Contaminated fuel - U.K.

[Frenchcropper]

All,

Anyone else suffered from contaminated fuel recently? Filled up at a supermarket forecourt, (yes yes I know - it was an emergency!) about 2 weeks ago when "flying on vapours", (as Maverick would say, though he had a Ninja! Ho hum) at a shop who claim that every little helps.... Next time the bike would not start at all, and traced down to very off smelling petrol (smelt of damp/musty cardboard); fuel duly drained and system flushed. When placed in a bowl a light oily residue settled out at the bottom of the liquid. Then started a dream on fresh fuel.

Have sent off a letter accordingly, awaiting response. Suspect it is not linked to issues earlier in the year.

Btw, it was Tesco in Portsmouth, Hants!

1999 GSX750W Inazuma.


Cheers

PB

[KatanaSoldier]

The 2 times I have filled up at this certain gas station, the Kat did not run smooth! Never again!

[Frenchcropper]

Geography

It must be the dregs! But as you say KS, never again.

[The CyberPoet]

Tesco! That makes sense. It actually sounds like water, not diesel, which are the only two contaminants that typically get into the under-ground tanks.

So what did you do with your unused crud-fuel? I'd take back to the management and ask for a refund

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Mat0302]

There is a Hess gas station near me that I use to go to all the time. My bike was was good and strong, then one day it started sputtering and took a long time to get warmed up, It sounded like it was on 3 cylinders most of the time. The tach was bouncing like crazy. I thought something was wrong with the carbs, but figured I would run techron through the feul and run it out of gas before I took the whole thing apart to check the engine. I got down to empty and went to the chevron up the street, and the next day it was like nothing ever happened. So least to say, there must have been water in the gas and I haven't been back to the Hess again.

[Frenchcropper]

Petrol

CP,

Possibly water, difficult to tell though; though def not diesel. I showed it to a local mechanic type who didn't think it was water. It appeared to be a darker goldenish colour than petrol, and I assume water would appear more, er, watery???

Though the most bizarre thing was the smell, as I said. It had this bitter dry smell; and fresh petrol smelt sweet in comparison. That said, I didn't taste it at all!

I left it with the mechanic, but have fired off a letter to Tesco. They had a PR fiasco earlier this year when a few hundred cars ground to a halt on their petrol, turns out it was contaminated with silica.... Though a PR kick-in-the-teeth for them, I figured the bad publicity back then would make them sensitive to my complaint. And as I cannot prove their petrol was to blame, [my word against theirs] I am limited as to how much I can scream and holler. If they had similar complaints, I have faith that they will entertain my complaint. Will let you know.

Cheers


-------------------------------

Tesco! That makes sense. It actually sounds like water, not diesel, which are the only two contaminants that typically get into the under-ground tanks.

So what did you do with your unused crud-fuel? I'd take back to the management and ask for a refund

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[steves]

I would simply vote by taking my business elsewhere.

I'd suggest that if you have not, you should drain the gas out of the carbs as well...

[The CyberPoet]

Possibly water, difficult to tell though; though def not diesel. I showed it to a local mechanic type who didn't think it was water. It appeared to be a darker goldenish colour than petrol, and I assume water would appear more, er, watery???

I am curious as to what it is...
Water in fuel typically discolors over time because of the fuel-eating bacteria that tend to live on the water/petrol boundary (their waste products end up in the water, discoloring it, and at the same time, their eating habits break down the fuel's potency). Most fuel-distributors use some form of preventative to help slow the rate of growth (and pump pick-ups normally are designed to float above the water level), but if Tesco had a lot of water in their tanks from snow run-off AND a bio-contamination problem, it could have defeated the additives, esp. if the fuel was old (insufficient turn over, esp. in light of the other contamination problem they recently had).
Alcohol-laden fuels in an unsealed tank would increase the water draw; I don't know about the UK in specific, but the US has required fuel stations to have sealed tanks for eons, and a new set of requirements that went into effect a number of years ago goes even further (resulting in many stations either upgrading their tanks or closing).

Though the most bizarre thing was the smell, as I said. It had this bitter dry smell; and fresh petrol smelt sweet in comparison.

Bacterial contamination almost always causes the odd smells.

And I definitely agree with Steves' advice on draining the carb bowls as well.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Steveb]

and pump pick-ups normally are designed to float above the water level

I set them 6-8" above the bottom of the tank.

2" schedule 40 MI pipe (on a suction system) doesn't float...nor do 1-1/2 horsepower Red Jacket submersible pumps on pressure systems.

[The CyberPoet]

I set them 6-8" above the bottom of the tank.

2" schedule 40 MI pipe (on a suction system) doesn't float...nor do 1-1/2 horsepower Red Jacket submersible pumps on pressure systems.

So how often do station owners actively pump out their storage tanks to eliminate sediment and water?

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Steveb]

So how often do station owners actively pump out their storage tanks to eliminate sediment and water?

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

Sediment: When the cost of having us run around and change the dispenser filters over and over (sometimes daily!) finally sinks in. Usually only an issue in older, steel tanks...not glas tanks.

Water: Usually....never. When the water paste displays "a lot", the usual fix is a shot of alcohol...same principle as gas line antifreeze, only on a larger scale. With all gas having at least some alky content now, water hasn't really been a huge issue in in gas tanks, only fuel tanks. If it is, it's a leak, and usually triggers a tank yank, and contam cleanup. And a huge bill.
Largest one I've been involved with was $1.2 million, and the tanks were fine, it was a line issue, and an absurd installation. (Drainage piping under the tank nest, leading to a waterway. Pure evil genius.)

Daily dips for levels and water are the norm, btw. Dipsticks don't lie.

[Tokalosh]

"They had a PR fiasco earlier this year when a few hundred cars ground to a halt on their petrol, turns out it was contaminated with silica.... "


INCLUDING MY BIKE........

Took me a long time to get the bike running properly again.
Now I'm really fussy as to where I fill up.

Tok