Fuel fill issues - solved (for me)

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
I thought I would post this to save anyone else, that will eventually run into it, some time.

The issue was that I would pull into the station very low on fuel and i could only put in a gallon or two after 5 or ten tries, the pump kept shutting off. I did this twice, leaving the station very frustrated and needing to go back in a few days only to repeat the cycle again. This is what I came up with;


Then I found this;

I wanted to be efficient (lazy), this worked and I did not have to take anything apart. I did not have injector cleaner but I did have carb cleaner from another project I am working on. I squirted a generous amount down to the vent holes and let it sit for a day or two. filled up today, no issues ran full speed up to max and shut off like it should.

Job done!

I have not been able to locate the trickle valve for sale anywhere yet, just part of a bigger assembly. Roverparts used to have it but it is not listed when I checked.
 
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CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
If I go to the dealer will they tell me what ones have been done to my vehicle? I cant imagine they want to work on a 20 year old disco for free.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
There is only one location in America that has the trickle valve - Cole European in Walnut Creek CA. Have your local dealer buy it from them and have it shipped to them for pick up. $35-$40. I bought one and it totally fixed the problem forever (I hope!) This after two junk yard filler tubes. They had 4 or 5 of them last time I checked. They will not ship it to you direct - better to go through your local dealer. I did get them (through another dealer) to allow me to send them a money order for the purchase price plus shipping, and I did get it no problem - so you could offer to do that and maybe they will send you one.
 

Vegas99D1

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
187
9
Plano, TX
There is only one location in America that has the trickle valve - Cole European in Walnut Creek CA. Have your local dealer buy it from them and have it shipped to them for pick up. $35-$40. I bought one and it totally fixed the problem forever (I hope!) This after two junk yard filler tubes. They had 4 or 5 of them last time I checked. They will not ship it to you direct - better to go through your local dealer. I did get them (through another dealer) to allow me to send them a money order for the purchase price plus shipping, and I did get it no problem - so you could offer to do that and maybe they will send you one.

Found the part number: VUB502530

For those interested, here's their website: https://www.colelandrover.com/parts/order-parts/


Trickle Valve.jpg
 
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Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I am reviving this old thread as my new trickle valve has apparently failed me! Here's my series of events regarding this issue.

- Purchased the truck with the fuel fill-up issue.
- Replaced the filler tube with a used one.
- Worked finer for a few months - then same thing again.
- Found out about the trickle valve - sourced a new one and replaced the old one with the new one.
- Worked fine for about 4-5 months
- Was filling up the other day and same thing happened again!

So at this point , I removed the filler tube again and took the valve out. In blowing on the valve while open - very little air was getting through. What I found interesting though - is that when the flap on the filler tube opens for the gas nozzle - it closes the trickle valve - stopping all air flow through the valve. So the valve is not there to vent anything while filling. It apparently allows the venting to happen a different way (there is a vent tube that goes into the gas tank where the filler tube connects there - maybe that is where the venting actually takes place?) I find it all very confusing.

So I found a youtube video of a guy who took the innards out of his trickle valve (gutted it basically) connected it all back up and had no more problems. So I decided to try that with the old valve which I had saved. Got it all apart and replaced the new valve (which I saved and is intact) with the old valve gutted. I eagerly drove to the station just now to try it out and ..... no luck. I WAS able to get some fuel in - but only ultra slowly. At least it didn't spit back at me like before.

So now I am confused about this issue. Is my trickle valve no good (the new one)? Could there be another issue causing this?

If there is anyone out in the field that suddenly is having this issue (like when I was camping in Moab for 10 days) there is a quick fix for getting fuel into the tank. Just disconnect the hose from the separator tube that goes from there into the tank - it has a quick disconnect. You can then fill the tank up with no problem until fuel comes out of that hose (you can turn on the key and watch the gauge).

IMG_6349.JPG

If anyone has solved this issue in a way other than the trickle valve - I would be interested to know how you did it! Thanks!
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
The bulletin listed is for Disco 2. It says Discovery (LT all). There was a modification to the filler portion that stays in the tank. It was some secret shit they didn't want to share with the D.O.T.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I heard that there was a dealer hack to fix this - but I don't know what they did! I just sprayed some cleaner into the holes as described earlier - so we'll see if that makes any difference.

I can see putting a T fitting on the separator hose that goes to the tank and running that up next to the filler tube where the gas cap screws on. Just drill a hole and have the tube come through with a valve or cap that can be opened when filling and then closed again after. That would fix it.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
Ill try to dig the thing out of my parts truck and post up how they wanted us to modify it. It has a metal tube inside a plastic body that pushes into the filler neck on the tank. That insert fits tight in the tank and it's made out of white plastic. The metal tube has a bend in the end and that bend makes the steel tube point downward in the tank. we drilled a big hole in the top part of the curve of the pipe. The tube is supposed to allow air inside the tank to leave as fuel is filling the tank. The tube is attached to a corogated plastic tube that runs up into the filler neck. The plastic corogated tube we cut a few inches off and secured to the metal tube with a p/steering clamp. The idea was that by modifying the pipe and clamping it to the corogated tube you would be letting any fuel out of that tube, the problem according to Land Rover was the tube would get filled with fuel and just like the trap in your sink drains would not allow the air out of the tank.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I am updating this thread with my new fix for this issue.

