# Fill Up While Station is Getting Fuel



## nortynorty (Apr 15, 2011)

I've had bad experiences with other cars when I filled up at the same time the station was getting fuel. If I see a tanker at the station I generally continue driving to get fuel later. The other day I pulled into a station before I noticed the tanker truck. I was at the pump and since there are many more gas pumps than diesel pumps I went to the driver and asked him if he was filling the diesel tank. He said to me, "Are you from the north?" Now granted, I still have remnants (or maybe more than that) of a NY accent, but I didn't think that is what he was getting at. I told him I was and he said there is nothing to worry about that all the tanks are fiberglass and there is none of the condensation that you would get from the non fiber glass tanks which he said are or were common in the north. I said I wasn't worried as much about the condensation as the sediment at the bottom of the tank which gets stirred up when the tank is being filled. He said that the fuel is highly filtered even at the pump and assured me there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I filled my car and all seems well. I was curious though as to his story. Does that sound accurate to you?


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## listerone (Jul 21, 2009)

I've heard it said that filling up at a station that's getting,or has just gotten,a fuel delivery is a bad idea.The theory I've seen says that during delivery and for a while after sediment and/or water at the bottom of the tank being filled is disturbed and will wind up in *your* tank.That seems to be a reasonable fear to have...although I have no practical,scientific knowledge to back up my inclination to accept this theory.


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

nortynorty said:


> I've had bad experiences with other cars when I filled up at the same time the station was getting fuel. If I see a tanker at the station I generally continue driving to get fuel later. The other day I pulled into a station before I noticed the tanker truck. I was at the pump and since there are many more gas pumps than diesel pumps I went to the driver and asked him if he was filling the diesel tank. He said to me, "Are you from the north?" Now granted, I still have remnants (or maybe more than that) of a NY accent, but I didn't think that is what he was getting at. I told him I was and he said there is nothing to worry about that all the tanks are fiberglass and there is none of the condensation that you would get from the non fiber glass tanks which he said are or were common in the north. I said I wasn't worried as much about the condensation as the sediment at the bottom of the tank which gets stirred up when the tank is being filled. He said that the fuel is highly filtered even at the pump and assured me there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I filled my car and all seems well. I was curious though as to his story. Does that sound accurate to you?


Norty, good to see back on the site! We have to go for a coffee soon!

Theoretically water/sediment, if any, would be disturbed and stirred up during filling and for a short while afterward. Product is being filtered at every step of the process, when the truck is filled, when it is put into the tank, and of course the pump also has a filter, then finally your car should have at least two, one at the tank and the other near the injection pump.

I've never seen or heard of any problems but will do some reserach on it.


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

Back in the day when I worked at a gas station (they were "full service" back then and lots of high school kids worked in one) we never would have filled up our cars during/just after a delivery for that reason -- the sediment/water at the bottom of the tank was stirred up. I am sure that now, with improved filters that is no longer a problem -- however I still will not get gas/fuel from any station that is being "tanked". No reason, just rather be safe than sorry I guess. Old habits die hard.:angel:


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

I once had injector damages to a Porsche because of junk in the stations fuel. I think though it was from a bad tank they had. Hard to remember after so many years but the station did pay for damages.


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## Penguin (Aug 31, 2003)

UncleJ said:


> No reason, just rather be safe than sorry I guess.


I agree, there is no reason to over-think this. There may or may not be a risk of fueling-up while the tanks are filled, but why take the risk?


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## Pasa-d (May 7, 2011)

Unless you are in the habit of going inside and asking every time you get fuel, you've probably filled up many times just after the tanker has left without knowing it.

Seems kind of paranoid to me.


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## DC-IT (Sep 27, 2009)

Pasa-d said:


> Unless you are in the habit of going inside and asking every time you get fuel, you've probably filled up many times just after the tanker has left without knowing it.
> 
> Seems kind of paranoid to me.


+1. Back in the days when I was driving gassers I did fill up when the tankers were delivering fuel to the station on a few occasions but did not experience any side effects.

But since I switched over to Diesel vehicles I've not refilled when the station was having fuel delivered. But who knows the tanks could have been refilled a few minutes before I arrived!

But from here on I guess I'll make it a habit of only refilling when there is no fuel being delivered at the same time just for peace of mind.

As for the possibility that the tanks could have been refilled a few minutes before I got there I guess what we don't know won't hurt!


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## ProRail (May 31, 2006)

nortynorty said:


> I've had bad experiences with other cars when I filled up at the same time the station was getting fuel. If I see a tanker at the station I generally continue driving to get fuel later. The other day I pulled into a station before I noticed the tanker truck. I was at the pump and since there are many more gas pumps than diesel pumps I went to the driver and asked him if he was filling the diesel tank. He said to me, "Are you from the north?" Now granted, I still have remnants (or maybe more than that) of a NY accent, but I didn't think that is what he was getting at. I told him I was and he said there is nothing to worry about that all the tanks are fiberglass and there is none of the condensation that you would get from the non fiber glass tanks which he said are or were common in the north. I said I wasn't worried as much about the condensation as the sediment at the bottom of the tank which gets stirred up when the tank is being filled. He said that the fuel is highly filtered even at the pump and assured me there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I filled my car and all seems well. I was curious though as to his story. Does that sound accurate to you?


Nope.


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

The junk at the bottom of the tank -- water and sediment -- settles out pretty quickly after the tanker leaves so any real problem could occur if you were pumping fuel as the truck was actually filling the tanks. In 10 minutes virtually all of the junk would have settled out IMHO.:angel:


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