Good news story

[maweida]

So my collegue just sold his Dmax with 300,000km to his son. No problems, just wanted a new one. Car was so good he just bought a brand new 2025 dual cab dmax (he loves it, the extra cog and electric steering).

He said only 2 issues. The cabin fan stopped working, and injectors needed replacing. He said the injectors suffered from fuel contamination from "Speedway at Liverpool, Sydney" not due to the car itself. He sampled the fuel and left it overnight in a clear container. In the morning the fuel had separated into 2 layers. His theory was they had diluted the fuel with heating oil.

Note to self, don't buy cheap diesel (it will cost you a fortune)

[Bucko]

So my collegue just sold his Dmax with 300,000km to his son. No issues. Car was so good he just bought a brand new 2025 dual cab dmax (he loves it, the extra cog and electric steering).

He said only 2 issues. The cabin fan stopped working, and injectors needed replacing. He said the injectors suffered from fuel contamination from "Speedway at Liverpool, Sydney" not due to the car itself. He sampled the fuel and left it overnight in a clear container. In the morning the fuel had separated into 2 layers. His theory was they had diluted the fuel with heating oil.

Note to self, don't buy cheap diesel (it will cost you a fortune)

A photo would be good.    A Google AI reply.  "difference between heating oil and diesel australia"


In Australia, the key difference between heating oil and diesel lies primarily in their intended use and taxation. While they share a similar chemical composition, heating oil is dyed red to differentiate it from diesel, which is used in vehicles and subject to higher road taxes. Heating oil is also formulated differently, sometimes with additives to prevent gelling in cold weather,

[Munro]

Note to self, don't buy cheap diesel (it will cost you a fortune)

I haven't seen damage yet thankfully, but certainly some correlation with economy.  My local Mobil, Metro and United servos are routinely among the cheapest when it comes to diesel... but curiously also give me the crappiest mileage.  Similarly, Costco (Mobil if I'm not mistaken?) diesel doesn't get me as far.

So far, BP (not Ultimate) and EG Ampol have consistently given me the best value regardless of how the car is driven.  Does this point to a quality issue, though?  That I cannot answer.

[maweida]

there must be some differences if the fuel split into 2 layers, this is due to different densities.
maybe they chucked some kero in to make it go further!

[Bucko]

If mixed Kero, or heating oil and or diesel will not separate.  They are petroleum-based fuels that are similar in composition and will form a homogeneous mixture.   I have used all three in my old Fordson tractor.
For the mixture to separate one would "not" be petroleum based. 

Here's a couple of photo's of fuel contamination.   I've got an old hi-lux (1984) which a caretaker put some fuel into.  He wondered why the fuel light came on and warning buzzer sounded. 

I ended up draining and cleaning the tank.  Changed the filter cleaning the lines.  Then put new fuel in it. Bled the system.  Then fired her back up and drove it back into the shed.       

[Bob]

I have had 3 different diesels over the past 20 years and always selected the cheapest outlet to fill the tanks and over the half million km I travelled in that time, I never once had any fuel problems.

From my 20 years of keeping a fuel usage spread sheet I could not tell you which brand was better than the other as every tank full has been with slightly different driving.

To say Shell or BP is better is just good marketing on their behalf but it is all bull$hit. 

[maweida]

If mixed Kero, or heating oil and or diesel will not separate.  They are petroleum-based fuels that are similar in composition and will form a homogeneous mixture.   I have used all three in my old Fordson tractor.
For the mixture to separate one would "not" be petroleum based.   

thanks Bucko, I've learned something today!

[maweida]

I have had 3 different diesels over the past 20 years and always selected the cheapest outlet to fill the tanks and over the half million km I travelled in that time, I never once had any fuel problems.

It was probably "bad luck" rather than cheap fuel (the likely culprit is water).

Must admit, my wife has only used independent (Metro) service stations (for petrol), no issues in 30 years (yes... before you start... ethanol e10).

[maweida]

Here's a couple of photo's of fuel contamination.   I've got an old hi-lux (1984) which a caretaker put some fuel into.  He wondered why the fuel light came on and warning buzzer sounded. 

 

Is that water in the fuel?? (at first glance, i could only see a cold beer!) 

[257Bob]

So my collegue just sold his Dmax with 300,000km to his son. No problems, just wanted a new one. Car was so good he just bought a brand new 2025 dual cab dmax (he loves it, the extra cog and electric steering).

He said only 2 issues. The cabin fan stopped working, and injectors needed replacing. He said the injectors suffered from fuel contamination from "Speedway at Liverpool, Sydney" not due to the car itself. He sampled the fuel and left it overnight in a clear container. In the morning the fuel had separated into 2 layers. His theory was they had diluted the fuel with heating oil.

Note to self, don't buy cheap diesel (it will cost you a fortune)

Back in the 90s heating oil was used to blend 'winter diesel' to lower the gel point.  I worked in the fuel industry at that time and it was common knowledge.  I was surprised as that's as technical as it got.  No way to avoid it, if filling with 'winter diesel' which would be most of us in the southern parts of the country.  I don't know if that is still the case but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. 

[Bucko]

Here's a couple of photo's of fuel contamination.   I've got an old hi-lux (1984) which a caretaker put some fuel into.  He wondered why the fuel light came on and warning buzzer sounded. 

 

Is that water in the fuel?? (at first glance, i could only see a cold beer!) 

Yep, and the water is on the bottom as fuel will float.   

[maweida]

That’s a lot of water ! If only it was hydrogen powered h2o 

[Ian G]

Out of interest, how do you drain the tank if you do have a fuel issue. There isn't a drain plug on the tank, there isn't a pump in the tank.

[257Bob]

Out of interest, how do you drain the tank if you do have a fuel issue. There isn't a drain plug on the tank, there isn't a pump in the tank.

I was only talking about this a couple of days ago.  Basically, you'd have to remove the whole plastic tank as there's no drain plug.  When I had my old petrol Courier, we got some bad fuel in Condo.  Got out to the farm and parked the front right tyre on a rock and removed the drain plug in the rear left corner of the tank.  Perfect drain and filled up with clean ULP from spare drums. 

Can't do that these days.