I used a 1/4 inch valve and a tube connecting into the vent from the tank to the separator. I was originally going to drill a hole in the body behind the fuel door - and put the valve there - but later found a perfect slot in the wheel well that I thought would be easier and not cause any permanent changes.
If you use this slot - be aware that if you top off the tank - gas will spill out of the valve since it's lower than the fill tube - FYI.

So now I just reach under the wheel well - open the valve - fill the tank, and then close the valve.

IMG_6424.JPG
IMG_6422.JPG
IMG_6423.JPG
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
It's baaaack. My clean and lube fix only lasted several months. Could only get 3 gallons in yesterday. I guess if I have o do this twice a year it's not too bad. A permanent fix would be nice.
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
I'm stuck, only getting a gal in or so before it overruns and spills. The tab on the spring loaded filler plate does seem to open my valve so I can't figure out what is going on. Don't know if it is this valve or something else in the system.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I'm stuck, only getting a gal in or so before it overruns and spills. The tab on the spring loaded filler plate does seem to open my valve so I can't figure out what is going on. Don't know if it is this valve or something else in the system.
First - test your filling issue with the vent hose to the tank disconnected. If that allows you to fill the tank unrestricted at full volume - then I would just do what I did and you've fixed it. Otherwise - you need to pull the filler tube and refit with a new trickle valve and see if that does anything. There is info in this thread for getting a new one (you could also just get a used filler tube with a valve alteady in there - but you might eventually run into the same problem.)

I have still not 100% solved this either. I put a new trickle valve in and that solved it for a few months - and then it came back. At that point I pulled the tube - took the valve out and saved it and then re-installed a disassembled valve hoping to get full venting. That didn't do anything - so I did my current set up. However - using this method does not allow me to fill at full volume. I still have to hand fill at a very low speed - although it will take a full tank of gas no problem. I am considering pulling the tube again (for the 4th time) and re-installing the new trickle valve and then trying my valve set up and seeing if it works better. When I was first having the problem - I was in Moab on a trip - and so I just disconnected the vent tube at the tank and filled up normally being careful not to over fill past the vent hole - and it worked perfectly. I have no idea why that same method is not working as well now - as the only thing I changed was the trickle valve.

I wish someone could figure out exactly what the hell is going on with these fuel fill issues so we can all get a reliable fix for it! Frustrating.
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
I had a friend that had a filler neck already pulled out, I took the trickle valve from it. It did have a broken hose barb but I figured I could take it apart and see what is going on. It looks like the part of the valve that comes in contact with gas gets discolored and maybe expands or gets rough. The other parts are still very clean and shiny. This valve was very rough to operate. I can feel the spring loaded door with the tab on it opening my installed trickle valve if I push it in by hand. The problems must be inside the old one somewhere. I have not pulled it out yet to inspect it.

I considered gutting my valve and putting it in, too bad that did not work for you.

I have a new one on order from Bearmach, said it was available, we'll see if it shows up.

I was also considering looking at my 96 to see how it differs and if I could backdate the 99. Or looking at a P38 to see what they did. I had two of those but I don't remember how that setup was.

Since my 99 DI shares some of these parts with a DII, it seems like it is only a matter of time for this to happen to the rest of them. At least the ones that haven't been killed already by head gasket issues. Mine is older than they are so that curse is likely to catch up with the lot at some point in time.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I had a friend that had a filler neck already pulled out, I took the trickle valve from it. It did have a broken hose barb but I figured I could take it apart and see what is going on. It looks like the part of the valve that comes in contact with gas gets discolored and maybe expands or gets rough. The other parts are still very clean and shiny. This valve was very rough to operate. I can feel the spring loaded door with the tab on it opening my installed trickle valve if I push it in by hand. The problems must be inside the old one somewhere. I have not pulled it out yet to inspect it.

I considered gutting my valve and putting it in, too bad that did not work for you.

I have a new one on order from Bearmach, said it was available, we'll see if it shows up.

I was also considering looking at my 96 to see how it differs and if I could backdate the 99. Or looking at a P38 to see what they did. I had two of those but I don't remember how that setup was.

Since my 99 DI shares some of these parts with a DII, it seems like it is only a matter of time for this to happen to the rest of them. At least the ones that haven't been killed already by head gasket issues. Mine is older than they are so that curse is likely to catch up with the lot at some point in time.
Well that's interesting - mine is a 99 D1 as well - probably no coincidence there. One interesting thing I discovered is that when that flap pushes the valve - it is actually closing it - not opening it! Weird - but that's how it works....
 

CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
Odd about closing the system, I thought just the opposite. I did not want to put the used valve in my mouth, maybe I will hook up some low pressure air to the new one to test a few things out before I install it, if it ever shows up. I still don't have a great understanding of how all the parts are working together.
 

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
Did anyone ever come up with a "real" solution to this fuel fill issue?
See my pics above. After doing this - I realized that it worked when I had a working trickle valve - but I took my old valve and gutted it like someone else had done which fixed the issue in that case - but doing that actually made my mod stop working. So I had replaced the valve with a new one - which didn't fix the issue - but found that if I unplugged the vent hose down by the tank (see pics) it worked fine. So before I did the mod - I replaced the valve with an empty one - which didn't work - and then I did the mod hoping to fix it once and for all - and now the mod isn't working without the new valve. What a mess. Now I have to pull it all out again and replace the valve again to check if it works. Hope so.