Funny anecdote - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DieselPaul · #1 05-17-2010, 03:09 PM

I was running dangerously low on diesel... I know I know. So I stopped at Sunoco in the middle of nowhere in northern ohio. I went inside an handed the cashier $10 and said 10 on 10 please.

"Pump ten" he replied
"yeah, gold car"
"that pump is for trucks"
"excuse me"
"diesel pump"
"yeah?"
"diesel is for trucks you don't want diesel"
"its a diesel car, it'll be fine"
"are you sure you don't mean ethanol"
"diesel, its fine"

lol. I always sort of had been waiting for it, and it finally happened.

#2 05-17-2010, 03:26 PM

Beginning in 1977 I drove MB diesel cars something on the order of about 800,000 miles and had this sort of thing happen a number of times.

Once I had an elderly man run as hard as he could out to the truck pumps to warn me that I was putting diesel fuel in my car.

Another time I had a truck driver at a huge BP truck stop in Joplin, Missourri try to tell me that truck diesel fuel would burn valves in a car diesel engine. I asked him if he had ever seen a burnt valve in a diesel. That's when his eyes glazed over. I told him that my car had run over 400,000 miles on nothing but truck stop fuel and it still was running fine.

fruitmeister420 · #3 05-17-2010, 03:51 PM

I had an Indian Lady come running out of the station recently to warn me that I was at the wrong pump, she was all dressed up in the traditional garb, don't know what it's called. Her family runs the station. A couple of weeks later the Husband came out to warn me, turban and all, then he saw the Star and turned around....

DieselPaul · #4 05-17-2010, 03:54 PM

This guy was indian too.

Usually the guys are big Benz guys. I have a '78 280CE that is restored. There is an all Jordanian run Marathon and every time I bring it around whoever is working tries to buy it from me. Apparently they all had 230CEs in Jordan.

Aquaticedge · #5 05-17-2010, 04:12 PM

I had the attendant shut off the pump on me a couple times.. I Guess the Turbo Diesel badge isnt enough... I've since then switched stations..

MercFan · #6 05-17-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fruitmeister420

... she was all dressed up in the traditional garb, don't know what it's called...

I believe it's called a 'Sari'... though I'm not an expert on women's clothing...

ah-kay · #7 05-17-2010, 05:37 PM

It is a friendly reminder, what happened if it really was a gasser. Wouldn't you appreciate a friendly reminder like that?

It shows that we are backward in using diesel. Less then 2% of cars in US is diesel when Europe is over 50%, may be closer to 60%.

DieselPaul · #8 05-17-2010, 05:44 PM

yeah had I been an idiot and had a 300E it would have been a very friendly reminder. I wasn't a dick to the guy and I am not trying to slam him, I just thought the situation was humorous.

69shovlhed · #9 05-17-2010, 07:10 PM

i thought the deisel pump nozzles were supposed to be larger diam. so you can't stick it in a gas filler?

otto huber · #10 05-17-2010, 07:18 PM

What does more damage; 6oz. of diesel through a gasser, or 6oz. of gas through a diesel? I use that quantity assuming that you've driven a couple of miles before realizing the mistake.

vstech · #11 05-17-2010, 08:03 PM

pretty much all stations have a small percentage of diesel fuel in all their pumps. the same pipes carry both to the tankers, so it does get mixed. there's an allowable percentage of mix. so 6oz would not harm either vehicle. now, 6 gallons could do some harm to a small tank diesel car, but not on a tank with over 15gallons of capacity. I think you have to be something like 40% gasoline in ulsd before damage could occur...

layback40 · #12 05-17-2010, 09:57 PM

I once stopped at a police road block, they were checking cars looking for some one. This young police came running up to my old 300D waving to shut it down. He said to me it must be about to blow as it was rattling, when I said it was a diesel, he looked a bit stupid & and waved me through.
A few years ago I had a call from the girl at the insurance agent, she was updating my records, when she got to the fuel type question, she said 'petrol or LPG' I said 'neither'. It took some time to explain to her that cars as well as trucks could have diesel motors. In the end she said she would go home that night and explain it all to her boyfriend who was a mechanic. I bet she was bottle blond !!!!

t walgamuth · #13 05-18-2010, 06:12 AM

Where are they when you need them?

If only someone had stopped my lovely daughter #3 when she put petrol in my lovely 74 240d (she thought because the rubber thingie on the pump handle was green it meant diesel!)

shertex · #14 05-18-2010, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Where are they when you need them?

If only someone had stopped my lovely daughter #3 when she put petrol in my lovely 74 240d (she thought because the rubber thingie on the pump handle was green it meant diesel!)

Ditto for my lovely daughter #1. After hearing me boast of how she was driving a car with perhaps the best engine ever made (the 602), she called late one night in teary-eyed frustration: "Dad, this is NOT one of the best engines ever made!" This because she stalled out inexplicably on the highway fifteen minutes after fueling and couldn't start the car. She swore up and down she put in diesel, but when the car was towed to the shop, it was filled with gasoline.

tangofox007 · #15 05-18-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

...she thought because the rubber thingie on the pump handle was green it meant diesel!

I understand that BP wanted to market themselves as a "Green" company, so they use green on all their pumps. Maybe they should paint their oil containment booms green, too.