Re: glass fuel bowl observation

Posted by HH56 On 2009/6/28 9:51:38

Have thought more and still believe the weak valve and pressure pushing the fuel back is the most reasonable explanation.

As far as the electric pumps, they are as prone to alcohol or additives destroying the rubber parts as mechanical pumps so that may be part of the issue--particularly the older ones.

Might be interesting to fit a diesel fuel water separator if one is available at a reasonable price and see if that is actually what is happening. I know condensation is a big issue here in winter but not so much summer.

As to the low end gas station, wouldn't necessarily condemn it early. We had an incident here early last year where shortly after filling up at a large local independent station, cars were dying and had to be towed. Later reports of same thing from other stations. Found that about all stations locally (including major branded) are supplied from the same tank farm. Someone had opened a wrong valve, mixed diesel and gasoline together and filled all the route trucks that previous evening. The independent was one of the first to get his supply & also one of the first on a major commute route which is why the reports started there.

Customers made a stink with the majors having same problem & same gas and their explanation was just because it says X or Y on our sign, it just means the product meets our standards--not that we necessarily produced it. Moral in this case, you pay 10 or 20 cents more a gallon for the name.

Fortunately, the tank farm absorbed somewhere close to a million in pumping out and replacing gas plus repair costs for hundreds of cars which had to have their tanks removed and drained plus injector work in some cases.