The gas gauge works and I have refilled the tank several times. At minus 20 C, you need good gloves on as it takes 15 to 20 minutes to fill up. I explained to the chev dealer my exact problem and they told me there is no separate fuel vent valve that is along side the fill line. They also said that the tank is sold as a complete unit. I also followed up with GM Canada and they confirmed this was the case. As our GM dealer is more than a 2 hour round trip away I have not had the opportunity to take the vehicle in. I am also very reluctant to pay out $1,100 for a tank plus labour plus the bleeping HST.

 

Hi Alan,

I think the dealer may be misunderstanding your question. Maybe the design is different in Canada, but I really doubt it. The filler "vent" isnt really a vent like other vents in the car. Only the air displaced during filling travels up this line to an opening just below the fillerneck opening into the main fill line. The fact that they are trying to dump a $1100 tank on you with a single question asked makes me think they are not very professional and you should not be dealing with them. When the tank is full, gas rushes up this line and on to the auto shut-off sensor of the pump handle. This happens inside the filler neck, so once the cap is re-installed, the tank is sealed (no vent). If you look under the rear quarter, you will see a big line with a small line running next to it from the filler neck down to the tank. Honestly, it does sound like you actually have a blockage if the tank will accept ~16-17 gallons at fill-up. Obviously there are not many places in the states that are as cold as what you deal with, so maybe the root of your problem is different. I know the filler tube runs past the rear axle to get to the tank. I cannot remember if it is next to the frame rail for protection or not. If you had sufficient ice build-up on your rear axle maybe it could have bumped the filler tube and dented or collapsed the tube? This is a bit of a stretch. I am sure crawling under the car in this weather is not a fun proposition, but if the tube is pinched it would cause this problem. No amount of tank replacing or vent hole drilling will fix this. Do you have this problem in the winter only? Or is it just not as big of an inconvenience in the summer? If you have this problem only in the winter, think freezing. Perhaps your local gas station has a leaking storage tank that gets water in it. At -20 this would freeze very quickly in the fill line causing a blockage. The fuel may be traveling down the vent line and since it is so small, it has to trickle in. Or the blockage in the filler pipe may be just enough to cause slow filling. I dont think there is anything short of a blow torch that you could use in -20 to warm up that line. It would have to be parked in a garage above freezing for a whole night. Dry-gas would not help the problem either, because it would just run into the tank and not sit on the ice where it is needed. However, if there is enough ice in the tube, you will end up with water in the tank which could freeze in the pump assembly or the fuel lines. It could also prevent the car from starting if this is a constant problem at your local gas station, because there would be other ice buildup in the tank that would also melt and inundate the fuel pump pickup. Dont replace the tank unless it is leaking. If your problem turns out to be a sender unit, visit rockauto.com before you visit your dealership.

Good luck.
-William

 

If you tank IS NOT FULL, There is an anti-siphon ball (kinda like a check valve) in the filler neck, take the two gas hoses off and check to make sure it is not stuck. Try a gas line anti-freeze also before hand maybe ice blocking the ball.

 

When I had a problem filling my 2001 Blazer's tank I replaced the vent solenoid. The tank has filled just fine ever since. I believe it is mounted in front of the spare tire.

Blazeme

 

i just changed out the filler neck assembly in my jimmy the other week, there ARE 2 lines that go from the tank to the top of the filler neck as previously explained (goes into the main line just before the cap bout 4-5 inches down) there ALSO happens to be (like stated) the anti siphon ball @ the bottom of the neck RIGHT above the rubber hose - found that out when i took it out and shook it n was like WTF is that sound?

btw IF you do go about the route of replacing the filler neck i can first hand tell you the style from the 99 blazer's with the plastic tanks WORKS on the ones with metal tanks regardless of what any professional will tell you. I put one on, simple as that! however if you DO go with it - you need the ENTIRE thing from tank to quarter panel since the length of the metal half of it is no where the same from post to pre plastic.

Also, the filler neck doesn't hug the frame rail, sits a few inches towards the center mass but goes above a cross member rail that it bolts into, and that bolt is a BSTARD to get off. i got lucky with mine it was so corroded, the bracket broke off and the new one we torch cut the bolt out from the bottom side. GOOD luck with this! hope you get it figured out.

 

To get everyone straight. There is no gas vent line in the filler neck of a 2003 S10. This must be fustrating for others also! I keep seeing people sayin to check the filler neck with a vent hose blockage. Again, before spilling your beans one should know what your talking about. Check your charcoal cannister it could be blocked... there are three lines going into this. (Its up behind the tank.)One line comes from the top of the tank into the cannister, one goes from the cannister to a fuel line and the other goes from the cannister to the vent soleniod. (One of these could be blocked, the (vent soleniod) its up behind the cannister, it is very easy to get at without dropping your tank. I unhooked all lines and blew air through with the air compressor, this did not help. I dont know how the vent soleniod works but I am going to remove it. I think this will be the cheapest, if this works i will let everybody know.
I would like some input on this, if anybody knows how they work. Please let us all know. Again if this is the fix i will let everybody know. Just tired of getting 25 cents of gas in every click. I hope my words are worth a try!
Thanks everyone and just keep clicking until we get the right answer.

 

There is no vent line on a 2003 s10. I just fixed this problem on my 2003 s10. Its called the gas tank vent soleniod. Its a little sq box type thing up behind the charcoal cannister, which is behind the tank. Its really easy to change. It has a sensor connection 2 wires which plug into it, and one hose which goes to the charcoal cannister. It costs about $45.00CND. Just be careful with the hose it has a wedge connector. All you need is 2 screw drivers. I am not a mechanic but i do try, and i dont lie.You could take it off and try to clean it, but you have to be able to blow air through if not its screwed. One other quick solution is to just unhook the hose. But your engine light will stay on.When you change it reset the code by just unhooking your battery pos cable for 30 sec's. I hope this helps all the others with this problem. Pretty nasty pumping gas at 25 cents at a time when its 30 below. lolamen.

 

i know your trying to help and all but you gotta check the date on some of these. im new here too but this thread it almost 2 years old. just a heads up man.

 

where did you drill your 2 holes ? top ? side ? bottom ?
smell as gas now ?


thanks

 

Evap vent solenoid. On my 04 it was back by the gas tank