Bad experience with slow diesel pump...

[Cray Paper]

One of the latest threads got me thinking about an incident that happened to me and my kids about a month ago at a Chevron near our home. Every once in a awhile their pumps run really slow. Just so happened that I was at the place I have bought fuel for well over ten years and the frigging pumps was running slow. Like 20 minutes for 20 gallons slow. By the time I realized it was slow pump day I was in already 5 gallons in to filling my duramax with diesel fuel. I figured F it, I'll wait it out and set the handle on max and stuffed it in to the tank and sat back inside the truck with my kids and started BS'ing. I could see the nozzle in the mirror and was keeping an eye on it. When it went past 26 gallons I commented to my kids that the pump wasn't calibrated because it should only have taken about 23 - 24 gallons yet we were on 26. It was well below freezing so I thought that may have had something to do with it. When it hit 27 gallons I got out and saw the slow dribbling out of the fuel fill and several gallons of diesel on the ground.

I called the register via the intercom, she couldnt comprehend what I was saying about a large fuel spill. About 5 minutes later the kid working the car wash comes out and says no problem. I had pulled my truck out of the fuel spill and warned other people about it so they didnt track it all over the place. The puddle was mixed with melting snow and about 50' across, I'm like welp, you got this later!

Not sure a gas pump would have done the same, but I think it would have. Anyone else had the same thing happen?

 

[monkeyswrench]

Pumped a fair amount of diesel, never had the leak issue. Lots of slow pumps though. I wonder if water content froze up and split a seal? Crappy thing is you had to pay for the fuel on the ground!

 

[Your ad here]

It happened to my brother once. He told the clerk then went on his way. I have had the slow pump before. Here's a trick that works most of the time. Shut the nozzle off for about 5 seconds. You'll hear the pump change tone. Pull the lever and the fuel will come out faster. On a side note, if you are filling up with a high flow nozzle put it on the slowest setting and take cover. First time I filled with a high flow the nozzle shot out of the fill neck and hosed me down with diesel.

 

[Melloyellovector]

Had almost identical deal happen at chevron near me, no freezing temps.
Was same rate, stupid slow, sat in truck said screw it. The other 2 stations near me were out. I assume chevron was pumping fumes. But sure as shit pump kept running. I dumped prob 10gl give or take on the ground. And it happened multiple times there w other trucks that week because I fill up nearly daily there and every day I’d see a new spill. Lol

 

[$hot]

It's a leak prevention! Like said above just stop the flow, let it rest and get going. Seems to be unique to diesel pumps at slower stations. Sucks you had to pay for it though, that equipment is never defective

 

[blefever]

If diesel pumps are running slow it's usually a dirty filter in the system at the pump. Junk on the bottom of the tank can get stirred up when the tanker is filling the tanks and plug the filter at the pump. Or if they just don't change the filters often enough. Diesel is a very dirty fuel.

 

[red ant]

If I can't get the diesel pump to run fast, I leave. Much better than taking the chance on dirty fuel.

 

[$hot]

If diesel pumps are running slow it's usually a dirty filter in the system at the pump. Junk on the bottom of the tank can get stirred up when the tanker is filling the tanks and plug the filter at the pump. Or if they just don't change the filters often enough. Diesel is a very dirty fuel.

So if the filter is restricting the flow, how can it be rest to a higher rate?

 

[blefever]

So if the filter is restricting the flow, how can it be rest to a higher rate?

It's not always a dirty filter. Yes, sometimes just a quick on and off of the handle will pick it up, but that is a different issue. That works with gas as well sometimes. But again, if a diesel pump is slow, most likely it's a dirty filter. Yes, I did own a mini mart and experience this first hand. Changed my fair share of filters.