Short Fueling Tricks At Petrol Stations

[aka_iitd]

I always wish car comes with digital fuel gauge so you what what is left in your car and what is pushed into from the petrol pump. I had never seen this. Does anyone came across this

[Guna]

Originally Posted by NitinGirish

@Guna & Dadu: Do you mean Cauvery petrol pump? It comes with high recommendation I thought.

This one is close to Viveks.

[NitinGirish]

Got it. Its been almost 18 months since I stopped going there. So, forgot the entire stretch from South End to Lalbagh Westgate. In my mind I jumped from Sangam Circle (Canara Bank) to Lalbagh WestGate with nothing in between. Yeah, Cauvery indeed is very famous.

I did fill from the bunk under discussion once. Had pushed the bike (from Sangam circle) after it had ran out of fuel.

[deky]

After reading all this i am glad i am able to "help myself" at the gas station closest to my house. I have been their customer for over 10 yers now, now all i have to do is drive in and fill in petrol myself. they just step in to take the cash, give the balance and give the reciept.
Once the attendant (whos become a friend now) even mentioned that it is best to fill petrol by auto cut method in slow speed rather than high speed (did not know till then that the machine had two speed levels). So that coming from the attendant would surely be beneficial.

[johnda]

Oops it happened to me again today - I was at this pump jus a lil while back and asked the guy to fill 10lts, he says sorry sir wont have loose change to give back , so I say round it to the next 50 (so this case Rs/-550). so he punches in the amount. Now as he starts filling he asks me something and suddenly stops the filling, as the nozzle kinda does an auto shut off thing (so he says! at Rs140 something) I quickly asked why he did that and he said that it happens when air bla bla comes out bla bla. Then i asked him to stop here, but he continued to fill and we reached the 550, he didn't reset or anything but by me asking him and talking to him he got too nervous and something told me that he was actually trying a trick.
I got back home and went through this thread and wanted to know:
what is the real test to know if you've been tricked.
The question that steeriod and RX135 asked concerning the authenticity and foundation of this practice?
I totally understand the 'meter cons' where these guys fill less tru distraction and other number jinxs. But is there truth in this short bursts and cut of due to returning air (like today)... I'm a bit confused I felt like I'd been tricked before and was being tricked, but is this trick actually alive?
I specifically ask concerning the start-stop
Mods: didn't really check to see if there were other threads on "fuel short burst - myth or trick" hey that sounded nice maybe I should start one

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I agree - we're all going around crucifying petrol pump attendents for some reason without really understanding how stopping in between reduces the total quantity dispensed.

Can anyone check this claim out with a Jerry can of a fixed quantity?

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Steer, what is it that we stand to gain by crucifying some guys at petrol bunks ? I admit that how it works is not clear to me, but I am sure they benefit. Reason being the fact that if there is no reason, why should they break the flow of petrol and restart again ? And that too more than once. Also when the pump is already set to auto-cutoff. And inspite of your saying not to touch it.

.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Does not matter - let us be clear as to how this works before we start downloading our frustrations.

Nobody likes petrol stations or their attendants, but lets talk about facts and not about what we feel is going wrong. I am not sure how a stop-and-go fuelling operation would give a litre less than one done at a stretch - if it is proven I'm more than willing to buy the arguement as everyone knows these guys are out to cheat you.

Maybe they're doing this to bring more variety into their otherwise mundane jobs.

Originally Posted by RX135

Sorry, but I just didn't get the point.

How does starting and stopping in between affect the amount dispensed? What's the logic behind this? As long as the counter stops or, goes fast or, slows down depending on how much is the dispensing lever depressed, why should it cause any problem? Or, is it just a myth?

[dadu]

Start-stop is not a problem, they cannot jump inbetween and then continue, the pump detects that it has jumped and stop immediately and thats the reason they need to reset it and cannot fill further.

If the meter was not reset by the attendent inbetween, you have not been duped

[Guna]

Originally Posted by dadu

If the meter was not reset by the attendent inbetween, you have not been duped

If the meter was not reset after initial Rs 200 and if they say that they have reset it (when you are not paying attention), you may end up paying Rs extra 200. This is what happened with me. If they are honest, they should inform you and reset, or point out that they are continuing from where it was stoped (like Rs 200) before proceeding.

