dodgediesel4x4

Does anyone know if diesel is filtered from the supply truck to the tank underneath the gas station and then to the pump? It rained all day today and as I drove by a gas station, I saw the supply truck filling up the below ground tank at the store. I know for a fact that rain water had to enter the connections between the truck and tank at one time or another.

Is this diesel fuel filtered at all before it enters our expensive engines? I know that most pumps do have a filter on the hose up top, but is there anything else?

Also, when the driver/supplier checks the level of the store's diesel with their measuring stick, can't they also contaminate our precious diesel??

Hunter

y-knot

There is no filter for the fuel as it exits the tanker truck, it just runs out and into the holding tank. There are filters between the holding tank and the pump. If you have ever been pumping the fuel and it was just barely running, that was because those filters were clogged up, and were in need of a change. I have always been told that if there is a fuel tanker filling the underground tanks, don't get your fuel there. The tanker with it's fuel flowing into the holding tank, will stir-up all the sediment that is setting in the bottom of the tank. And you don't want this stuff in your truck. It had sense to me so I always went by it? I suppose the reasoning is the filters would clog up, and the by-pass would open and allow the sediment Thur.

2manydogs

The guy with the dipstick on the truck and the station should both have a paste that can be put on the end of the stick to check for water. Now, from then on, I think it's whether or not any one cares as to what happens if they discover water in the tanks. I would think with all the new hi-tech storage tanks they would have their own "water in fuel" light built in! My old shop was in the repair bays of an OLD gas station, were talking the 50's here. For the whole time we were there, 15 years, the only time the filter at the pump would get cleaned (by me) would be when a trucker would complain of low flow, like Y-not said. For the price, that stuff should be cleaner than a cat's behind ! Jim

quantrill88

my advice would be to buy your diesel from a truck stop if at all possible, and if not, a station that has alot of diesel traffic.

my reason for this is, I once filled up at a small station in the city and ended up with a bad tank of fuel...........ended up stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere on my way to back to school. apparently it clogged my fuel filter and killed my lift pump. not fun....

just a thought....
jeff

infidel

I talked with a fellow a few years ago who's job was sucking out the bottom of service station tanks and hauling the fuel in for reprocessing for Exxon.
So I guess that says that at least Exxon takes care of it's tanks.

jrs_dodge_diesel

About the dipstick, there is a paste they can smear on the stick. It is usually brown in color. Whenever it comes in contact with water down in the tank, it turns red.

When the tanker is there, don't fill up right then. As stated earlier, it stirs up the sediment in the bottom. It also stirs up what water is in the tanks too.

There is a filter between the tank and pump. The truck stops sometimes also have a filter on the hose at the pump for extra filtration.

Monty

Pump filters are usually only 30 micron. This may have been okay 5-10 years ago. But, with the new fuel systems that put the fuel under such extreme pressures, a particle that will pass thru a 30 micron filter will reek havoc on the fuel system components. This is why you should run the best fuel filter possible such as a 2 micron especially when dealing with HEUI, or Common Rail fuel systems.

Dieseldude4x4

A normal filter will not seperate water from the fuel very well, my last two tanks of fuel from a station up the road here is proof of that. I got a shot of water so big from the tank, it shut the truck down. I thought I had blown a head gasket it put out so much white smoke before it died. By the time the WIF light came on, it was too late.
Only something like a diatomacious (spelling) filter will trap the water and not very many places have them if any. We have them on the turbine lube oil filters at work to remove the water from the turbine lube oil obviously. The low flow rate through your filter should allow the water to settle to the bottom where it can be harmlessly drained out and disposed of.
If you see a tanker filling up the tank, go elsewhere for a day or two to get fuel.