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Got a wake-up call about fuel quality at a truck stop outside El Paso
I was driving a service truck back from a job in New Mexico last fall. Stopped at a big truck stop just off I-10 to fill up the rig. The place looked fine, but about 20 miles down the road, the engine started running rough and lost power. I pulled over and found water in the fuel filter bowl. The whole system was contaminated. It took me and my apprentice four hours on the shoulder to drain the tanks, swap filters, and bleed the lines. The boss was not happy about the tow bill. Now I carry my own clear jar to do a quick visual check on fuel before I pump, no matter how legit the station looks. Has anyone else had a bad fuel experience make them change their routine?
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sandraf841mo ago
Honestly that exact thing happened to me with a diesel pump in west Texas. Tbh I started carrying those little water-finding paste tubes you smear on a dipstick. Ngl it saved me from a bad load of fuel just last month. The paste turns color if there's water in the tank before you even pump. Now it's part of my routine along with a visual check. Takes an extra minute but beats being stuck on the shoulder.
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hernandez.jordan1mo ago
That paste sounds like a huge waste of time to me.
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