in the filler neck.

Some blockages can be cleaned easily by taking the object causing them outside through the filler neck. But other types of blockages will require taking the filler neck off the car and cleaning it professionally. You shouldn't allow different contaminants to go into the tank. By the way, cleaning the tank in the process of repairing your car will be quite a good idea.

4. Broken or misshaped filler neck

Another problem is the broken filler neck. Maybe, the car was sitting for a long time and the materials just lost their properties and qualities. Or maybe the filler neck was damaged during a car accident (rear-end damage). Another possible reason is that previously you inserted the nozzle at a gas station with too much power and it just tore apart the filler neck.

Whatever the reason for the damage to the neck, you will need to repair it immediately. This will lead to problems with the fuel fumes spreading in the vehicle and outside and also will not allow you to buy any fuel. So, replacing the filler neck is the best idea you can come up with. While in some cars, these parts are cheap and available at any parts store, for some other models, the neck comes as an expensive assembly.

5. The capless filler neck problem

The majority of older filler necks had caps that you needed to unscrew before inserting the nozzle. If your car doesn't have this cap, it means that the filler neck is capless. But the vehicle needs to close the filler neck once the nozzle is out, so it has a certain valve or flap on the upper side of the neck. You need to press on this flap to insert the gas nozzle into the neck.

After some time, the flap may go bad or even cover with some corrosion and refuse to open. This is one more reason why you can't insert the nozzle into the tank.

In this case, you have several possible options:

• take some tool like a wrench or screwdriver and try to gently press in different spots of the flap;
• if this doesn't work, use WD-40 or other lubricants that can work with corrosion and wait for some time, then repeat your actions with a screwdriver;
• if nothing helps, you may need to replace the filler neck of the flap itself (if it's a separate part in your vehicle).

The stuck flap is not that rear occasion in modern vehicles, especially after they sit for a while. Unfortunately, replacing this part is not that easy, so parts and labor are going to cost you some money. So, try to repair the original flap to avoid extra expenses.

Can you still drive if the fuel nozzle doesn't fit into the neck?

Yes, you can drive and this won't affect the quality of the engine work but only until your car runs out of gas. If you still can buy some fuel and pour it carefully with a not-fully-fitting nozzle, it's OK and you can continue driving for some time. But if the nozzle just doesn't fit at all and all the gasoline fountains back when you try to fill it in the tank, things are pretty bad.

In this case, you will need to drive immediately to the dealership or to one of the trusted repair shops. Let professionals investigate the vehicle and find the reason for the problem before your car runs out of gas and needs to be towed to the dealership.

Are there other ways to fill fuel into the tank?

Unfortunately, you can't find any other ways to fill the tank in your car. To get to the filler hole in the tank, you will need to take it off which is impossible without a car lift and some special equipment.

Also, you may think about one of those old methods of mounting the bottle with fuel in the front part of your car and connecting it with a hose to the injection system as you may have seen in some old films and car shows. Well, this is possible with a carbureted car and I fairly don't think you have such a vehicle in your possession.

What's more, this method is not safe and I suppose not really legal in most states. So, if police see this installation, they will obviously pay attention to it. And you'll pay the fine.

So, no, if the filler neck is clogged or broken, you will need to fix it as soon as possible and there are no other ways you can get around this situation.