Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > General Discussions about our Montanas
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-27-2018, 07:03 AM   #1
JandC
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Frostproof, FL USA
Posts: 2,362
M.O.C. #13272
Contaminated Pilot Fuel - Caution!

Had a phone conversation with a buddy yesterday. They are pulling their TH fiver from OH down to SW Florida. On Thanksgiving day they pumped contaminated fuel at the following Pilot station:

Pilot Store 406 (Off I-65)
Cornersville TN 37047

He got just into Alabama before his engine started dropping rpms. it was an almost new 1-ton Ram diesel SRW. Got off the road and dry camped until morning. Towed to Dodge dealer. Has to have all injectors replaced and crossover lines, plus of course tank drained with filter replacements. Anticipated bill will be somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000.

It was contaminated with DEF. About the only way this could have happened was one of Pilot's delivery driver's dumped DEF by mistake into an underground tank. So far all of their calls to Pilot officials are not doing them any good. They "claim" they are not aware of any issues nor are they responsible.

My contention is there are others out there who had their motors trashed by the same contaminated fuel from this Pilot on I-65. If anyone hears or knows of anyone please post and I will pass it on.

Thanks!
 
__________________
Previous: 2008 Montana 3400RL & 2014 3725RL
Current: Full Time 2022 SOB TT Toy Hauler
JandC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 07:11 AM   #2
1retired06
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
Ugly. Thanks for the alert
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
1retired06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 07:18 AM   #3
socoinc
Montana Fan
 
socoinc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Nampa
Posts: 114
M.O.C. #21247
Need to post on Facebook
socoinc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 07:46 AM   #4
DQDick
Site Team
 
DQDick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
First I've heard of that, but it was bound to happen sometime. Since Pilot puts the DEF on the side of the diesel pump with it's own handle I'm aware of two different pickup drivers who put DEF in the company pick up with the same results.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
DQDick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 08:22 AM   #5
JandC
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Frostproof, FL USA
Posts: 2,362
M.O.C. #13272
Chances are the Pilot got the correct pumps shut down after they became aware he was having issues.

I posted this on another forum (my current brand) and received about 80% of the replies stating it was certainly operator error. I tried to explain in detail what happened and even gave the information from a copy of his receipt but some of the folks on there don't even know what DEF is so they weren't going to be much help anyway.

When he stopped he needed diesel in his truck tank and auxiliary bed tank. He also wanted to add a few gallons of DEF. He pumped about 48 gallons of diesel between the two tanks plus the 5 gallons of DEF. The bottom line is when he finally left that Pilot his tanks were full and his DEF tank was full.

It is hard for me to believe he pumped DEF in his DEF tank, took the nozzle out, pumped more DEF in his truck diesel tank, took the DEF nozzle out a third time and pumped the rest of the 5 gallons into his auxiliary bed tank.

It is easy for me to believe that some Pilot delivery driver dumped a certain amount of bulk DEF into the wrong underground tank though, especially on a busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend when they were probably working overtime.
__________________
Previous: 2008 Montana 3400RL & 2014 3725RL
Current: Full Time 2022 SOB TT Toy Hauler
JandC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 08:41 AM   #6
hfjra300
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: LA GRANGE
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #22413
We got contaminated fuel while we were in Oregon this summer. We filed a claim with our auto insurance and they covered the cost.
hfjra300 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 08:46 AM   #7
Jersey Devil
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Vineland
Posts: 135
M.O.C. #20374
First of all these pumps that pump both diesel and DEF or Diesel and Gasoline are a real hazard for us owning diesel trucks.
I’am in NJ and some pumps just pump diesel and the hose is on the right side of pump.Then down the street or across town the pump will have diesel on left side of pump and right side gasoline.REAL EASY TO MAKE THE MISTAKE GRABBIING RIGHT SIDE FOR DIESEL BUT ITS GASOLINE.
Caught myself a couple of times and was lucky before I started pumping.
Then traveling thru different states it’s different all together.Now it’s DEF on one side and diesel on the other.Either side could vary depending on where and what state?
I’am not saying this is what happened in this guys situation but it’s real easy to screw up.
At 10 ..15 thousand for it fixed that’s unbelievable.
Actually it’s highway robbery by the dealership!
Jersey Devil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 10:01 AM   #8
WeBeFulltime
Montana Master
 
