[Sahil]

I have had an account with the big HP petrol pump at Bandra junction for over a decade. Since it is company owned, I was confident that they truly are "Pure for Sure". However the below mentioned instances have made me change my mind:

-The first time i ever had a problem with the pump was during my C180 ownership days. It's fuel pump went kaput due to dirty and impurities. I took up this matter with the petrol pump and they confidently denied any foul play from their end, they showed me several test reports done on a daily basis in front of customers. I gave them the benefit of doubt as i had never faced fuel trouble over the past several years with them and the C180 was prone to problems too.

-Now, several years later just yesterday my NHC was refuled in the morning and got to work right after. In the evening i tried starting the car and it just refused. Called the mechanic and he resolved the problem by cleaning up the fuel pump,etc as there was impure fuel/dirty collected in the tank.

My cars are never refulled anywhere else besides that pump, so there seems to be something wrong at the pump itself.

I decided to stop my account with them from today and sent my car to get refueled at the HP pump at BKC. I had read on the forum somewhere that this was a reliable pump and even autocarindia refuels from there. But it seems its NOT!
I was told by a person in my office building this morning that his Mercedes was damaged sometime back due to kerosene being mixed in the fuel. The pump payed for the repairs and even gave him something additional so that the adulteration matter is not exposed.

How is a customer to judge the credibility of any petrol pump? They all have fancy gauges that depict some figures and measures of purity on them but it all seems total BS.
Can someone please suggest a reliable petrol pump that I can switch to in Bandra?

[roms]

How about trying the HP COCO pump near Hill Rd-Bandra Station junction? I have filled up quite a few times from there. Its a small outlet, but its company owned, so quality of fuel hopefully should be good.

[Sahil]

NOTE TO MODS: I have accidentally put this in the wrong section. Please move it to the appropriate one. Thanks!

[scooby05]

All the fuels that we get in Mumbai, gets adulterated by syndicates at the companies depots itself[or just outside Sewri/Wadala] so the pumps are not to be blamed.
Yes, the pumps need to carry out their tank cleaning operation once every year, and which seems to be the real cause of the dirt/muck choking your fuel filters or fuel pumps.
Why dont you check with the HP pump, when they last cleaned their underground tanks, instead of closing your 10 year old account right away.

[dadu]

Sahi,l I would suggest you start using System G/ D based on the fuel or any other high detergent based fuel additive. if not for the mileage they will atleast clean the fuel to some extent.

Originally Posted by Sahil

How is a customer to judge the credibility of any petrol pump? They all have fancy gauges that depict some figures and measures of purity on them but it all seems total BS.
Can someone please suggest a reliable petrol pump that I can switch to in Bandra?

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by dadu

Sahi,l I would suggest you start using System G/ D based on the fuel or any other high detergent based fuel additive. if not for the mileage they will atleast clean the fuel to some extent.

Dadu, most car markers/service centers advice not to use additives of any sort as it might result in a void warranty...which is why i have even stayed away from turbojet/power/speed,etc
How exactly the System G/D(i presume G is for petrol and D is for diesel) work? I remember it was highly recommended by Opel.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Dadu, most car markers/service centers advice not to use additives of any sort as it might result in a void warranty...which is why i have even stayed away from turbojet/power/speed,etc
How exactly the System G/D(i presume G is for petrol and D is for diesel) work? I remember it was highly recommended by Opel.

Read their FAQ here and some more info here

Tested for Superior detergency performance in the Industry Standard Cummins L-10 Test.

L-10 is the worldwide acceptable test for detergency cleanup performance.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

i had my fuel pump failing on me four times in my 7 year old honda type2. i changed my petrol pumps quite often trying to find a 'safe' one. after the fourth time i went to the chief engineer at honda asking him what's the problem? is the fuel bad or are the quality of the pumps replaced bad?
he said that the common problem in india is that we top up the tank. Fill it to the brim - shake the car so as to accommodate more fuel. Thus, there is no air in the tank, and as the fuel gets used, it creates a vacuum causing the settled impurities to circulate in the tank which leads the pump to fail. He told me to stop filling after the first automatic click of the fuel nozzle.
Another cause he said is that people wait for the fuel tank to become nearly empty before refueling. this causes the settled impurities to be sucked into the fuel pump. His recommendation was to immediately fill fuel once the tank shows one-fourth.
I followed this practice and my fuel pump hasn't failed in three years now. I'm going to the same old petrol pumps as before.

[Sahil]

tejas- thanks for pointing that out. I spoke to the mechanic again and he confirmed that NHC are prone to fuel pump problems and me refueling that very morning was a mere coincidence.
Is there any test,etc that customers like us can get done at the pump to know the level of impurity?

[mmmjgm]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

i
Another cause he said is that people wait for the fuel tank to become nearly empty before refueling. this causes the settled impurities to be sucked into the fuel pump. His recommendation was to immediately fill fuel once the tank shows one-fourth.
I followed this practice and my fuel pump hasn't failed in three years now. I'm going to the same old petrol pumps as before.

Isn't it a service check routine at each service to clean the tank ? If at each service you clean the tank and remove the impurities, it makes more sense.

Once I had a failed fuel pump thanks to the HP pump at Dhobi Talao selling some additive @ 20/- per tank, this increased the miscibility of my fuel and it blended all the rust/gunk in the tank, my esteem (1995 model) fuel pump failed.

At each service if you remove the impurities in fuel it helps. Diesel vehicles are intrinsically better as there is a fine filter which traps most impurities.

However individually (non company owned pumps) are better. I'd rather not post on a public forum why Company owned pumps are worse.

Hope this helps.

[Dose]

Originally Posted by Sahil

tejas- thanks for pointing that out. I spoke to the mechanic again and he confirmed that NHC are prone to fuel pump problems and me refueling that very morning was a mere coincidence.
Is there any test,etc that customers like us can get done at the pump to know the level of impurity?

Send an email to Shell India or another trusted oil company. Ask them if, instead of an engine oil analysis test which they offer consumers and costs about a 1000 rupees, they can perform a fuel analysis test. Ask them how much a fuel test costs and please let us know what they say.

Also, ask them if there is an easy way to test for the presence of adulteration instead of subjecting the fuel to a costly fuel analysis.

[Dose]

Originally Posted by mmmjgm

Isn't it a service check routine at each service to clean the tank ? If at each service you clean the tank and remove the impurities, it makes more sense.

Tank cleaning is not considered part of routine maintenance.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by mmmjgm

Isn't it a service check routine at each service to clean the tank ? If at each service you clean the tank and remove the impurities, it makes more sense.

you cant make sure that they do that in every service (if you give to the company). i always wonder why the company service people don't let you stand when they service the car?!
Normally cars are serviced every 5000kms. considering you have an average of 10kmpl, that's 500 litres of fuel. take an average tank size of 50litres, that's 10 trips to the pump.
i'd rather be safe than sorry and do not top up the car or let it run really low on fuel.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Is there any test,etc that customers like us can get done at the pump to know the level of impurity?

I did a little googling and this is what i came across in an article:
"...one simple test for purity was two drops of petrol when put on a filter paper should evaporate without leaving a patch or stain..."

The full article on this link:
The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : A simple test to check petrol quality

if someone tries this, please post to all your results.

Sahil, that's the easiest test for consumers without laboratory access.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by mmmjgm

However individually (non company owned pumps) are better. I'd rather not post on a public forum why Company owned pumps are worse.

Why not? Thats what team-bhp is all about, expose the foul play at the sametime give credit where it's due.