Community Forums

timjet · 02-10-2020, 05:53 AM

I think maybe you had a fuel pump issue before refueling and it was just coincidental that your rig would not maintain speed after fueling. Replacing the fuel filter after fueling may have reduced any slight restriction allowing the fuel pump to provide enough fuel but it still wasn't working properly.

I have used Love's and Pilot/Flying J many times and have never had a problem.

Do you store your rig with the fuel tank full? Doing so will reduce water due to condensation in your tank.

lwmcguire · 02-10-2020, 05:59 AM

Like others we see all the stalled vehicles along the road from bad fuel

The first thing you do is check your fuel water separator if you have issues

Bad to have issues but be careful creating stories without facts to back them up

hohenwald48 · 02-10-2020, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MingusPirate

We will not purchase fuel from Flying J, T/A, or Pilot as we get half the fuel mileage than from Costco, Chevron, or Shell. Even Kroger/Fry's is better.

Are you saying you double your fuel mileage by using Costco fuel? That sounds incredible. [emoji849]

gatorcq · 02-10-2020, 07:10 AM

If we pick up bad Diesel - Don't you think there would be MORE Trucks and Rv's on the side of the Road?

Can you imagine, the InterState, many Trucks pulled over due to Bad Fuel?

As the poster stated - He found a bad pump- Fuel does not take out a pump. So, IMO, it was already starter to show signs of Failure.

Dav L · 02-10-2020, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MingusPirate

We will not purchase fuel from Flying J, T/A, or Pilot as we get half the fuel mileage than from Costco, Chevron, or Shell. Even Kroger/Fry's is better.

What? Don't think that is an issue.

Ivylog · 02-10-2020, 01:07 PM

Lift pump leaking has nothing to do with “bad” fuel or lack of power. Lift pump only runs for 30 seconds and once the engine starts, a gear driven pump supplies the fuel. One filter change is not going to solve a load of bad fuel.

BOOZE TRAVEL · 02-10-2020, 05:53 PM

I had bad fuel once. I’m sure not from a pump. Had to change primary and secondary filters 3 times in 600 mi. When we got home, full throttle made 50mph.
The next day I called a friend that is a long time Cat mechanic to ask if he thought it could be a pump problem.
He had me cut a filter and put it in the sun. When I called later he asked what color the filter turned. It was either brown or green, I don’t remember. Anyway, witch ever color it was told him it was bacteria and not algae. Evidently the bio diesel added to dino fuel can grow bacteria. I have treated diesel with Power Service or Howes for 20 yrs with no problem, but it does nothing for bacteria. Now when I will be stationary for more than a month I add the bio treatment at last fill up and the first fill up after departure.
No problem since. I change filters yearly and keep 2 of each in the basement.

Steve578 · 02-10-2020, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie65

I Picked up a load of contaminated diesel fuel from Pilot in Meridian Ms. I filed a claim with Pilot, replaced the filter and drove home with no problem. Pilot asked if I wanted to get my RV checked out by a mechanic, I told them no as I didn't notice a problem driving home. I signed a release and was reimbursed for the fuel and filters. A few weeks later I brought the RV to a shop to get annual maintenance done and they discovered my primary electric fuel pump was leaking badly. The pump was replaced and since I had signed a release Pilot would do nothing more. My fault since I had signed a release and lesson learned. Don't drive any further than you have to before you change your fuel filter and get your rig checked before signing a release.

Fuel contamination will not cause a fuel pump to leak. The leak was probably coincidence. Fuel contamination by dirt, rust, bacteria and water happens at times. One of the worst contaminants is gasoline which can cause severe engine damage if the concentration is even a low level. I always do a sniff check on the nozzle before filling up. Even small amounts of gasoline make diesel fuel smell like gas. I always keep receipts for fuel purchases just in case there's a problem after a fill up.

grindstone01 · 02-10-2020, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie65

I Picked up a load of contaminated diesel fuel from Pilot in Meridian Ms. I filed a claim with Pilot, replaced the filter and drove home with no problem. Pilot asked if I wanted to get my RV checked out by a mechanic, I told them no as I didn't notice a problem driving home. I signed a release and was reimbursed for the fuel and filters. A few weeks later I brought the RV to a shop to get annual maintenance done and they discovered my primary electric fuel pump was leaking badly. The pump was replaced and since I had signed a release Pilot would do nothing more. My fault since I had signed a release and lesson learned. Don't drive any further than you have to before you change your fuel filter and get your rig checked before signing a release.

How did you conclude that bad fuel caused a fuel pump to leak?? That's just not logical!

153stars · 02-10-2020, 07:01 PM

The injector pump can start drawing air from the leak at lift pump.
I have seen large overhung lift pumps at work loose prime from the mechanical seal but not leak a drop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivylog

Lift pump leaking has nothing to do with “bad” fuel or lack of power. Lift pump only runs for 30 seconds and once the engine starts, a gear driven pump supplies the fuel. One filter change is not going to solve a load of bad fuel.

MingusPirate · 02-11-2020, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJStough

What do you suppose is the reason?

We have no idea,other than it is crummy diesel for our engine. We buy from Chevron, etc. and get 11 to 12 mpg towing. When we buy at the commercial diesel/truck places we get 6 to 8 mpg, consistently. We run a 6.7 Cummins without DEF. As a result we avoid t/A, Pilot, and Flying J. I know 10,000 truckers can't be wrong, but mostly they can't get into the other places we can. Maybe their diesels are different. We have heard that some run on used McDonalds french fry oil. I don't know. We just avoid them and use what we do. We have confirmed this several times with both the fuel consumption gauge on the truck and miles before fill-up, the old fashioned way.

MingusPirate · 02-11-2020, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dav L

What? Don't think that is an issue.

Did you ever bother to check? We did and found it to be an issue.

MingusPirate · 02-11-2020, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

Are you saying you double your fuel mileage by using Costco fuel? That sounds incredible. [emoji849]

No I said that using T/A, Flying J, and Pilot cuts my fuel usage almost in half. Using Chevron, Shell, and Costco gives me normal and expected mileage and when compared with people dragging similar rigs.

Crasher · 02-11-2020, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MingusPirate

No I said that using T/A, Flying J, and Pilot cuts my fuel usage almost in half. Using Chevron, Shell, and Costco gives me normal and expected mileage and when compared with people dragging similar rigs.

That's the same as saying you get twice the mileage with Costco as you get with Flying J. I would like to see that in actual testing. If that were the case, those three companies would have been out of business years ago.

Also, I would bet that they all get their fuel from the same terminal where they add their own additives. We have such a terminal near our WI home and you see different brand trucks going to the same tank.