The other day, I stopped at a Chevron station for fuel. My wife noticed that there was a tanker truck delivering fuel. I usually pass on gas stations that are getting fuel delivered, but decided to get fuel anyway. It started me thinking. Does it really matter if fuel is being delivered? Has any one had a bad experience with this situation? There are numerous reasons not to, but has it caused anybody trouble if you did get fuel while the tanker was off loading?
Urban Legend ?
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Me personally, I wouldnt worry about it. I've read that the fuel is filtered (Dont know how many times) when it comes from the tank to the pump. I know there are a few guys on these boards that know more than me soo hopefully they can add more to this.
Its not gonna make any difference. There are filters that the gas passes through as it is dispensed I believe. It wouldnt really matter if the tanks were being pumped into or not. Only reason to avoid a station being delivered to is if the station is small, you might have a restricted amount of room to move your car around in. Other than that no.
IF there is water in the dealer's storage tanks the action of dumping more fuel in WILL casue the water that had settled to the bottom of the tank to swirl around where it CAN be drawn into the turbine pumps and delivered to your car.
Most service stations today control water in the tank well enough that this would be a RARE event, but it still can happen.
It has been 39 years since I was a Shell dealer. I never found any water in my tanks when I checked them, but I had to deal with unhappy customers when a neighboring dealer had a water problem. Shell paid for the repairs, but some customers were really angry.
I usually don't fill up if the tanker is on premise, but I probably don't need to.
Most service stations today control water in the tank well enough that this would be a RARE event, but it still can happen.
It has been 39 years since I was a Shell dealer. I never found any water in my tanks when I checked them, but I had to deal with unhappy customers when a neighboring dealer had a water problem. Shell paid for the repairs, but some customers were really angry.
I usually don't fill up if the tanker is on premise, but I probably don't need to.
How long does it take for the water to settle after the tanker finished filling the tank? I think the driver must do paperwork after he finishes filling, so is it likely that once the tanker pulls out, we are okay to fill up? Or is it possible we could fill up where the tanker left 10 minutes ago and still get some stirred up water?
You got to think....those tanks are probably around the 10 to 30K gallon size. That's a lot of stirring around. I'd think at least an hour or so for all things to settle down. You'll also have thermo expansion going on from the temperature difference between the two fuels.
Yeah, the new fuel is warmer than the in gound fuel. So there is less mixing than you would think. In ground tanks keep fuel pretty cool when compared to above ground temps, in the summer. The reverse is true, in northern climates, in the winter. I really don't think its a major concern, in either event.
My sister made the mistake of filling up her car at a station while the truck was unloading. A few miles down the road her car began missing and bucking. The Ford dealer diagnosed it as water in the lines, and the mystery of where it came from was solved when she told them that she had JUST filled up.
It's a cr@p shoot. "Most service stations" = the probablility you may not get water. Stick with known-good stations, newer stations or high-volume stations.
I remember when I was a poor college student back in the late 70s, I went two years without buying a penny's worth of gas by "pumping my own." I rigged up an electric fuel pump to a line I lowered through a hole in the floor and tapped many a tank in the tri-state area that way until I finally got caught. I quickly learned not to drop that line too deep after a few times purging and cranking and adding the 'ol HEET by the side of the road. It is more prevalent than you may think.
DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend anyone who is less crazy than I was at the time to try this stunt.
I remember when I was a poor college student back in the late 70s, I went two years without buying a penny's worth of gas by "pumping my own." I rigged up an electric fuel pump to a line I lowered through a hole in the floor and tapped many a tank in the tri-state area that way until I finally got caught. I quickly learned not to drop that line too deep after a few times purging and cranking and adding the 'ol HEET by the side of the road. It is more prevalent than you may think.
DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend anyone who is less crazy than I was at the time to try this stunt.
With most gasoline being 10% ethanol, wouldn't the water be "absorbed" by the ethanol?
Depends on how much water there is. Enough water and the ability of the alcohol to absorb it would be exceeded.
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I don't worry about it. Every place that I buy gas at gets 2 to 3 loads of fuel A DAY. The WaWa convenience store chain only has ultra high volume locations. There's a lull between 10p.m. and 5a.m.
Three things I couldn't figure out when I came to PA
What was a hoagie (a sub or grinder for others)? I thought it was something you called someone "You stupid hoagie!"
What in the world was a Mummer? (I still haven't quite zero'd in on this one
)
What was a WaWa? ..of all the names you can pick
Three things I couldn't figure out when I came to PA
What was a hoagie (a sub or grinder for others)? I thought it was something you called someone "You stupid hoagie!"
What in the world was a Mummer? (I still haven't quite zero'd in on this one
What was a WaWa? ..of all the names you can pick
Dude I live in PA
Hoagie's are delicious
I have no idea what a "mummer" is.
And WaWa's are like a Sheetz.
Hoagie's are delicious
I have no idea what a "mummer" is.
And WaWa's are like a Sheetz.
cant hurt to move on to the next station...
Kestas
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The guys at Costco tell me they get four deliveries a day. Using the one-hour rule means you have a 1-in-4 chance of coming at the wrong time.
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Never seen (or switched channels when it was on) the Mummers Parade in Phila
There is no perfectly clean storage tank. All will have some water and sediment. If the location is high volume, the junk is frequently stirred up and caught in the pump's filters and never allowed to accumulate to a great extend. The water will pass to the customer, but it will be so minor that it is no problem.
Ken
Ken
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