My lady friend and I were driving through town when she noticed a tanker truck at the gas station where two cars were filling up. She said it was stupid to fill up when the tanker truck was filling the tanks because it was stirring up all the sediment and crud in the bottom of the tank. My argument was that the filters on the pump should be enough to filter out any crud coming through the line. However, I had never heard this line of thinking until she told me. Simple question: Who's right?
Old Wives Tale?
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I've never heard of such a thing. Lol I wouldn't worry about filling up while the trucks were filling the tank...
I always USED to hear this decades ago, perhaps some of the older pumps didn't have adequate filtering on them back in the 70s and prior. I still have a reflex reaction NOT to use pumps where the tanker is dropping off a load of new fuel.
Could be wrong, but why take a risk.
It might also be related to water pockets being stirred up as well. but now that most fuel is treated with ethanol it also might not matter.
Could be wrong, but why take a risk.
It might also be related to water pockets being stirred up as well. but now that most fuel is treated with ethanol it also might not matter.
I've heard of that when I first started driving and I have always followed that advice. I don't know if it matters or not, but I also don't step on cracks or walk under ladders and heaven help me if a black cat crosses my path.
Years ago I worked for a company that removed old tanks and installed new at gas stations. 99.9% of the tanks that we pulled out of the ground had at least 3 to 6 inches of sludge/dirt/crud in the bottom of them. I will never fill up when the tanker is there.
I've always stayed away when the tanker was there, but you never know if you are filling up 5 minutes after the tanker left and the sludge hasn't settled yet?
The pumps have auto type can filters.
I believe it was more of an issue when the in-ground tanks were steel. At this time most tanks are fiberglass composite, cleaner and less susceptible to condensation. This is similar to developments in automobile fuel systems.
Another aspect is safety. They're handling a lot of highly flammable liquid when they drop a load. I simply prefer not to be around that.
Another aspect is safety. They're handling a lot of highly flammable liquid when they drop a load. I simply prefer not to be around that.
More concern by far where I live is water contamination. Yes the filters should catch the crud, but I doubt they would trap water.
I won't gas up if I see a station being filled by a tanker. Too easy to go a block or two down the road.
I won't gas up if I see a station being filled by a tanker. Too easy to go a block or two down the road.
I avoid getting fuel when a tanker is unloading. Why guess? Ed
That's why you buy from modern high volume stations, they have better tanks. The old out of the way stations with old tanks probably have a nice layer of [censored] on the bottom.
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I work for a tank truck company, and the general thought is to not fuel while the truck is unloading. Any sediment stirred up does settle quickly, though. I don't fuel up while the truck is unloading, FWIW.
CHANGE YOUR FUEL FILTERS!!!!
There's a few YouTube videos of old fuel filters being dissected that are terrible. (Google is your friend.)
And I've had a few myself that were full of what appeared to be sand and coated in tar.
Supposedly there are filters on fuel pumping stations, when I've seen them they look like FL1A sized spin on fuel filters. However, I've never heard of a recommended interval between changes. So whether or not they work regularly is anybodies guess.
You will never know what is in your gas. A tanker truck could of just left, or left hours ago, and fine sediment would/could be suspended for hours or days.
Even in high volume places, if they have an issue it would be spread out amongst the high volume.
Change your fuel filters, it's easier than replacing the fuel pump.
Your fuel pump will thank you!
There's a few YouTube videos of old fuel filters being dissected that are terrible. (Google is your friend.)
And I've had a few myself that were full of what appeared to be sand and coated in tar.
Supposedly there are filters on fuel pumping stations, when I've seen them they look like FL1A sized spin on fuel filters. However, I've never heard of a recommended interval between changes. So whether or not they work regularly is anybodies guess.
You will never know what is in your gas. A tanker truck could of just left, or left hours ago, and fine sediment would/could be suspended for hours or days.
Even in high volume places, if they have an issue it would be spread out amongst the high volume.
Change your fuel filters, it's easier than replacing the fuel pump.
Your fuel pump will thank you!
Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
CHANGE YOUR FUEL FILTERS!!!!
There's a few YouTube videos of old fuel filters being dissected that are terrible. (Google is your friend.)
And I've had a few myself that were full of what appeared to be sand and coated in tar.
Supposedly there are filters on fuel pumping stations, when I've seen them they look like FL1A sized spin on fuel filters. However, I've never heard of a recommended interval between changes. So whether or not they work regularly is anybodies guess.
You will never know what is in your gas. A tanker truck could of just left, or left hours ago, and fine sediment would/could be suspended for hours or days.
Even in high volume places, if they have an issue it would be spread out amongst the high volume.
Change your fuel filters, it's easier than replacing the fuel pump.
Your fuel pump will thank you!
You can't change the fuel filter on many newer vehicles. The filter is built into the fuel pump, my Fords are all like that.
CHANGE YOUR FUEL FILTERS!!!!
There's a few YouTube videos of old fuel filters being dissected that are terrible. (Google is your friend.)
And I've had a few myself that were full of what appeared to be sand and coated in tar.
Supposedly there are filters on fuel pumping stations, when I've seen them they look like FL1A sized spin on fuel filters. However, I've never heard of a recommended interval between changes. So whether or not they work regularly is anybodies guess.
