Fuel mix up
Submitted: Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 09:30
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Hayley_Demc
Hi all,
I put a post on here a week or so ago in regard to some car trouble I was having. I put the car in to get fixed yesterday. Found out that it was the injectors, and the injector pump. Also found out that the cause of the trouble was from putting petrol in the car rather than diesel. I am certain that this error was not our fault as we have been filling up with diesel for years. Any suggestions with how to go about this with the petrol station. I have heard that this particular fuel station had a tanker fill the diesel pump up with petrol a few years back....Im so angry as this has cost us over $2000 to get fixed and is not covered by insurance. Probably nothing I can do...still stinks though.
Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 09:52
Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 09:52
Hi,
If the source was the diesel pump at that servo it would be a safe bet you weren't the only person affected by it. (There's no way no matter how big an auxilliary tank you own you could swallow a whole tank load of unleaded)
So your best course of action would be some form of advertisement at the local shopping centre, on power poles and even the local paper.
Remember the two levels of seperation theory, you know someone that knows someone that knows me.
You can use that to your advantage to find the links if they exist.
Geoff
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AnswerID:
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Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 09:55
Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 09:55
Hayley,
A small amount of petrol in diesel will not hurt the injectors or pump. Even small amounts over a long time should not cause a problem.
If you had a strong mix, more petrol than diesel you would have only driven out of the petrol station before the motor had stopped. You would have a strong case against the service station if the vehicle stopped while still in the driveway.
$2000 is cheap for injectors and pump overhaul. A pump of a 80 Series is
well over $5000 and that does not usually include the injectors.
It could have been the pump and injectors need overhauling anyway.
PS, If you think that a service station is selling dirty fuel, don't go there.
Wayne
AnswerID:
352482
Reply By: Dave(NSW) - Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:01
Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:01
I would be taking a sample of fuel from my tank and having it checked to make sure there is petrol in it, Then go to the servo with a jerry can & get a sample from there, Once you are 100% sure you can then approach the servo.
Cheers Dave...
AnswerID:
352496
Follow Up By: Hayley_Demc - Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:07
Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:07
Had both tanks checked and both had petrol in them. Only problem is that this actually happened over a month ago so testing fuel and the servo is probably wont do much good. Funny thing is when i called the servo they didnt want to talk about...kinda odd.
FollowupID:
620702
Reply By: bgreeni - Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:01
Friday, Mar 06, 2009 at 11:01
Many years ago I had similar problem. Wife went to servo to have van filled on Christmas eve. I have phone call saying the van blew clouds of smoke and stopped. Said the servo may have filled with Zoom. Went to servo and told them of problem and boy there said "I definitely filled with Diesel" problem was it was a petrol engine.
Servo drained tank, refilled with petrol and we cranked engine while blowing "Ezi start" down carby throat. Eventually started and non the worse. Servo met all costs
AnswerID:
352497
Reply By: Ups and Downs - Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 09:53
Saturday, Mar 07, 2009 at 09:53
I'm always vigilant when filling with Diesel from one of those multi hose units.
It would be easy for someone to switch the nozzles on the stand so that the wrong fuel was supplied to the next customer.
I always make sure that the Diesel nozzle, in the middle cradle, leads up to where the hose comes out at the top - and that it's still in the middle.
Paul
AnswerID:
352688
Follow Up By: Member - Ian W (NSW) - Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 23:19
Sunday, Mar 08, 2009 at 23:19
Sorry mate!
Switching nozzles will not give you the wrong fuel.
If the petrol nozzle was in the diesel cradle and you picked it up and put it in your tank then you would activate power to the pump for the diesel nozzle. You would have no fuel delivery because the correct nozzle for the diesel delivery would be sitting idle in the petrol cradle.
You need to have both the correct nozzle and cradle activated before a delivery of fuel can take place.
By the way , watch when you fill up at a strange outlet, a couple of
places where I fill up the diesel is on the extreme left, not the middle as you describe. Now this is where you can get a tank of incorrect fuel whilst being quite sure the servo stufffed up.
Regards,
Ian.
FollowupID:
621186
Follow Up By: Ups and Downs - Tuesday, Mar 10, 2009 at 16:29
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2009 at 16:29
Ian
Thanks for that, I never stopped to work out the logistics.
Now i can fill up and only concern myself with the other issue you raised.
Thanks again,
Paul
FollowupID:
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