My 2000 Mazda Protege had sat for a while and now when I go to put gas in it, the pump keeps clicking off like it's full of gas. It takes forever to fill it up. I've tried every different nozzle position.

I am assuming there is a problem with the fuel line somewhere. I believe it has something to do with the fuel vapors not being able to escape. Has anyone else had this problem? I don't want to tear into something without really knowing where to start.

Thanks.

 

Best guess: The mud dauber's built a nest in the fuel vapor return line @ the filler neck. I don't know why they would but then again I can't think like a mud dauber would either.
Either way, you are liable to have to get your hands dirty to find out.

 

That's what I thought. Guess I'll have to take it apart. Not sure where the vapor line is. It's a tight fit.

 

vapor line is easiest to get to from the bottom of the car on the side of the fuel filler.

 

Man... Men! That was only a guess, but I hope that's all it is... or something similar.
Why would a mud dauber want to live in a fuel vapor filled enviroment?

 

i was choosing to ignore your sarcasm, but responding to the basic idea. odds are there is something there, but not mud daubers as my dry co-heart suggested.

it is a cheap fix or a cheap theory to try either way. i had one collapse on one of my old cars.

 

Actually, I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, it's just the first thing that came to mind. One of my MG's sat for a few years before I got back to it. By then critters of all shapes and sizes had moved in in all kinds a places. So I thought to myself, what likes small round holes? Mud daubers was the first thing that came to mind that is small enough to fit in there.

Off-topic: Nice work killing that SPAMMER, Wes! They won't be back under that name . I perm banned them.

 

Not sarcastic: it's for real.
Never underestimate the power of a mud dauber.
a) It wouldn't be the first to block a vent line.
b) One brought down an aircraft which had been out of service for about a month. It picked the static vent of the pitot static system as a pad. The result was to cause grave errors in the plane's airspeed indicator, altimeter, and rate of climb indicator at about 8000 ft. which resulted in a fatal crash.
I experienced a CEL on a Camry when a critter (spider or caterpillar) made a little cocoon over the end of a vent pipe, and the car had only been left overnight near some shrubs.
Maybe the major oil companies should catch up with the times and start putting an insect repellent additive in their summer season gas.