Hey all -- I'm in the process of restoring an XJ6 series iii. I currently am attempting to pour some fuel into the tank via a 5 gal portable gasoline filler -- one of those things you can pick up at Walmart for cheap.

As I'm filling, I notice that the tank filler seems to back up with fuel pretty quickly requiring me to stop and let the fuel (slowly) settle out of the filler and into the tank (with a few bubbles/gurgling) -- is there a flapper or something inside the filler that needs depressed to vent the tank as fuel is put in this way -- something that a real fuel pump would actuate with it's nozzle? I have a syphon I can (and probably should have) used to test, but wanted to see if the guru's had an opinion.

Thanks,

Callan

 

there are two fuel vapor-recovery-filtering gizmos located in the C pillars, but those are for fuel vapors being purged from the tanks, not for liquid fuel. See ilustration.

yes, there is a spring-loaded "door" at the base of the tank's filler neck that must be depressed to allow fuel to go into the tank. Usually if you use a funnel the door will be pushed open.

does this happen with the opposite tank?

 

Wish I could tell, but the DPO had only one tank connected, owing to his effort at diagnosing a fuel pump circuit problem (don't get me started).

 

That diagram is great.

 

The spring-loaded flap is a crude anti-surge device to stop fuel in a full tank surging up and into the vent pipe. As said by Jose, you need to use a funnel or somesuch that opens the flap.

 

many of these Series 3 XJ have been "butchered" by owners at the fuel tanks system. Instead they should repair what may be wrong, being essentially a simple system in use since the early 1960's in Jaguars. My '65 S type has a similar system, even more simple than my XJ-6 since it does not have the fuel-return valves, and both have been reliable.
What I would do if you plan on keeping the car, is to rebuild the system properly, it's not that difficult to do unless the butchering went all the way to the electrical wiring.

 

Fortunately, not into the electrical.

 

And it was the vent flap. Poked it down with a metal rod and was able to fill it right up.

 

do not use a metal rod, gasoline and gasoline vapors are volatile, metal could cause a spark accidentally and POOF! use a plastic "somesuch" (like Fraser says). Moreover, if you loose the rod and it falls into the tank, you're in big trouble assuming it doesn't explode. Plastic Funnel.

 

So noted! Probably should put out my cigar as well, huh?

 

yes, no cigar, and I would also avoid answering the cell phone only to tell the caller "I can't talk now, I'm filling the gas tank in my Jaguar"...

 

Ha!