is this an old wives tale or legit? i go to costco gas a lot in the evenings and the tanker truck is frequently there, is it bad to get gas while the truck is there or is this just a ridiculous myth? my thinking is that costco goes through so much gas that it is fresh and i would assume costco keeps their underground tanks in good shape...
Gas tanker truck at station when you go...
- Thread starter sharpmoney
- Start date
I always heard the same thing and to be honest I dont get gas at a station if they are filling the tank or I think they just finished. This is a left over habit from 50 years ago. I worked in gas stations as a kid in the late 60's early 70's and the tanks were steel and there were not filters on the pumps. Tank pickups were 8" or so off the bottom and most stations only got trucks in once a week or less. Water tended to stay on the bottom because there was no ethanol in the gas. Since then all the metal tanks have been removed because of rust through leaks and water does not stay in an E10 tank if it could even get in now with the regs about leaking vapors and sealed caps. So while I know the problems have been fixed and everything is ok, I still dont fill up when the tanker is there.
I wouldn't worry at Costco, but low volume stations.......no thanks, I'll go to the next one.
thankfully only about 1.5mi from home so i always turn around and come back later, just wondering if i'm being nuts being that it is 2021 and not the 1980s.
I went to fill up the other day at a small station, but the truck was parked in front of the pumps and I didn’t feel like driving around to get to the other side. So I went elsewhere. Otherwise I don’t care and will fill up, not had issues in years.
I just can’t.
In the 1970s, during the gas crisis, I was with my Dad when he filled up his VW Karmann Ghia at a station that was being filled by the tanker truck. Now, during the crisis, you could only fill up every other day, even license plates on even days odd plates on odd days, and the lines were often half an hour, an hour, or more.
So, being low on gas, and not being able to fill up the next day, or even, really, going to another station, Dad filled up, even though he didn’t like the truck being there.
The VW sputtered to a stop a block after filling up and wouldn’t start.
The local garage drained sand, water and gunk from the VW tank, and had to blow out the fuel line and replace the filter.
I just can’t fill up when a tanker truck is at the station. Sure, it’s not the gas crisis of nearly fifty years ago, and tanks are better, so are pumps and filters, but I just can’t.
In the 1970s, during the gas crisis, I was with my Dad when he filled up his VW Karmann Ghia at a station that was being filled by the tanker truck. Now, during the crisis, you could only fill up every other day, even license plates on even days odd plates on odd days, and the lines were often half an hour, an hour, or more.
So, being low on gas, and not being able to fill up the next day, or even, really, going to another station, Dad filled up, even though he didn’t like the truck being there.
The VW sputtered to a stop a block after filling up and wouldn’t start.
The local garage drained sand, water and gunk from the VW tank, and had to blow out the fuel line and replace the filter.
I just can’t fill up when a tanker truck is at the station. Sure, it’s not the gas crisis of nearly fifty years ago, and tanks are better, so are pumps and filters, but I just can’t.
I avoid the station if they are filling. Despite improvements to the tanks and the filter systems, I have still had to have my truck towed home a day after buying Speedway diesel in a busy station on the interstate. Coincidently Speedway claimed the water couldnt have come from their station 
I think this is less of an issue now due to the tank materials changing but that doesn't mean that there isn't some other contaminant in the gas that the delivery may stir up. There are filters on the pumps that are supposed to trap this stuff, but given that many of the stations can't be bothered to replace the paper in the receipt printer, I wonder how often the filters are serviced.
Personally, unless I'm desperate, I move on.
I had this discussion with a coworker years ago, and he brought up the point that I have no way of knowing if a truck just left the station and I'm there pumping that stirred-up gas. My response to that was that it's a true statement, but if the truck is there, I do know that it's stirring up the gas in the tank at that moment and I move along.
Personally, unless I'm desperate, I move on.
I had this discussion with a coworker years ago, and he brought up the point that I have no way of knowing if a truck just left the station and I'm there pumping that stirred-up gas. My response to that was that it's a true statement, but if the truck is there, I do know that it's stirring up the gas in the tank at that moment and I move along.
Truck could have left 5 minutes before you got there but won't you don't know won't hurt you, huh ?
Kind of like how many boyfriends your wife had before you met.Truck could have left 5 minutes before you got there but won't you don't know won't hurt you, huh ?
Scott
No mater how much gas they go though when the fill that tank it disturbs what is on the bottom. It really depends on the stations pump filters.
Back in the 70's I worked for a bulk gasoline distributor. Once a year the pipeline feeding the local gas depot would flush the lines and the gas came out filthy, The whole tanker load. Phillips 66 at the time. It stopped the wife's Ranchero dead after getting some gas on the way to work. Cheap easy to change gas filters on the old Ford carbs saved the day.
Back in the 70's I worked for a bulk gasoline distributor. Once a year the pipeline feeding the local gas depot would flush the lines and the gas came out filthy, The whole tanker load. Phillips 66 at the time. It stopped the wife's Ranchero dead after getting some gas on the way to work. Cheap easy to change gas filters on the old Ford carbs saved the day.
I’ve always understood that ethanol is heavier than gasoline, so when the tanks get filled, the heavier ethanol sinks to the bottom. So you get more ethanol just after the tanks are filled. As the tanks go down, you get less ethanol in your tank. At least it sounds plausible .
No ethanol does not separate until it absorbs too much water. Great way to take the ethanol out of gas BTW.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
What kind of filters do stations typical have? Why aren’t they clogging with all of the sediment you guys are so worried about?
Water intrusion? That’s what concerns me. Do stations have a way of getting rid of the water that may accumulate? I don’t care how tight the tanks are, there’s got to be SOME water in some tanks, if not all of them.
Water intrusion? That’s what concerns me. Do stations have a way of getting rid of the water that may accumulate? I don’t care how tight the tanks are, there’s got to be SOME water in some tanks, if not all of them.
Yup! I got bad diesel from my local Speedway not long after they had brand new tanks put in. Filled the water separator in the ~10 miles back to my house. They reimbursed for the tow, having the tank pumped, fuel, the whole 9 yards. To be honest I was praying they were going to need to pay for new injectors... rather on their dime than mine. That fuel up coulda saved me thousands, dangit!I avoid the station if they are filling. Despite improvements to the tanks and the filter systems, I have still had to have my truck towed home a day after buying Speedway diesel in a busy station on the interstate. Coincidently Speedway claimed the water couldnt have come from their station
Bad part is they're the only diesel station within 25 miles.
