Pumps and accuracy

MrMusician18

Just wondering how often this has happened to posters here and what they did about it. As a habit and due to a hatred of petrol stations I tend to drive my car from full to empty. Anyway I was out this evening and the fuel light came on so as I was close to a station, 3km (one I don't normally use), I drove on and filled it up. From experience and the specs I know that the my tank is 72l and the reserve is 7l, so I was expecting the pump to cut out at 65 as it normally does, but it kept filling to just past 70l. I was a little surprised.

I suppose there are a couple of things here, I could've overfilled the tank or my own guage could be out, or the pump could have been out of calibration. I'm sure I'm not the first poster to have a suspicion about a pump, so wondering what they did about it? Make some form of complaint or just not go back?

Also wondering if other posters notice this as a common enough issue, questioning the accuracy of the pumps? Can't say I've noticed it myself but I usually stick to a few stations I know near to my home.

Padre_Pio

My anecdotal experience working in s petrol station is that the profit margins are so small that it's not worth tricking with the pumps.

Del2005

Could have been an airlock. Was in Tesco a long time ago and pumped air from 2 different pumps. Got about a litre from one, went in and told the attendant, and half a litre from the other then drove off and always make sure that fuel is flowing now when I refuel.

If in doubt you can contact weights and measures, it is taken seriously. Was it a branded station?

Needles73

Del2005 wrote: »

Could have been an airlock. Was in Tesco a long time ago and pumped air from 2 different pumps. Got about a litre from one, went in and told the attendant, and half a litre from the other then drove off and always make sure that fuel is flowing now when I refuel.

If in doubt you can contact weights and measures, it is taken seriously. Was it a branded station?

How exactly do u make sure fuel is flowing before you refuel ?

Del2005

Needles73 wrote: »

How exactly do u make sure fuel is flowing before you refuel ?

Don't fully seat the nozzle when you start pumping

Darc19

Pumps are certified regularly.

Most will have a sticker showing when they were tested.


But pumps can malfunction just like any other mechanical item.

Maybe contact the station and give them the information.

Wishbone Ash

The given tank capacity doesn't include the filler pipe etc. If you fill to the brim. you'll get another few litres in. My tank is 55 litres, but I usually put 56/57 litres in it.

biko

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) governs the area of pump testing, and carries out regular checks on all suppliers of fuel to the general public.

Wetbench4

Are you sure the refill light always comes on at the same point? Some cars go by the range left rather than the amount of fuel left in the tank, and the range left changes according to the style of driving.

MrMusician18

Wetbench4 wrote: »

Are you sure the refill light always comes on at the same point? Some cars go by the range left rather than the amount of fuel left in the tank, and the range left changes according to the style of driving.

According to the book, it comes on with 7L left and I went in almost as soon as it came on. It was a branded station too. I take the point above that the issue could be with me, that I'm not accounting for the filler pipe or something but I did everything the same as I would normally do. I suppose all I have are my suspicions and no solid evidence. I'm reasonably sure if I go to the station they'll just say that I had less in my tank coming in than I thought I had when I fuelled and I've nothing to counter that.

I guess I'd be rather embarrassed if I made a complaint to weights and measures and it turned out to be a one off issue and they find nothing out of the ordinary.

horse7

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Just wondering how often this has happened to posters here and what they did about it. As a habit and due to a hatred of petrol stations I tend to drive my car from full to empty. Anyway I was out this evening and the fuel light came on so as I was close to a station, 3km (one I don't normally use), I drove on and filled it up. From experience and the specs I know that the my tank is 72l and the reserve is 7l, so I was expecting the pump to cut out at 65 as it normally does, but it kept filling to just past 70l. I was a little surprised.

I suppose there are a couple of things here, I could've overfilled the tank or my own guage could be out, or the pump could have been out of calibration. I'm sure I'm not the first poster to have a suspicion about a pump, so wondering what they did about it? Make some form of complaint or just not go back?

Also wondering if other posters notice this as a common enough issue, questioning the accuracy of the pumps? Can't say I've noticed it myself but I usually stick to a few stations I know near to my home.

Curious about what car you have that holds 72 litres?

Miscreant

horse7 wrote: »

Curious about what car you have that holds 72 litres?

I had a Volvo S60 that had a 70 litre tank. There were occasions when I put more in, so I assume it was the reserve and the filler neck. It needed a large tank, considering how much fuel it gulped.

Good luck with getting this sorted OP. Happened to a friend of mine about 10 years ago and went as far as getting the fuel pump tested for accuracy. The issue eventually went nowhere though but yours may still be worthy pursuing.