WeBeFulltime's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hixson
Posts: 3,436
M.O.C. #11397
When I pump diesel into my truck I ALWAYS do a visual test AND a "sniff" test of what is coming out of nozzle immediately and I NEVER do business with Pilot. I learned my lesson about Pilot when I was trucking! Sorry to hear of this.
__________________
2018.5 Montana 3791RD


Full Timers 9/1/2010 through 1/16/2020.
WeBeFulltime is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 11:29 AM   #9
MidMOTraveler
Montana Fan
 
MidMOTraveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fulton
Posts: 456
M.O.C. #20688
Get on an OTR Truckers forum. IF there are big rigs involved you’ll find it. Word about bad fuel travels fast.
__________________
Wayne & Malinda
2018 Montana 3731FL
MORryde IS/DiscBrakes
2017 F450 DRW KR 4x4
MidMOTraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 11:56 AM   #10
jeffba
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bastrop
Posts: 2,892
M.O.C. #20753
Fords have the DEF and diesel fills right next to each other. Sales guy stressed not mixing them up. A friends brother put DEF in his diesel tank. $10K insurance bill. if you shot a video of me filling up you would think I was seeing things with all the checks I do to make sure I have the right nozzle. I check things several times.
__________________
Mocha, one-eyed toothless, hurricane survivor, Pirate dog
2019 20th Anniversary Edition 3701LK
B&W 20K for Ford OEM Puck
2018 Ford F-350 Lariat CCLB PSD DRW KJ5CQH
jeffba is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 01:23 PM   #11
JandC
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Frostproof, FL USA
Posts: 2,362
M.O.C. #13272
Quote:
Originally Posted by hfjra300 View Post
We got contaminated fuel while we were in Oregon this summer. We filed a claim with our auto insurance and they covered the cost.
Thanks, I will pass that on to him. Maybe he already contacted his insurance carrier but I probably would not have thought of it.
__________________
Previous: 2008 Montana 3400RL & 2014 3725RL
Current: Full Time 2022 SOB TT Toy Hauler
JandC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 01:57 PM   #12
jeffba
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bastrop
Posts: 2,892
M.O.C. #20753
Even if you put the def in your diesel tank insurance covers it
__________________
Mocha, one-eyed toothless, hurricane survivor, Pirate dog
2019 20th Anniversary Edition 3701LK
B&W 20K for Ford OEM Puck
2018 Ford F-350 Lariat CCLB PSD DRW KJ5CQH
jeffba is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 02:07 PM   #13
darrylwt
Montana Fan
 
darrylwt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 161
M.O.C. #17873
Quote:
Originally Posted by JandC View Post
Had a phone conversation with a buddy yesterday. They are pulling their TH fiver from OH down to SW Florida. On Thanksgiving day they pumped contaminated fuel at the following Pilot station:

Pilot Store 406 (Off I-65)
Cornersville TN 37047

He got just into Alabama before his engine started dropping rpms. it was an almost new 1-ton Ram diesel SRW. Got off the road and dry camped until morning. Towed to Dodge dealer. Has to have all injectors replaced and crossover lines, plus of course tank drained with filter replacements. Anticipated bill will be somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000.

It was contaminated with DEF. About the only way this could have happened was one of Pilot's delivery driver's dumped DEF by mistake into an underground tank. So far all of their calls to Pilot officials are not doing them any good. They "claim" they are not aware of any issues nor are they responsible.

My contention is there are others out there who had their motors trashed by the same contaminated fuel from this Pilot on I-65. If anyone hears or knows of anyone please post and I will pass it on.

Thanks!
I always repeat to myself before pumping fuel....GREEN GREEN GREEN
My DEF tank fill is under the hood and I buy the box of DEF and poor it in my self.
darrylwt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 02:41 PM   #14
AZ Traveler
Site Team
 
AZ Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 3,898
M.O.C. #20477
Quote:
Originally Posted by darrylwt View Post
I always repeat to myself before pumping fuel....GREEN GREEN GREEN
My DEF tank fill is under the hood and I buy the box of DEF and poor it in my self.
Green is not an industry standard for diesel pump handles. While most stations use green all do not - most diesel handles in Canada are yellow.

On pumps with multiple fuel types just need to make sure you select the fuel you want. Some of the northern stations will even have 2 grades of diesel and each sold as highway and non highway leaving you 4 to select from.