You will never know what is in your gas. A tanker truck could of just left, or left hours ago, and fine sediment would/could be suspended for hours or days.
Even in high volume places, if they have an issue it would be spread out amongst the high volume.
Change your fuel filters, it's easier than replacing the fuel pump.
Your fuel pump will thank you!
You can't change the fuel filter on many newer vehicles. The filter is built into the fuel pump, my Fords are all like that.
That could have had some validity back in the day. But some of the truck stops I frequent with my semi truck, they have tankers bringing in fuel around the clock, back to back. Makes sense they have to when they have 6-10 fuel islands that consistently have commercial trucks filling at most of the time and taking on an average 100 gallons of fuel per truck. A typical semi truck fuels in 10 minutes or less. Obviously, gas stations don't see that kind of volume. But I am like others who feel the pump fuel filters are catching most of the crud. And anyone who has serviced those pumps know, most modern fuel pumps also have water separator filters on them.
And even if one is worried about any water being mixed up in the fuel when the tanker is dropping gas, keep in mind, the station fuel pumps you are using are getting their fuel from near the bottom of the tank. If water is an issue with a gas station, you risk getting a higher concentration when everything has settled than when the tanker is dropping gas. Sometimes it does pay to think thru the technical details instead of making broad assumptions. A prof in college, my Physics 201 course I believe, said it clearly... don't make half vast conclusions using half vast data. Now say that real fast a few times.
And even if one is worried about any water being mixed up in the fuel when the tanker is dropping gas, keep in mind, the station fuel pumps you are using are getting their fuel from near the bottom of the tank. If water is an issue with a gas station, you risk getting a higher concentration when everything has settled than when the tanker is dropping gas. Sometimes it does pay to think thru the technical details instead of making broad assumptions. A prof in college, my Physics 201 course I believe, said it clearly... don't make half vast conclusions using half vast data. Now say that real fast a few times.
Where is the gas pump inlet at in the tank? Middle or bottom? So why would you not get the crud from the bottom if the inlet is already there?
Similar thinking with the tank in your car. The fuel pump is at the bottom so always submerged "in the crud".
I just don't worry about it. Has served me well for almost a million miles now.
Similar thinking with the tank in your car. The fuel pump is at the bottom so always submerged "in the crud".
I just don't worry about it. Has served me well for almost a million miles now.
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
More concern by far where I live is water contamination. Yes the filters should catch the crud, but I doubt they would trap water.
I can't speak for other stations, but at least some of the Shells here do have a mechanism that detects water at the pump and shuts things down when it gets above whatever predetermined level they've set. Nonetheless, I don't fill while the fuel is being unloaded.
At the farm, it was practice never to fill a tractor with diesel right after the shipment, since a slip tank or big tank at the farm isn't treated with the same regulations and procedures that a real fuel pump at a retail location might be.
More concern by far where I live is water contamination. Yes the filters should catch the crud, but I doubt they would trap water.
I can't speak for other stations, but at least some of the Shells here do have a mechanism that detects water at the pump and shuts things down when it gets above whatever predetermined level they've set. Nonetheless, I don't fill while the fuel is being unloaded.
At the farm, it was practice never to fill a tractor with diesel right after the shipment, since a slip tank or big tank at the farm isn't treated with the same regulations and procedures that a real fuel pump at a retail location might be.
It's not an old wives tale, and I won't do it.
Servo that I worked in during my gap year was seriously high volume, and as per TiredTrucker's testimony, the turnover kept the tanks clean by stirring them up.
Low volume, and with ethanol, and acetobacteria it can be a different outcome.
The underground tanks that I've managed (turbine oil, diesel, and gasoline/E10) all had fuel offtakes some inches off the bottom, giving ample ability for stuff to sit there forever without any issue at all, until shaken up.
We had an underground turbine oil common storage tank run very low, and when the delivery finally came, the auto refill of the turbine oil individual main tanks kicked in and filters clogged like crazy...camera inspection was not very pretty.
Particularly with gasoline, the settling velocity of a particle is high, so by the time the tanker has driven off, there's probably no risk.
See one there, (and there's not one there every day you drive past), then don't refuel.
Servo that I worked in during my gap year was seriously high volume, and as per TiredTrucker's testimony, the turnover kept the tanks clean by stirring them up.
Low volume, and with ethanol, and acetobacteria it can be a different outcome.
The underground tanks that I've managed (turbine oil, diesel, and gasoline/E10) all had fuel offtakes some inches off the bottom, giving ample ability for stuff to sit there forever without any issue at all, until shaken up.
We had an underground turbine oil common storage tank run very low, and when the delivery finally came, the auto refill of the turbine oil individual main tanks kicked in and filters clogged like crazy...camera inspection was not very pretty.
Particularly with gasoline, the settling velocity of a particle is high, so by the time the tanker has driven off, there's probably no risk.
See one there, (and there's not one there every day you drive past), then don't refuel.
I probably told this story before, but for a couple months, I was panicked every time I tried to go to the Husky Truck Stop for fuel. During delivery, something "happened" to the truck. I don't know if an axle broke, or what, but it sat there, sort of askew, for about two months before someone towed it away. It took a couple visits to realize that this is the same truck that hasn't moved an inch.
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