Weeding Out The Bad Fuel Stations

[LostInTransit]

Continuing from my comments made here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/what-are-you-working-on-today.331303/page-515#post-7259708 I thought I'd follow up with more findings on our latest adventure. We've concluded and seen Carroll fuel truck at station around Maryland which I've never seen before. These stations are normally known for getting their fuel supplies direct from the manufacture. But more and more either the manufacture has been late with their deliveries or the station decides the main source for their fuels is too expensive. Plus to make matters worse, Carroll fuel has been buying up the small independant stations in our area as to corner the market. So even if the station sign says "crown" carroll fuel supplies the fuel for these and other stations. We've been avoiding: Exxon, Shell, Carroll Fuel, Crown, BP, Sheetz and a few others as these stations have resorted to supply cheaper fuels to their customers in order to save and make money. At some point I'd like to find out what carroll fuels delivery range is so we can avoid these stations in the future.

After months of having to deal with sputtering and poor performance with our 2020 Connect, I tried a new station and for the last 2 days, the van has been idling smoothly again. In order not to shoot myself in the foot, I can't reveal what station I've started going to as often, like when I write a good review, the station tends to let things slide and we're back were we started running poor fuels again. So unless things over the next few fill ups chnage.. the station where I'm getting the fuel for the van has been allowing the van to run smoothly and has restored the performance was lacking for several months. The only thing missing is the fuel economy which we've never cracked over 21.0 mpg.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Can I guy a vowel? There are only like 100 refineries in the US, and their production is strictly regulated. So how is Carrol fuel specifically making the otherwise good fuel bad?

 

[skyactiv]

I think gas stations can specify what detergent content they want at the tank farm. An independent Mom & Pop gas station most likely won’t spend the extra few cents a gallon on a better detergent package

 

[walterjay]

Why are you avoiding Exxon and Shell? They are top tier fuels.

 

[LostInTransit]

walterjay​

yes avoiding Exon and shell because I witnessed one of carroll fuel trucks making a delivery to this station..

 

[BrendanC]

echoing above, shell, Exxon, chevron are all top tier fuels and guaranteed to have additive packages that meet or exceed the minimum as called out in the top tier specification.

 

[kschachn]

So no question here, just unsubstantiated complaints about a whole host of fuel suppliers? Isn't this the second thread on the topic about Carroll Fuel?

 

[BrendanC]

walterjay​

yes avoiding Exon and shell because I witnessed one of carroll fuel trucks making a delivery to this station..

fuel trucks are exactly that. contracted to deliver fuel. the terminal they load at blend the additives into the fuel being loaded. we happen to supply 80% of all fuel sold in houston and surrounding cities. there are trucks ranging from un labled to shell/exxon etc loading every day.

 

[dnewton3]

A whole lot of supposition in that "investigation", and no real objective criteria for making any delineation between good and bad.

 

[kschachn]

fuel trucks are exactly that. contracted to deliver fuel. the terminal they load at blend the additives into the fuel being loaded. we happen to supply 80% of all fuel sold in houston and surrounding cities. there are trucks ranging from un labled to shell/exxon etc loading every day.

Exactly. Former user GoldDot40 also had some good posts on this topic.

 

[Boomer]

All the fuel comes from the same pipeline and is distinguished on the delivery vehicles by the additives used. Are you saying that there is a mysterious refinery that makes bad fuel and is selling it at a discount through Carroll Fuel?

 

[BrendanC]

All the fuel comes from the same pipeline and is distinguished on the delivery vehicles by the additives used. Are you saying that there is a mysterious refinery that makes bad fuel and is selling it at a discount through Carroll Fuel?

even that scenario is un-likely. there are live analyzers on all products when they change hands (demakation point) and metered. we can tell how far out of spec and how many barrels came through out of spec. sometimes this can be fixed by blending in enough on-spec fluid, sometimes the materials have to be slopped to re-refine. highly regulated stuff with many third party labs also pulling samples to verify.

 

[MNgopher]

As others have stated, pure speculation at best. Not going to dispute that perhaps you did find a different supplier somewhere. but calling out one specific brand of delivery service is a miss...

