What Are Possible Symptoms of Bad Diesel Fuel?
 

As my black smoke/no power symptoms http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/339765-1995-e300d-weak-acceleration-black-smoke-above-2500-rpm.html came at roughly the time I filled up the tank for the first time, it made me curious what symptoms people have seen as the result of BAD FUEL (other than the obvious symptoms of contaminants clogging filters). I'm sure I've got bigger issues that need to be addressed....but it would be nice of bad fuel might be an explanation. 1995 E300D.

From Whunter a while back...http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/94728-bad-smelling-fuel-gag-gasp-choke.html

I heard something on the news a day or two ago about refinery issues, maybe that has something to do with the quality.

Yes
 

My favorite station got a BAD load yesterday.
Forced to shutdown their diesel pump because five consecutive customers stalled within one block of exiting the fuel station. :eek:

The fuel station drained/cleaned the tank over night, they will refill from another higher priced certified (truck stop) supplier tomorrow.

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just curious, making conversation, what is liability like in a situation like that ? say "Joe Habeeb's " little station or even a larger place fills me up with some water and destroys an injection pump or something similar to this ??

If you can prove it their liability insurance could handle it. In my opinion unless the vendor is ethical you will need others that got the same fuel load at about the same time otherwise to prove your case in my opinion.

Some modern diesels can be really expensive to get by a problem like this. You will get the hassle at some point unless you fuel at basic high volume truck places in my opinion.

Newer volkswagon diesels are just one car that you should be really careful about this in my opinion. I have heard the costs can be very high and not covered even by the warranty. This just may be hearsay though

ive encountered this with common rail cummins. Guy picked up some bad fuel from a station, truck would runish if you used starting fluid to fire it, and injectors were all scored, and it needed a new high pressure pump for the common rail. Rail was ok though

That unit is over 2k alone, and injectors new are 700 plus alone. We found used stuff out of a wrecked truck, but even then it was 1800 dollars in parts not including the labor of putting it all in.

After quite a few sour experiences - even from Sams club a few times I have resorted to use large truck stops to fill fuel. The regular fuel stop for me is a Flying J about 55 miles from my house.

They sell a bright yellow diesel fuel which says its B20, Nearly all other places diesel fuel has a green tinge and says anything from B5 to B20.

The last Chevron run by "Joe Habeeb" I got diesel from had fuel that had black stuff floating in it (I found this after I had to siphon it out from the tank because the car was running extemely poor).

This flying J fuel gives me an exhaust smell like the Big Renault or MAN trucks do in EU, a strong burnt coal smell but the truckies usually dont like me filling up from the big nozzles.

Just a flyer......My wife was driving our Chevette Diesel (Isusu) engine, and accidently filled up the car with gasoline. She got on I-95, and after about a mile, the car just lost power and would not go over 20 MPH. She pulled over to the shoulder, and a state trooper was kind enough to drive her home. When I arrived on the scene, I was able to drive the car, but no more than 20 mph. When I got home and put my nose by the fillup spout, I realized what had happened. Had to drain the take, and put in new diesel. No damage to speak. Just a thought.

Too bad it is so far away. Most members can find a large volume output source much nearer to them I hope.

Besides refinery issues. Some retailers are supplied with non dedicated tankers that are not cleaned out properly. Or even totally emptied. So you never know what was in them before loaded with your fuel.

Bad Diesel: Anything over $5.00/gallon....;)

Like the Chevron in Fresno on Maple in the Summer of 2005 - $5.15/gallon