Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

[Cal]

I recently bought a used FM4 with a new control board and a new 2,400 hr. head. The CA Fuel Maker service rep. installed a 25 foot hose and gave my FM4 a clean bill of health.

The problem is that it is refueling my '08 GX at a rate of about a half gallon per hour -- not the 1 gallon per hour rate that it is designed for.

Is the length of the 25 ft. hose causing too much resistance for the compressor to fill at the standard 1 gallon per hour rate? Or is there a different problem?

Any thoughts on this matter would be welcome.

[freedml]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

The hose length wouldn't affect the fill rate Did he do a fill test (see how long it takes to fill the FM test bottle)?

[Cal]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

Yes. A fill test was done. Last night the FM4 ran for 6 hours to fill about 3 gallons.

I have a 1 inch gas line to my FM4 and the unit has never shut off for lack of gas.

Any more suggestions?

[freedml]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

Did he time how long it took to fill the bottle, or just filled it until it shut off and then left it there? Did he install the compressor head or was it already there?

[Amfuel]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

I have no basis of experience for your issue but the question that occurs to me is -With a 25 foot hose is there a possibility that it could have been run over and crushed the inner line? IMHO this could reduce the volume of output without affecting any thing else unless the rupture disk was to blow. Obviously that hasn't happened as you have some refueling.

[cnguser]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

I would bet on the crushed hose theory or it is defective altogether. Maybe something is restricting flow in the nozzle section.
Bottom line you should request the FM Rep to make a followup visit, explaining what is happening. Have him bring a new hose/nozzle to try out.
Have you been to a public fast fill station? Does it fill OK there?
I have a 25 footer on my FMQ-2 and the 1 GGE per hour rate is pretty much on the dime right.
Let us know what you find out - interesting problem there.

[freedml]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

If there were that much restriction in the fill line, the compressor would shut off
before 3000psi in the tank leaving your tank less than 'full'.

My money is on a degraded or failing compressor head. If the FM rep exchanged it recently, it should be covered under warranty. Otherwise, I'd live with it if I could until it times out and then it should be taken care of with the next head.

I'll assume there's no leak since you're not reporting any 'gas' smell.

[Cal]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

Thanks for the input.

The 25 ft. hose is new, just installed. I will ask for it to be exchanged as a possible solution.

The compressor head was rebuilt just before I took posession. I got it with 1 hour on it -- verified my my FM Rep.

During the test fill, the fill was not timed. It took less than 10 minutes to reach about 3000 psi.

I do not smell gas, though there is a very faint odor from time to time. But not constant and not like there is a significant leak. My FM Rep. did check for this.

My GX fills fine at a commercial station.

QUESTION: Is there a callibration or an adjustment that can be made in the control board that would address my fill rate problem? As far as the head being "defective" wouldn't it either fill or not fill -- instead of filling slowly?

I will cam Fuelmaker today and report to this post what they say. I wll also schedule a follow up visit from my FM Rep.

Thank you ALL for your help. What a great community of support!!

[freedml]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

10 minutes to 3000 psi in the test bottle is about 1 gge/hour. So, the next question is, how did you calculate that you were filling 3 gge that night?

[Cal]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

I began my fill with 5 or 6 bars remaining on my '08 GX. I figure I had about 2 gallons in the tank (perhaps I am wrong).

I let the FM 4 fill for 10 hours befor I shut it off for the night. I resumed filling in the morning for an additional one and a half hours. The 3000 psi bar did light now but the FM 4 did not shut off on its own -- not quite reaching 3000 psi. The FM 4 did shut of automatically on the two different test fills (one with the original 15 ft. hose and then again with the new 25 ft. hose).

Gas Equipment Systems (my FM Rep). will give me a follow up visit in the next 60 days -- when they are in the Santa Clarita area. I have put in a call to Fuelmaker and am waiting for their input, too.

So, the head runs smoothly. No evidant gas smell. Two test fills seemed OK. New 25 ft. hose just installed with a new nossel -- not run over bu my car. I have contacted the previous owner to see if he OR a FM Rep. rebuilt the head before I bought it. Remember, it had just one hour on it when Gas Equip. did the test at my home.

Any more thoughts? And thank you for taking the time to help me.

[Cal]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

LATEST UPDATE.

Came home. Have five bars lit on the fuel gauge. I have been filling for six hours. I have added only five bars to my tank for a total of 10 bars -- just under half full.

What is the problem?

[scottfetsh]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

i would try a new hose. i dont think being run over would affect it but a poor connection to the car could cause it to have low flow. i found this with a fast fill nozzle one time it would not depress the ball in the filler properly and the pressure had to force it open.there also could be a defect internally in the hose that is causing a restriction

[Cal]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

FINAL UP DATE:

Contacted Fuelmaker Corp. Office. Their tech. asserted that the compressor head was bad. 0 - 500 hours falls into a full warranty. My unit had just 50 hours on it. My local FM Rep. (Gas Equipment Systems) first replaced all of the rubber seals. Did a compression (fill) test and at 18 minutes the test tank was not full.

Final resolution: The compressor head was bad (along with two of the rubber seals) and they were replaced. I have filled at about a galon an hour for four fills this past week . . . and I am loving it!

THANK YOU to those of you who responded to my posting -- my cry for help. You folks are the reason why I stay connected to this forum. Your knowlage and suggestions are invaluable!

[Amfuel]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

The 10 min test bottle time is about right. The slightly lower pressure could be the temp differential.

Still running after 11.5 hrs is not so good. It could be bypassing some of the gas in the compressor. Have the guy check it out. Is it a good quiet jiggle when it runs or are you hearing a psst-ing sound?

Many years ago I figured out that a new part is not always a good part.

[Amfuel]

Re: Help! FM4 Slow to refuel.

Ok, disreguard the last post. For some reason the final thank you post didn't show up on my chumputer.