dodgy fuel problem.. what next?

zuroph · 07-11-2011 6:40pm #1

So My van broke down friday evening. I've had trouble with a valve on the engine several times, and the same symptoms happened again, so we put it down to that. However, when the mechanic dipped my tank today, the diesel was VERY VERY clear, much clearer than standard stuff. Almost looked like water, and smelled much weaker. He figured it might be part of the problem and had to drain approx 50 litres of the stuff from the van. We've put in new diesel and the problem persists, so it may be a coincidence. But, what do you do in this instance? I think I know where I bought the fuel last, and there's definitely something dodgy about it, it came from a branded petrol station, filled last Tuesday.

MugMugs · 07-11-2011 6:55pm

So you don't know if it was dodgy fuel or not ?

zuroph · 07-11-2011 7:21pm

well the fuel was almost clear as water, and had some bubbles in it where stuff hadnt mixed. compared to regular diesel, it was much clearer, lighter in colour, and had less of a smell off it.

MarkR · 07-11-2011 7:24pm

zuroph wrote: »

So My van broke down friday evening. I've had trouble with a valve on the engine several times, and the same symptoms happened again, so we put it down to that. However, when the mechanic dipped my tank today, the diesel was VERY VERY clear, much clearer than standard stuff. Almost looked like water, and smelled much weaker. He figured it might be part of the problem and had to drain approx 50 litres of the stuff from the van. We've put in new diesel and the problem persists, so it may be a coincidence. But, what do you do in this instance? I think I know where I bought the fuel last, and there's definitely something dodgy about it, it came from a branded petrol station, filled last Tuesday.

If you're not sure where you got it, or if there is anything wrong with the fuel, and it may have cut out because of a previous problem, I'd say there's nit much you can do. You can send it for testing I suppose, but not much point unless you are sure where you got it from.

MugMugs · 07-11-2011 7:36pm

zuroph wrote: »

well the fuel was almost clear as water, and had some bubbles in it where stuff hadnt mixed. compared to regular diesel, it was much clearer, lighter in colour, and had less of a smell off it.

Ask your mechanic for clarity on this.

Ask him if he can directly link your vehicles failure with the fuel. Get your receipts together and if he can vouch that bad fuel caused your demise head off to the garage and make your complaint offering them the chance to obtain an independent assessment of the vehicle too.

But you need to know what the issue is first.

You can get the fuel tested yourself but it isn't cheap.

crosshair1 · 07-11-2011 7:42pm

What make model engine??

zuroph · 07-11-2011 7:47pm

citreon Dispatch 1.9 07 reg.

I'm not too worried about cost etc, its a company van, and TBH I couldnt be bothered doing the chasing. but I'm 99% certain the last time I fuelled up was at this particular garage, and the mechanic said he didnt trust the fuel at all and drained it all. he kept a sample for me.
I was more thinking along the line of what if its laundered fuel, should I be reporting the garage?

dodgy fuel problem.. what next?

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