aaworm

First, I'd like to say this is a great site. Learned a lot before I bought my A3 (a few weeks ago), and still continue to learn.

Anyway...I top-off my cars when I refuel, but I'm VERY carefully (not to spill); however, it seems to me I could not top-off the A3. After the pump clicked 'off' during a recent refueling, I ended up (little-by-little) added another two gallons to the tank, but gave up after 10 minutes of this, as the gas never ended up pooling to the top of the filler neck. I also checked to make sure no gas was leaking around the car too (i.e. overflow), and saw nothing!

Has anyone noticed this? Thanks in advance!!

crew219

in the future. Don't know if this is A3 specific but it was certainly the case on the B5s.

Dave

alibaba

In Turkey, the gas is still filled by gas station attendants. Credit cards were not common when I was growing up, so people would top-off to bring the total to an easy amount, like for example making the total $10 instead of $9.89.

In the recent years, the same service attendants (well, the ones in Istanbul anyway) developed this wisdom of inserting their fingers in through the filling hole while topping-off, to "open the reserve tank to get more gas" or something like that. They are probably pushing some latch or membrane to open up some reservoir, which is most likely designed to help in some condition. Probably to regulate the pressure in the tank, or as a temporary spill compartment, etc.

As a result, you see many cars oozing gas from their filler caps.

When I visit Turkey, I have to specifically tell them not to top-off.

The manufacturer designes the gas tank and the system around it in a certain way, the signs around the pump says "do not top-off." I don't top-off.

Ali

phred

for many years now. Not worth the possible trouble.

aaworm

...no one really answered the question.

Is it considered topping-off if I never got it to that point on the A3 (lol) - hence the question?? And I'm sure most people put in more gas in their tanks after the pump has clicked off for the first time - is that considered topping-off?? In my opinion, some gas stations' gas pumps click too soon.

Let's see...I added another two gallons to my tank, with no leaking, spilling or gas running down the side of the car, yet I can drive further now.

Really just curious if anyone has ever tried this.

Also, Am I really overfilling the charcoal evap canister, if the gas never reaches the top of the fuel neck? I guess I'm curious about how putting gas in fast or slow, with gas nossle all the way in the hole deflects gas to a charcoal evap. cansister? (just curious)

Thanks again...

danham

..at least it has been that way on every Audi I have ever owned or worked on (haven't checked my new A3).

So if you fill it to the point where liquid instead of vapor goes into that hose, you will soak the canister, which is designed only to absorb vapor. The excess may spill or it may just wreck the canister or cause other problems.

-dan