Alfa Romeo Forum banner

Brera fuelling issue

12K views 120 replies 40 participants last post by  pinballer 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. I picked my Brera 3.2 SV last Friday and (so far) the only issue I have is that I can only get three quarters of a tank of fuel in - about £45 worth. No matter what I do, it just won't go in but the guage says it's only 3/4 full. Has anyone else had that problem?
 
#2 ·
This has been touched on before. I occasionally have the same problem (more often when the car is 'cold). I find rocking the back of the car by leaning hard on it tends to clear the problem, together with filling at a slightly lesser speed than most fuel pumps normally operate on.

(Apart from that, how's the Brera? Great eh? Got any pictures?)
 
#4 ·
Yep. Sometimes I can barely get half a tank in. It's very unpredictable, I haven't been able to isolate the conditions under which this happens. Particular, pumps? fuels? weather? I don't know. It seems to happen when the fuel is quite "frothy" (technical term, sorry).

Apparently it's due to the design of the tank and there's nothing that can be done.
 
#5 ·
I've never had a problem so was just wondering if there are differences between the petrol and Diesel filler neck or tank then :confused:

I wouldn't have thought so but you never know eh ?? :rolleyes:
 
#7 ·
Are they :confused:
 
#14 ·
I've never had this problem at all but then again, I normally fill up at the same station and usually the same pump. I've never worked out how a petrol pump knows the tank is approaching full and turns itself off? Could this be some variation in the pump sensors rather than a problem with the car?

Bill
 
#15 ·
When its happened to my brera, just before the pump switches off, I could hear the petrol coming towards the top of the tank.
I believe it's the foaming of the petrol which gets sensed by the pump nozzle which cuts the pump out.
Anyway, having heard what sounds like a tank having been filled up completely, when I look at the petrol gauge, its still only around the 3/4 full mark.
Maybe not letting me put that last few kg's of fuel in is AR's idea of helping the mpg figures??
Matt.
 
#19 ·
Yeah that was a pretty nice add with the Ferrari logo but showing a silver Brera (same as mine) that must have confused some people.

On the pumps issue, all I'm saying is that there may be variation in the pumps sensors and possibly the Brera and 159 may be generating a bit more back pressure that trips an over sensitive pump. Years ago, I had a Ford that used to take forever to fill at times then the next fill at a different station would go in no problem.

Could you imagine a Brera race where fuel stops were needed :D :D :D

Bill :)
 
#22 ·
I occasionally had a problem a bit like this filling my GTV - but only now and then at certain petrol stations. The pump would just cut out even though the tank wasn't full. I ended up holding the trigger down at about half power and then it filled up to the top. Maybe it's not the same problem though. I'll let you know if it happens on my Brera when it arrives!
 
#27 ·
All our Alfas have been slow fillers but not impossible. Don't rely on nozzle size when chosing which pump, although you're fairly safe if the car takes unleaded. I think the size change was to help people discriminate between unleaded and leaded 4-star at the time of the change-over. In those days diesels were trucks and knew which pumps to pull up at!
 
#28 ·
A not uncommon problem, and certainly not confined to Alfas.

Its all to do with a combination of the car's filler pipe width/length, a touchy (or faulty) fuel pump cutoff sensor, the fuel flow rate actually metered on the pump, back pressure, how often the pumps maintained (you be surprised how often this is skipped), quality of the fuel, weather conditions and a number of other variables.

When filling your car from less than a 1/4 tank there will be considerable air pressure which should be released by slowly removing the fuel cap and you will hear it release, otherwise the air will probably form a lock in or just below the filler pipe and reduce the tank capacity by stopping the pump early.

If you find its filling up too slow or stops too early, try turning the nozzle sideways about 45 degrees whilst its still in the car. Another trick is to wait about 20 seconds after it first stops and then start refuelling again but not squeezing the pump trigger all the way.

Try necking your tank after the pump clicks off when its full, it will take around an extra 3-4 litres before you see the fuel at the top (careful doing this or you may spill easily).

Two other things, always lift the hose up to drain it before you remove the nozzle, as you have paid for the fuel in there which will drain back into the pump and they will resell (they make a fortune from this)

and NEVER, fill up when a lorry is in delivering fuel!!!!!!!!!!
 
#30 ·
hi guys, i've got the brera 2.4 sv, done just over 9000 miles now and never had an issue filling up, i reckon by the look of the posts it a petrol car problem. Look on the bright side tho guys it's just another occasion to stand next to your stunning car and let people admirer it's beauty and your good taste.
 
#33 ·
The biggest variable I notice is the volume flow of the pumps. Some fill up your car and let you go on your way, others make sure you have a really nice long relaxing break from driving -untill you're really nice and GRUMPY!!! (Who Me????)
 
G
#37 ·
I had some issues last week.

Filling up from the wrong side, with the hose
fully stretched around the rear bumper and
going into the nozzle with a bend.

Couldn't get more than 3/4 full.


It be the pump/hose! :D
 
#40 ·
It be the pump/hose! :D
...that only affects Brera's? :tut:

Anyone tried this with a Brera? Still having problems with mine and nothing works.
I don't think it's a faulty fuel filler neck that is affecting the Breras, there's obviously a design "fault", which makes it very sensitive to some aspect of pumps - consequently we see this odd, intermittent behaviour. AR (UK) don't know what to do about it - but if enough people communicate to them that it is a problem, maybe they'll let the factory know and maybe they'll fix it. I suspect it's something we'll have to learn to live with though. :(
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top