I was talking to guy in Canada at the pump and remarked "that is a big rig to pull with a gas engine". He said "no it is a diesel" to which I said "you are putting gas in it". He got sucked in by the green gas handle - no clue how long he had to wait on the Alaskan Highway to get his tank pumped out.
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL

"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
AZ Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 02:53 PM   #15
DQDick
Site Team
 
DQDick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
Dodge makes the problem worse by putting the DEF in the same place as the fuel and only the DEF has a cap. The fuel only has a spring loaded door.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
DQDick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 03:05 PM   #16
Rondo
Site Team
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,749
M.O.C. #7560
Sorry this happened to your friend! As has been stated prior, it is very confusing as you pull up to a pump and to see the different colored handles on the hoses. Some have green, some have yellow and some don't have any specific color for the diesel. I have caught myself putting diesel in my 1/2 ton when it is a gas. Caught myself quick enough that I only pumped about 2-3 gallons of it in an empty tank. I changed to gas and filled up the tank all the way and filled it to the top of the neck. Luckily I didn't have any problems and it actually ran a little better. LOL Anyway, Pilot's not going to admit their people screwed up until it is totally proven and since he has a receipt of filling both the tank and the auxiliary tank with diesel and the DEF tank with DEF he shouldn't have any problems proving it to the insurance company. It will be the insurance companies responsibility then to take on Pilot to cover their losses on the claim. Let us know what your friend's final outcome is and meanwhile we will all be on the alert and more cautious on filling our tanks.
On a side note, I filled my truck up with diesel today and the cost was $2.599 a gallon. That is the lowest I've seen diesel here in Nebraska for quite a while.
Rondo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 03:44 PM   #17
darrylwt
Montana Fan
 
darrylwt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 161
M.O.C. #17873
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rondo View Post
Sorry this happened to your friend! As has been stated prior, it is very confusing as you pull up to a pump and to see the different colored handles on the hoses. Some have green, some have yellow and some don't have any specific color for the diesel. I have caught myself putting diesel in my 1/2 ton when it is a gas. Caught myself quick enough that I only pumped about 2-3 gallons of it in an empty tank. I changed to gas and filled up the tank all the way and filled it to the top of the neck. Luckily I didn't have any problems and it actually ran a little better. LOL Anyway, Pilot's not going to admit their people screwed up until it is totally proven and since he has a receipt of filling both the tank and the auxiliary tank with diesel and the DEF tank with DEF he shouldn't have any problems proving it to the insurance company. It will be the insurance companies responsibility then to take on Pilot to cover their losses on the claim. Let us know what your friend's final outcome is and meanwhile we will all be on the alert and more cautious on filling our tanks.
On a side note, I filled my truck up with diesel today and the cost was $2.599 a gallon. That is the lowest I've seen diesel here in Nebraska for quite a while.
I had a friend of mine put diesel in his brand new Harley with a built engine and filled it up out in the middle of nowhere and didn't even know what he did until down the road and it was running like crap. He pulled over and one sniff I told him he filled it up with diesel... got back to the station drained it out and filled it with gas and we were off... Later the Harley dealer told him it was fine just good lubrication. Diesel in a gas engine is better than gas in a diesel engine.
darrylwt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 03:46 PM   #18
darrylwt
Montana Fan
 
darrylwt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 161
M.O.C. #17873
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Traveler View Post
Green is not an industry standard for diesel pump handles. While most stations use green all do not - most diesel handles in Canada are yellow.

On pumps with multiple fuel types just need to make sure you select the fuel you want. Some of the northern stations will even have 2 grades of diesel and each sold as highway and non highway leaving you 4 to select from.

I was talking to guy in Canada at the pump and remarked "that is a big rig to pull with a gas engine". He said "no it is a diesel" to which I said "you are putting gas in it". He got sucked in by the green gas handle - no clue how long he had to wait on the Alaskan Highway to get his tank pumped out.
Well I have never been to Canada and not planning on it in the near future but if I do I will pay attention to what button I push.
Thanks for the info.
darrylwt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 03:51 PM   #19
AZ Traveler
Site Team
 
AZ Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 3,898
M.O.C. #20477
Darryl,

There are also US stations that do not do green for diesel.
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL

"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
AZ Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-27-2018, 04:02 PM   #20
darrylwt
Montana Fan
 
darrylwt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 161
M.O.C. #17873
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Traveler View Post
Darryl,

There are also US stations that do not do green for diesel.
I have been in a station where they are yellow I stay with diesel #2 I have a 65 gallon tank so I pick the places I want to go to.
darrylwt is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.