Well, the mystery is solved...Alaska! - Montana Owners Club

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 07:38 AM

We just found out what is wrong with our truck. The half tank of diesel that we bought in Cantwell, AK, was GASOLINE! The "diesel" tank was one of those located on the edge of the gas station so there was no mixup in the pumps. They had the wrong stuff in the tank. Now we wonder about that big Army truck that filled up just ahead of us. And what recourse do we have? We can get our truck back with a repair bill of $800.00 plus 15 gallons of gallons of gasoline that we probably have to pay to dispose. The Dodge dealer doesn't dispose of it but will tell Glen where to get it done. AAAAhhhh, life goes on!

CountryGuy · 08-02-2005, 09:09 AM

I would attempt to present a bill to the owner of that station, that is for sure! BUMMER

BillyRay · 08-02-2005, 09:15 AM

wow!!!!!

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 09:17 AM

Glen has spoken with the man from the gasoline company who furnished the diesel and he is checking the tank. Fuel companies keep very detailed records. But things move slowly in Alaska so it will be a few days before we know the results. He was very nice, by the way.

Northstar · 08-02-2005, 09:51 AM

What a horror story. I sometimes wonder what is in those tanks when I am refueling.

8.1al · 08-02-2005, 10:22 AM

Oh Judy. You must be wondering what is next. We all feel so bad that you are having such a rough time. Just take a deep breath, look around at all the wonderful scenery. This is the trip of a lifetime and I know things will get better. It's hard to laugh about all this now but just think of all the stories you'll have to tell.

bob n pam · 08-02-2005, 10:35 AM

For cryin out loud! We worry about grabbing the wrong handle at the pumps, but never thought of grabbing the right handle and getting the wrong fuel! I sure hope the supplier reimburses you for all of your expenses plus some "pain and suffering". Thanks for the update.

Pam

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 10:50 AM

We've had BIG bumps in our road of life so this seems like a little annoyance compared to them. It is so comforting to be able to share this with our fellow travelers. Even though it probably puts fear into the hearts of many of you. Don't mean to scare you away from a trip to Alaska, by any means. We are just so grateful to not have broken down on some of the remote roads that we've been on. This area is interesting.

And things are looking up, we just got a full tank of propane. Glen took the van taxi towards Healy, ten miles north of here, and it was going to cost $35.00 for the trip. Instead they found a campground two miles north, filled the propane tank and returned home to the tune of $10.00. Praises be! Now we can be warm....and bake cookies.

DarMar · 08-02-2005, 11:03 AM

Unbelieveable, but i guess anything is possible!!! Fortunately no engine damage which is something we all fear. So is this what happens all the time when diesel and gas are mixed the diesel just quits running??? At what mixture does your engine still run but causes damage???

Montana_2785 · 08-02-2005, 11:15 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DarMar

Unbelieveable, but i guess anything is possible!!! Fortunately no engine damage which is something we all fear. So is this what happens all the time when diesel and gas are mixed the diesel just quits running??? At what mixture does your engine still run but causes damage???

I don't know the percentage you are looking for, but diesel fuel is also the lubricant for the moving parts of the fuel delivery system (pump, injectors, other assorted parts). The fuel pressure in the newer engines is really high. I know that the pressure in the fuel rails for the Ford 6.0 is something like 3800psi. If you have moving parts with that pressure, they will wear really fast without good lubrication. I guess I'm a little surprised that the repair bill is ONLY $800....

Eric

richfaa · 08-02-2005, 11:19 AM

Your reports on your Alaska trip are very interesting and informative..Anything exciting happen?????

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 11:44 AM

No, Rich, just the same old stuff. That's why we're having such a great time. You'll have to wait for next week when we hope to be catching some BIG fish. Other than that, just routine stuff.

Glen spoke with the man at the company who provides the diesel. His records indicated that there were no inconsistencies among his tanks. That probably means that if there was a mix of fuels, it was probably a very small percentage, thus less damage. We drove about 15 miles after the first incident. The truck acted like it had a dirty fuel filter. It was getting diesel but not a steady source. Glen idled it for ten minutes or more and then just drove it about a mile the next morning.

