That’s what I get for buying cheap diesel

[cantdrv55]

I took the family out for our annual winter camping trip last week to the desert in SoCal. Stopped in Bakersfield overnight then fueled up to complete the drive. I thought I was gassing up at Chevron but it turned out to be a mom and pop that was still displaying Chevron colors on their tanks. No worries, I thought. The pump said Diesel #2 though their price was $0.45 less than the Shell station across the street.

A half hour later as we climbing the Grapevine grade into Los Angeles, my Sprinter van throws a check engine light and I couldn’t accelerate past 45 mph. It felt like the automatic tranny chose a gear too high so I had to manually shift down just so I can pull over to the side and not get rear ended. LA drivers go way too fast up and down the grade.

Everything that I could think to check looked to be fine so I decided it was just bad diesel. I got us back on the road, manually shifting to get past 45 mph and used up as much fuel as I can until I was able to gas up at a real Chevron. After a hundred miles or so I gassed up again and eventually the check engine light went away and the van was accelerating like normal.

Lesson learned. Don’t cheap out on diesel fuel for a Mercedes engine. Keep it classy or you’ll be sorry.

[Bill Douglas]

Wow.

You got off lightly.

A friends diesel needed an expensive rebuild after bad fuel.

[cantdrv55]

The Facebook Sprinter groups say I should replace the fuel filter asap. Definitely doing that before I take the van out again. Yes, I feel I got lucky.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Wow.

You got off lightly.

A friends diesel needed an expensive rebuild after bad fuel.

Well probably not full rebuild, but injection system can get messed up pretty quick on the common rail system.


I try to stay away from mom n pop fuel stops. I even get iffy picking out the gas stations in snowing areas (nozzles will be packed full of snow).

[look 171]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

The Facebook Sprinter groups say I should replace the fuel filter asap. Definitely doing that before I take the van out again. Yes, I feel I got lucky.

First of all, they don't drive fast enough. there's a ways a bone head doing 60-65 on the number 1 lane. Two vehicles or trucks are on the number 2 lane all the time.

Change the fuel filter asap. Was it bio-diesel? I read bio diesel scrapes the tank clean of growth clogging fuel filters. They clean injectors well too.

[look 171]

You don't carry extra fuel filters with you in the RV?

[cantdrv55]

The pump handle said diesel #2. Don’t know if that biodiesel.

[Arizona_928]

If it's not wanting to run it could be fuel starvation. And the biodiesel cleaning all the junk out of the tank and into your filters.


Change all your filters.

[look 171]

Don't forget to prime the filter after.

[Nickshu]

I only go to Top Tier stations anymore. Drive out of my way for it.

[ted]

Same thing happened me 20 years ago.
Fueled (fooled) up at a remote mom and pop place made it home but next day it was $400 to flush the system.

[VINMAN]

One of the biggest problems with the smaller stations as far as diesel, is fuel turnover. They don't sell as much as the big places so it tends to be a lot older fuel sitting in the tanks, which is a big no-no for diesel. It contaminates too easily.
. I only get my diesel from busy stations.

.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

One of the biggest problems with the smaller stations as far as diesel, is fuel turnover. They don't sell as much as the big places so it tends to be a lot older fuel sitting in the tanks, which is a big no-no for diesel. It contaminates too easily.
. I only get my diesel from busy stations.

.

^^^ This .... plus a lot of mom & pop stations here still have underground tanks that date back to when Gomer checked the oil for ya.

[rfuerst911sc]

I generally buy my diesel from a local Ingles grocery store . Why ? They turn over a LOT of fuel week to week . And their price is reasonable . A win win .

[nota]

I do not understand the new fuel fixing the problem

when my 300sd that has the same 5 banger td the older sprinter uses
filter clogged it died until the filter was swapped for a clean one

that car had very bad bio slugged up tank
btw I learn to clean and clear the small pre-filters a had several to replace as needed

final cure was excess tank cleaner / remove the bottom tank filter/screen and flush it all out
turned 5 gal of fuel black with bugs but stopped the clogged filters

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

I took the family out for our annual winter camping trip last week to the desert in SoCal. Stopped in Bakersfield overnight then fueled up to complete the drive. I thought I was gassing up at Chevron but it turned out to be a mom and pop that was still displaying Chevron colors on their tanks. No worries, I thought. The pump said Diesel #2 though their price was $0.45 less than the Shell station across the street.

A half hour later as we climbing the Grapevine grade into Los Angeles, my Sprinter van throws a check engine light and I couldn’t accelerate past 45 mph. It felt like the automatic tranny chose a gear too high so I had to manually shift down just so I can pull over to the side and not get rear ended. LA drivers go way too fast up and down the grade.

Everything that I could think to check looked to be fine so I decided it was just bad diesel. I got us back on the road, manually shifting to get past 45 mph and used up as much fuel as I can until I was able to gas up at a real Chevron. After a hundred miles or so I gassed up again and eventually the check engine light went away and the van was accelerating like normal.

Lesson learned. Don’t cheap out on diesel fuel for a Mercedes engine. Keep it classy or you’ll be sorry.

You should do us SoCal travelers, and Bakersfield area folks, a favor and name the place and location. Not doing so just leaves everyone with the impression that if they aren't in a major brand station, they are taking chances. Which, of course is far from the truth.

[cantdrv55]

I don’t remember the name of the gas station. I thought it was a Chevron but the receipt says Splash and Dash in Bakersfield.

[stevej37]

I fear the same results when buying premium gas in smaller towns. Not enough sales to keep the stuff fresh....so I drive on.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Arizona_928

Well probably not full rebuild, but injection system can get messed up pretty quick on the common rail system.


I try to stay away from mom n pop fuel stops. I even get iffy picking out the gas stations in snowing areas (nozzles will be packed full of snow).

A while ago, so can't remember the details. But I think it was a case of water in with the diesel that did the damage. A local place called Diesel and Turbo fitted one of their own extra filters which is intended to reduce dramas with diesel.