All markets are different, but in general the fuel comes from the same supply with different add packs. There are some cases with specific suppliers ( I live where that is actually possible - with two refineries with loading racks and another supplier with two dedicated pipeline sources from two specific refineries...).

The funny thing is that the "independent" suppliers / transporters load at all three racks... And supply stations of all kinds...

 

[BigCahuna]

Being I live in New Jersey, and have witnessed first hand how refineries work, here's my take. Gasoline is either brought to the terminal by ship, or is refined at various locations. All brands of gas comes from only a few refinery terminals. The difference in gas bought by any brand name, is the formula that that brand wants blended into what will be sold at their stations. That's it. It all comes from the same terminal. If I was having an issue with bad gas, or gas with a high water content. I would be suspect of that stations storage tanks. Which is out of the control of the refinery. Many years ago almost every gas station in the country had to have their steel tanks removed. Most were replaced with fiberglass tanks wit a 100 year life. If the fill ports were left loose, or were subject to being placed in a spot on the property where it pooled water, that could be your source of contamination. But it could also come from loose fitting caps on the delivery truck. It makes sense to buy gas from high volume gas stations, where they get deliveries every few days. The fresher, the better. But unless you buy gas from the middle of nowhere, chances are the gas your buying isn't that old. And if your car is running like crap and nobody else's is, it's most likely you have a mechanical problem.,,

 

[Cujet]

I received 87 octane from the airport Exxon 93 pump when visiting Newburgh, NY. Jag goes into 3000RPM limited-limp-home mode due to excess knock events. Other stations nearby that area were similar.

I'd fill up and drive to FL. The car would suddenly limit itself, a view of the scan device showed thousands of knock events over a short period of time. The car requires premium. 27MPG normally. 16MPG on regular.

In the end, I found the Shell stations best. Plus the detergent cleared up a persistent idle misfire.

 

[SC Maintenance]

fuel trucks are exactly that. contracted to deliver fuel. the terminal they load at blend the additives into the fuel being loaded. we happen to supply 80% of all fuel sold in houston and surrounding cities. there are trucks ranging from un labled to shell/exxon etc loading every day.

Two questions, if you know?

1) I assume an entire truckload is delivered. How much residual is left in the truck? Is it generally rounding error?
2) primarily due to above, do the same trailers take Diesel, regular, Premium, etc? Or are those trailers specific to what is being hauled?

 

[BrendanC]

l

Two questions, if you know?

1) I assume an entire truckload is delivered. How much residual is left in the truck? Is it generally rounding error?
2) primarily due to above, do the same trailers take Diesel, regular, Premium, etc? Or are those trailers specific to what is being hauled?

this is a seperate portion of our business, i am not in that segment at all. i just know how it works. we do not handle ANY trucking, just supply.

 

[kschachn]

Then Carroll fuel is getting cheaper fuels from third world contities.. so it may or may not actually be carroll fuels , but acquire cheap/poor fuels from third or fourth world countries.

How do you know this? How is the fuel getting here from those refineries? Which countries are these that you're referring to?

Otherwise it is a bunch of unsubstantiated nonsense and your whole thread here (like the first one you made) is just some sort of rant and vendetta against this Carroll Fuels.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Then Carroll fuel is getting cheaper fuels from third world contities.. so it may or may not actually be carroll fuels , but acquire cheap/poor fuels from third or fourth world countries.

THE RUSSIAN GHOST FLEET IS COMING!

Trust me, this is not the case. You don't just roll a unmarked tanker into a port and unload.

If there is an issue with Carroll - then its likely to do with their storage tank. My dad had issues with water in some fuel he bought years ago, which did cause all kinds of issues. If you really want to find out - go buy a small sample and send it off for analysis. If it is contaminated, it happened in the truck or at the station - not at the distribution center.

 

[Kira]

Just to chime in, a few years ago, a pal groused incessantly about lousy fuel from a regional chain; Cumberland Farms.
I never had a problem with their fuel and due to their competitive pricing I fueled up there predominately.

His travel routes had him buying gas at the same station....so I whispered into the manager's ear one day.
It all better now.
All you can do is guess how it happened.

Like my "CGT" (Cheapest Gas in Town) station who's gas made my CEL come on. I'd go to other stations and the light would self extinguish. Went back to CGT and the light returned. Other gas = joy.
Experiment over.