As for the $800.00, we haven't picked up the truck yet so we'll see what the final bill is then.

adelmoll · 08-02-2005, 12:46 PM

Judy,
You may be in Alaska but it is still part of the U.S. and in this case I thing you have some rights. An $800.00 bill is not something you should have to suffer for someone elses mistakes, to say nothing about your lay over costs and missing your appointment in Ankorage. I sure hope they do something to make it right for you. It is nice to know though that you will soon be on your way again. Hope you catch the big one.

Helen

HamRad · 08-02-2005, 01:16 PM

Judy and Glen,
If the station had mixed gas and diesel and you were NOT the only one to take on this fuel then there ought to be a LOT of folks with exactly the same problem as you. I'd start looking around for others who have the same problem. I would think it should not be too hard to find others.

It sounds as if the station owner is passing on the blame. If he is saying that all his products are correctly accounted for...... You'd better start looking or other rigs having the same problem. I assume the diesel pump was being used by many others.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

HamRad

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 03:28 PM

It's kind of y'all to be wanting us to get ou bill paid but it's not easy. The people who come to Denali pass by quickly and would be difficult to find. The gas man wasn't copping out. He just want to wait to do his tests.

HamRad · 08-02-2005, 04:39 PM

Hello Judy and Glen,
Ok here's my point.... How far did you folks get after you got your diesel? I think you said you got only about half a tank. If someone put in almost a full tank wouldn't they have stopped even sooner? And I don't know how saturated the Denali area is but I'd guess there isn't A LOT of commercial stuff going on in that part of the world. How many tow outfits are there? If you needed a tow wouldn't others who had the same trouble have to also have a tow? And repair places. Again I'd think there would be a limited number. Perhaps it would be wise to contact them to see if there had been an increased incidence of "gas in diesel" cases.

Hopefully when the station operator checks the supply he will find the problem and take care of the $$$$$ for you.

HamRad

rames14 · 08-02-2005, 06:01 PM

If you paid with a credit card, this may be another recourse. Many times they will step in and help out. Also, if you have the receipt or a credit card bill, they should be able to tie it back to the diesel receipt. I remember Glenn and Lorraine having an issue and the receipt clearly showed the gasoline price. Just a thought.

jrgwdenner · 08-02-2005, 06:37 PM

We do have the credit card receipt. We pay for all major items with a credit card. The Dodge dealer is sure that it's bad gas. The manager of the gasoline supplier said there were not discrepancies in his records that would indicate there was gasoline mixed with the diesel. So right now it's one business' word against the other. They're getting a sample tomorrow, so we'll see.

Denali isn't really a town, it's a haven for travelers. They don't even sell propane in town. There's no doctor or church, only one gas station without diesel, no pharmacy,no post office (it's in Denali Nat'l Park), no towing service, mostly tour buses and gift shops. There's one town 10 miles north and one 30 miles south where we bought diesel. We may have driven 10-15 miles before we stalled for the first time. We finished the ride home (30 Miles) and then drove one mile the next morning. I'll suggest to Glen that he question the tow truck driver.

The word from the Dodge dealer now is that there is more to the repair and we're waiting for a fuel pump to come from Anchorage. Fairbanks doesn't even have a fuel pump for a 2004 Dodge.

tundra rose · 08-02-2005, 08:08 PM

Sorry that you have encountered the water tank and fuel problems, and are happy to see that you are enjoying the trip.

Assuming that you are coming on into Anchorage and then to the Kenai Penisula, I'd recommend that you refuel at the Fred Meyers stations. We use their fuel (gas and diesel) almost exclusively.

The two most convenient in Anchorage are located at:
- Eagle River (take the North Eagle River exit). The store is located about 1/4 mile east of the Glenn.
- Muldoon Road (take the Muldoon exit). The store is located about 1 mile south of the Glenn at Muldoon and Debarr Rd.
Current diesel prices are 229.9, with a 3 cent discount with a Fred Meyers card. (Ask for one, if you do not already have it.)

Fred Meyers also has a service station in Soldotna, just as you enter town.

On the way "outside" on the Glenn Highway, I'd recommend that you fuel up at Eagle River and top off at Palmer. Fuel prices in Glenallen are significantly higher than in Tok.

jrgwdenner · 08-03-2005, 01:21 AM

Thanks for those tips, Tundra Rose. We will look into the Fred Meyers stations....whenever we get our truck back.

You may also like: