My car is trashed

[Bob Connor]

Went in to the servo this morning to fill up the car, the tank being dead empty.

Put in $75 of unleaded, paid, drove out of the servo to stop at the set of traffic lights next to it and the bloody thing stalled and wouldn't restart.

Had to get it towed to my mechanic who tells me the tank was 50% water. So the tanks being drained and cleaned, filters replaced and the mechanic won't guarantee what'll happen to the fuel pump and injection system down the track

I've been in touch with the company but the owner is away and they are going to get back to me.

Not real impressed at the mo.

[DarwinStrings]

It will be interesting to see what the outcome is when they get back to you Bob and by the way thanks for the answer on the "who's online" thread.

Jim

[kiwigeo]

The water was in the tank already or it came from the servo's pumps?

[Bob Connor]

From the servo.

[liam_fnq]

Maybe it got in there during your big storm?

[Lillian]

Damn Bob, that's not how you want to start the week. I hope the owner steps up and does the right thing to include the pump and the injectors. I'm sure you weren't the only one that it happened to unless they shut down the station right after you called.

[Bob Connor]

I went back to the station this afternoon Lillian and the pump that I filled up from had out of order stickers all over it.

[kiwigeo]

From the RACV website:

The RACV has received multiple reports from members regarding suspected vehicle damage due to fuel contamination. It is in the interest of all motorists to take precautions in regards to fuel.
how to protect yourself

It can be beneficial to hold on to receipts showing where and when you purchased fuel, as well as keeping records. It can also be advantageous if previous fills are from the same service station so there is no doubt about which fuel caused the concerns.
what to do if your vehicle is running poorly and your mechanic suspects contaminated fuel

1. Note the time, date, and location the fuel was purchased, receipts are a big help.

2. Have a qualified mechanic report on the damage done. Keep all damaged/replaced parts and full documentation of what is done. As factual evidence rather than hear say is needed.

3. Get a qualified person to take a sample of the fuel from the tank to be analysed, keep it stored in a clean sealed container. The best container is a new fuel can, of the type that are sold at service stations and at least a litre of fuel is recommended. If the fuel was purchased in the previous 24 hours it can also be of benefit to take obtain a second specimen directly from the service station.

4. To help improve the future quality of fuel the RACV would recommend contacting the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on 1800 803 772 so they are aware of a case of contaminated fuel.

5. Speak with the relevant service station and Fuel Company regarding the fuel and repairs. If it can be proven that the fuel has caused the damage owners should be reimbursed for the cost of repairs. It can be beneficial to make a claim in writing with all your documentation.

6. If you’re not satisfied with the situation contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 for further advice. Fuel testing can be completed at Intertek, they can be contacted on (03) 9646 9299. Each sample will cost around $800 to test, and usually takes 3-4 days.

Please Note:
In most cases the repairs will need to be paid for by the individual and once the cause of damage has been proven the individual will need to be reimbursed by the supplier. All the costs incurred may need to be a proven result of the contaminated fuel.

[Bob Connor]

Thanks for that Martin.

I have spoken to a representative of Caltex this morning and they require my mechanic to give them a report on the damage plus a receipt for the repairs and they will re-imburse me.

It looks OK so far.

[Allen]

Very common occurrence and they all carry insurance for this sort of thing. Though like all insurance claims, they don't like paying out if they can get away with it.

[Dennis Leahy]

Thanks for that Martin.

I have spoken to a representative of Caltex this morning and they require my mechanic to give them a report on the damage plus a receipt for the repairs and they will re-imburse me.

It looks OK so far.

Wow, that's good news! Except for the inconvenience - which I hope is sort of taken care of by getting new parts and having a somewhat newer engine. It is my understanding that when (a lot of) water gets in the pistons, there is major permanent damage to pistons and valves, because the cylinders are designed to compress air, not water, and thus the piston rods bend or break. So, you may need quite a bit of work and parts, maybe even a new engine head.

Dennis

[Bob Connor]

Well they agrred to re-imburse the full amount so fair play to Caltex for doing the right thing.
I've just sent off the paperwork (which includes a deed which discharges the company of any future claims ) but it's probably the best I could expect.

[Allen]

So, is it all good now Bob? Or are you looking to move this one on and get something else new to you?

[sebastiaan56]

Of course you didnt hear it from me but there are basically 2 causes for this problem. Firstly the disreputable proprietor adds water into the tanks (it happens as it disperses into the fuel, particularly if you add a couple of bottles of metho...) or the tanks are left too empty for a while and there is condensation that gathers in the tank which drips back into the fuel. We saw a lot of this when the petrol strikes were on in the 80's. My standard solution was a bottle of metho into the tank but times have changed.

Im sure a town like Geelong would have the word going on the first Bob. Personally I reckon you were ripped off.

[Bob Connor]

We had some incredible storms and rain over the weekend before it happened so I'm inclined to think the water may have got in to the servos tanks due to flooding.

I sort of know the bloke who owns the servo (he owns all of the Caltex in Geelong) and he is reputable. His daughter went to school with our two kids.

I'll be hanging on to it with my fingers crossed Allen.

[Kim]

I think it has worked out as good a can be expected Bob, the car should be fine now. I am not sure what effect such an event could have had on the fuel injection system but any bent valves etc would be detectable from the onset via exhaust emission readings (CO2 etc) and if they check out and if it is running OK now without missing or rhythmic surge etc, it is hard to imagine that something is going to develop down the track that is related to this fuel contamination episode.

Cheers

Kim

[sebastiaan56]

Clarification Bob, ripped off by Castrol. They should be able to stop this kind of thing.

[kiwinoz62]

Hey Bob,
the same thing happened to me a few years back. . . pulled into Ampol, filled the empty tank, did'nt even get on to the road, broke down still at the servo.
Just as luck has it, the servo had water in their underground storage tanks & they were working to separate the water from the fuel, so it ended up costing me nix, nothing. . . someone was looking out for me that day.
Good luck, hope it does'nt spoil Chrissy for you.