gas goes in really slowly on a 2001 blazer...any thoughts?
 

So, I've got a 2001 blazer with about 185000 miles on it. Nothing has ever been hugely wrong with it. I've taken care of it, so to speak. Regular tune ups on it, oil changes, etc etc. Point is, I've kept it very well.

Then, one day, randomly, I was trying to fill up the gas tank...and it just wouldn't fill up like at all. Kept taking forever and I had to baby it and it took about 20 minutes to fill up. I haven't noticed a single issue in mileage change, or stuttering for lack of fuel being distributed - the gas just doesn't go in but at a trickle. The check engine light has come on...and I've had it checked for the diagnosis and all the read out says is it's fuel tank related.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can look for to see what is going on here? I'm afraid I don't know much about this area of the truck, but I'd prefer not to take it into a mechanic since they will be charging by the hour just to look for the problem in the first place. I wasn't sure if this was a common issue or not...so I figured I would come on the boards and ask for some advice!

Not exactly sure where on yours but there is a type of "breather" tube that lets the air out as you fill the tank. On my '05 work truck I have this happen frequently as dust gets in there and clogs it up. I usually just wrap a rag around an air hose and "pressurize" the tank with a compressor and it cleans out that tube. You should be able to hear the air whistling out the tube.

it's the same basic pricipal as your '05, oisinirish. and it sure wouldn't hurt to try it.

question for you lynxxyarly, what was the code you were getting? telling us the code can alot farther than telling us the problem.

thanks for the quick replies, guys. I'll get back to you on the code tomorrow, and I'll let you know.

Also, I like the idea of pressurizing the tank. I drive on rural gravel/dirt roads a lot, so it being clogged COULD be the issue. Someone else suggested to me that there might be an issue with the charcoal canister and that it exploded and a chunk got lodged somewhere...but I don't know much about the charcoal canister :/

Yeah, and driving on gravel so much might cause that to be an issue.

Ill get the exact error code tomorrow and also give the pressurizing a try...after that, if things don't work, then I suppose it may be an issue with the charcoal canister. Is that something I would want to mess with on my own?

There should be a vent line that follows the main fuel fill line. If that line has somehow gotten damaged, kinked, etc, it could cause a problem filling the tank.

The EVAP canister is located behind the driver side tire.

i have the same blazer with less miles but the same problem, i have pulled one of the lines off the charcoal canister and it allows me to put fuel in with no problem. i am going here in a little bit to get the codes read.

Thanks alot for bringing this issue up!....After discussing it yesterday I climbed in the boat with ya putting gas in this morning, and of course it was cold and rainy. The 'ol air in tank worked again though.

Well I went in today and got the code and the possible scenarios, I'll list them for you all here:

CODE: P0140

defintion:
- circuit condition (heated oxygen sensor bank sensor 2)

Explanation:
- the powertrain control module uses the oxygen sensor to calculate the air/fuel ration in the exhaust.

Probable Cause:
- oxygen sensor defective
- fuel system running very rich or lean - check other codes first
- engine misfire condition - repair
- fuel pressure very high or low - fuel pump or pressure regulator


-----------

So...any ideas?

EDIT: I tried doing that air pressure idea, but I don't think I did a good enough job with my home air tank. I don't think I really got a good seal on it, plus I only have a short-nosed air blower. At work we have a much more powerful air system and they've got long air guns, so I'm going to try using that tomorrow and seeing what happens. All I know is, I just don't want to spend another winter standing in the freezing cold for 20 minutes putting fuel in my tank!