Wednesday, Apr 14, 2021 at 09:25
IMHO the following applies.
Contaminated
fuel coming out of a pump is most commonly caused by the
fuel level in the underground tanks getting very low. The underground tanks will collect
water and who knows what other crud which collects at the bottom. The older the
tank the more likely the problem. For this reason the pickup for the bowser is not quite to the bottom and so usually its not an issue. The two most common causes of this contaminated
fuel reaching the bowser pickup are a sudden ingress of
water or a
fuel delivery which stirs the new
fuel with the old. Given time it will settle and not be a problem but until it does settle contaminated
fuel will be dispensed. The steps I take to try and avoid this situation are these;
1. Always try and refuel at high volume outlets like truck stops.
2. Avoid
fuel outlets where their tanks are located in areas that may have been flooded at some time. The tanks at
Eucla are most definitely not in a flood prone area so this is not the cause in this instant.
3. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, ever fill up if you see a
fuel tanker refilling the tanks or even a tanker in the area as I may have just filled the tanks. When tanks are refilled this process stirs up any contaminants in the bottom of the
tank and mixes it with the new
fuel. Only time will see the contaminants resettle on the bottom of the
tank. In most of Europe
fuel stations are forbidden from dispensing
fuel for an hour after a
tank refill. If this is the only
fuel station available wait as long as you can and then take a sample of the
fuel and examine and smell it. I always have a Mr Funnel strainer for instances where I have any doubt about the
fuel quality.
4. In very remote
places where
fuel contamination is more likely and the consequences of getting bad
fuel much more serious, I will use the Mr Funnel for the first AND last 5 litres. It is most important to do the last 5 litres so you are absolutely sure that the whole
fuel delivery is not contaminated.
5. Always try and sight and smell the
fuel when you first start to fill, if the colour is not right the
fuel will not be right.
Fuel outlets should be checking their tanks from time to time and pumping out any contaminants but anyone relying on all
fuel outlets to do the right thing are kidding themselves.
When going very remote you should be just as paranoid about the quality of your
fuel as you would be about the quantity, your wellbeing may depend on it. Chris
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