Do Fuel Stations have 1 Diesel Tank?

[rbattelle]

Last night I fueled at my favorite local truck stop, and for the first time I didn't go out back with the semis and use the truck nozzle. Instead, I used the automotive pumps "out front".



My question is, are these pumps supplied by the same underground tank of diesel fuel, or do they have a separate tank for the automotive pumps? It was a Pilot, by the way.

 

[Whitmore]

The pumps are shared by a common tank or series of tanks, all the fuel will be the same as if you fueled with the big rigs or the car island.



cheers, Kevin

 

[HBarlow]

That was a very good question and satisfying answer.



I've also wondered many times as I fueled at the RV or light truck island of a truck stop whether I was getting fuel from the heavily used and fresh big truck tanks or possibly stale fuel from a slow turnover separate tank.



Can anyone confirm or argue with the answer provided?



Harvey

 

[bmoeller]

Originally posted by HBarlow

... RV or light truck island of a truck stop whether I was getting fuel from the heavily used and fresh big truck tanks or possibly stale fuel from a slow turnover separate tank.



Can anyone confirm or argue with the answer provided?



Harvey

At the Pilot or Flying J's or other big truck stops, I dout that would be a problem. There is almost always a line at the FJ that I go to. Generally have to use the other ones for the big trucks.

 

[Whitmore]

I worked for Flying J for a couple years as a transport driver and most of the truck stops had 60,000 gal storage of fuel anyhow in Wyo, Utah and the few parts of Nevada that I went to, Oh and on the blending of fuels for winter use it was up to the dispacher to let us know what blend to put in. We also had some red stuff to add with each drop of 10,000 gals, this was the Flying J special stuff, I never did know what it was but am suspecting it was a concentrated formula kinda like Power service or stanadyne, If any of you see a transport in there unloading stop and talk the guy outa a few ounces Thet have it in a 500 gal tank near the drop station.



cheers, Kevin

 

[illflem]

Kevin is right for the most part on there being just one tank but I've known of two exceptions only because a buddy's business used to be replacing single wall underground tanks with new EPA approved double wall ones. That means there are probably many more. Both stations were Shell truck stops that were at one time truck only but were later converted into a travel center for all vehicles. Rather than dig a ditch though the property and basically have to shut the whole place down they just added new tanks in the front where the passenger vehicles fueled while that portion was under construction. This must have taken place long ago if my friend was in there replacing tanks. Best bet may be to ask.

 

[rbattelle]

I did ask the diesel desk attendant, and he said all the diesel came from the same tank. But I wasn't sure if he was just B. S. ing me.

 

[TBrennan]

One point to keep in mind that someone posted on another site, they stated at his station they used a finer micron filter at the car pumps vs. the truck pumps, so we might want to use the car station after all.

 

[HBarlow]

Hmmm... ... that's interesting. Do big truck injection pumps and injectors have a greater tolerance for contaminants?



Harvey

 

[illflem]

Never heard of it but

Maybe they use finer filters on the car pumps because not as many gallons per minute flow though the slower car fill nozzles?