[johnda]

Originally Posted by Guna

If the meter was not reset after initial Rs 200 and if they say that they have reset it (when you are not paying attention), you may end up paying Rs extra 200. This is what happened with me. If they are honest, they should inform you and reset, or point out that they are continuing from where it was stoped (like Rs 200) before proceeding.

This is what i'm asking. so short burst dont matter as long as they dont reset right? People, now is there something like a hung meter that has to be reset? if so what are measures that we have to take?

[Dr.Sumit Bhatti]

Please refer to this link regarding my post # 204 http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1212058

[Ice]

Numerous posts on this thread have mentioned the importance of getting down from your car to check for short fueling. Just wanted to add a couple of other things:

1. Do a tank-to-tank mileage study every once in a while at your regular bunk. For folks who fill up every time, take the extra effort to meticulously note down the odo reading, reset the trip odo, and calculate the mileage.

2. Visit a bunk when you have the time. Most of us hit the bunk on the way to /way back from work, and are either in a hurry or too tired to keep a note of all the points mentioned in this thread. My visit to the bunk is normally a 15 minute affair on Sunday mornings - I've found that the blokes who attend to your needs are far more careful when they know you have the time to notice something amiss.

3. Calibrate your gauge regularly. See at what km your needle hits the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 marks. It should ideally be + or - 20 km. every time.

[Dr.Sumit Bhatti]

Originally Posted by Ice

Numerous posts on this thread have mentioned the importance of getting down from your car to check for short fueling.
1. Do a tank-to-tank mileage study every once in a while meticulously note down the odo reading, reset the trip odo, and calculate the mileage.
2. Visit a bunk when you have the time.
3. Calibrate your gauge regularly.

Excellent advice

Yet another common trick is to reverse the digits while the bill is made or printed on a separate printer. For example, if you have filled 24.35 liters of fuel, the pump attendant makes a bill for 35.24 liters. The split-second visual memory of the meter usually ratifies in your mind that the figures were matching correctly.

Usually, this trick is used on vehicles with out-of-city/state number plates, because the chances of the customer returning to claim a refund is remote.

A multi-product dispensing unit with a instant print-out incorporated next to the meter display with no duplicate print-out facility is the best way out.

[rm_arjuna]

i always fill to the brim which is around 40 +- 1 ltr .Tank cap is 43 ltrs same as mentioned in the user manual and auto stop is activated at 37 ltrs. My odo always returns 540+- 15 kms after every tank full . shud i check with auto cut off for FE whic wud be better .. any suggestions..

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Ice

Numerous posts on this thread have mentioned the importance of getting down from your car to check for short fueling.

How ironic, today morning while filling fuel on th HP pump on airport road next to Golden Enclave, one chap in an Estilo drives up to the petrol pump and asks the attendant to fill in 1000 bucks of fuel. The meter is already at 500 he starts off from there and fills in 1000. The attendant closes the remote operated lid and the moron drives off.

I was filling fuel in my 2 wheeler on a pump parallel to it.

Other then me no on else noticed. I did smile and said to the attendant Rs 500 huh? He smiled like a creep. Didnt bother to complain as the Estilo guy deserved it.

Question: Once they replace the dispenser back on its stand dosent the meter get reset? Technically the meter should have reset to 0 when he pulled it out to fill fuel. Does it need to be manually reset?

Odd thing but if that's the case its helping the attendants to fool more people.

[greenhorn]

One solution - learn to use a fuel additive regularly. System D makes sure that I'm right by the guy's side when he's punching in the digits and filling my car up

[kreddy]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

How ironic, today morning while filling fuel on th HP pump on airport road next to Golden Enclave, one chap in an Estilo drives up to the petrol pump and asks the attendant to fill in 1000 bucks of fuel. The meter is already at 500 he starts off from there and fills in 1000. The attendant closes the remote operated lid and the moron drives off.
----
Odd thing but if that's the case its helping the attendants to fool more people.

Please avoid this pump and one after Manipal Hospital (on the same side not the one opposite). They always cheat and handover cash after filling. They will claim that you have not paid at all.