Today, when trying to fill the gas tank on my '99 Cherokee, the pump kept clicking off every 2-3 seconds. After getting 3 gallons in, I gave up. Later, I tried to fill up at another gas station, and the same thing happened. Every few seconds the pump clicks off.
This never happened before; fill ups were never a problem before.
Any idea what would cause this?

 

Could be a blocked vent line on your tank

 

I am new to the forum. My 98 Grand Cherokee does the same thing.

 

X2

 

this used to happen to me when I had my Rodeo, have you tried turning/rotating whatever you want to call it, the nozzle into different positions while trying to fill up... also is this just a recent development?

 

Try putting just the tip of the gas nozzle in. (just past the shield plate) Or possible any enemies, that might of shoved something down there? Just a question?

 

Thanks for the responses. I'll check and try these things out.

 

My mechanic told me that there is a little ball in the tank that can get stuck. This is what Jeep told him. Supposedly you have to replace the whole tank. The funny part is when I was in Arizona 2 weeks ago (no emissions stuff on the pumps), I had no issues filling up there.

 

mine does the same thing if i insert the nozzle all the way in, try just putting the first couple inches in and filling from there.

...that sounds hilarious taken out of context.

 

my wife walked by me and said what the heck are you reading i thought you were on the jeep forum i just laughed

 

My jeep does that also. I'm pretty sure its all about how you handle the nozzle just kiddin but yeah if it's all the way in I'm assuming the nozzle is pushed up against the side of the tube and creates enough back pressure to trick the pump into thinking your tank is full. If you just barely stick the tip in you shouldn't have any problems. At least I haven't had any complaints when I do that. Sorry had to throw that last bit in there. lol

 

I just bought the XJ a couple weeks ago and brought it home on a trailer. Rolled it off, bought a battery, blah blah blah, then dumped five gallons of gas in it because the fuel gauge read Empty. I took off around the block (mind you, I live on a farm...around the block is five miles or so) then, figuring it was gonna be able to make it all the way to town (10 miles) I took off for the gas station.

Got to the station and mine does the same exact thing...can't put any gas in it. Finally, after screwing around for five minutes decided to go home and figure it out before I had gas all over the parking lot.

Got in the tub, lit her up and about thirty seconds later the gas gauge read "Full". Gee whiz, no wonder I could only put three gallons in it before the pump shut off. It had been full all the time and the gauge was stuck.

It still sticks all the time but reads correct mostly. I could have put a new sending unit in it today whilst working on the pump but, hey, what fun would that be? As soon as I heal up from this episode I'm gonna take it out again and put that sender in.

Another Homer Moment.

 

I happen to have a picture from when I changed the fuel pump a year ago and also had that problem with the annoyingly slow filling. Inside the tank the filler stub should look like the picture below.

In my case the coil that holds the ball had partially slipped out. When I drove it back it in alignment with the ball, the filling problem disappeared. I guess it slips out by itself or somebody tried to syphon fuel out and displaced it. Interestingly, Jeep's own service manual tells you to insert a hose through the filler stub to drain the tank for service...
And one more thing about draining the tank. After you disconnect the hoses going to the tank, insert your drain hose through the VENT hose stub (the smaller one), and NOT the filler hose. I always use a 9mm transparent hose (increased chances of not getting a 'mouthfuel'...), it goes in easily, while the FILLER stub is blocked by the coil and ball....

 

Happens to me every month or two... I just change the angle of the nozzle and off I go

 

I had a Legend and that would happen every once in awhile but I just assumed it was wacked pumps