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Old 05-09-2018, 05:04 PM   #1
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Diesel Owners Beware!!!

Being relatively new to owning a diesel pusher (2016 Berkshire XLT 43b, 450 turbo diesel with a 150 gallon tank), I learned a super valuable lesson yesterday I want to share with you. Everyone (ok, most people) know that you never mix gas with diesel or visa versa. Having filled my RV a number of times over the past 8,000 miles, everytime, I repeat, EVERYTIME I filled up, diesel fuel was marked by a green handle (and of course the word/sign) indicating diesel fuel. Well, as I'm believing you know where I'm going, yesterday, I pulled up to a BP Station in Columbia, S.C. to top off my tank. G-D knows what I was thinking, but I observed the green handle and simply put in my credit card and pulled the green fuel handle and punched the corresponding $3.14 button, placed it in the tank, and began fueling. After cleaning the windshield, I went back over to the pump. All of a sudden I realized that the green handle was actually for the regular gas, NOT diesel. When I immediately stopped this, I had already pumped 20.9 gallons of premium gas into my diesel tank now containing about 120-130 or so gallons. I looked it up on Google and called Freightliner. Both stated NOT to start the engine or manually move the RV...to do so would create a real engine problem. Long story short, no commercial company in the area could help me that day, but they all were quick to repeat that I shouldn't run the engine AT ALL. The ones that could help we're too busy, and most didn't have the capability to help. Bottom line was I needed to drain all of the fuel from the tank before refilling with diesel. Stuck, I spent hours at this station calling folks and trying to get a tow and someone who could help. Longer story shortened, two guys, two random guys who came to get gas came to my rescue. Brian and Ricky, who were driving a wrecker (but too small to help me) located a 250 gallon container, advanced purchased for me a portable diesel pump (from Harbor Freight), pumped out my tank holding 120-130 gallons, and stayed with me until after I refueled. This "stupid" act (even though my mind told me green handle is diesel from all of my past experiences), only cost 130'ish gallons of contaminated fuel (about $400-500), $130 for the portable pump, $412.50 for 150 gallons of new diesel fuel, $200 for my incredible"helpers," and 7 hours of unbelievable stress. But, in the end, I finally made it to my reserved campsite at Weston Lake RV Park just before dark. Today, the Berkshire drove like it always has, GREAT! Dogged I seriously big bullet of thousands upon thousands of dollars of damage to my 450 turbo diesel engine, not to mention mechanic fees, waste dump, overnight stays somewhere, loss of food, etc., etc., etc. Thanks to Brian and Ricky! No thanks to BP for the green handle on regular gas. Lastly, Freightliner told me they get calls EVERY month about regular gas being mixed with diesel, and like EVERYONE of the commercial places I talked to, knew I was at a BP Station. Another RV adventure and one I will never repeat again...I hope!!!
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:14 PM   #2
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I see green handle pumps that are gasoline all the time. I always check. Glad it worked out for you.
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:16 PM   #3
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Sorry to hear of your nightmare "RV adventure". Glad you are back on the road without the headache of running that fuel through your rig.
Thanks for the tip,I am looking to go to a diesel TV. I will be extra careful around green pump handles.
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:25 PM   #4
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Diesel Handles are YELLOW here where I come from, Plus I double check pro to squeezing the nozzle
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:27 PM   #5
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Glad you were able to see your problem before starting up or filling up all the way!

Indeed, the handle color doesn't mean anything. I also make it a point to make sure the handle in the diesel pump is connected to the diesel hose since, apparently, some jokers like to mess with them and put gas pumps in the diesel slot (or so I hear). It's pretty obvious to me that the diesel nozzle is diesel...it's got grimy diesel all over it! And the nozzle itself is larger than the gasoline nozzles.

If you're new to diesels there is a bit of learning/muscle memory to adjust, generally folks that make mistakes such as yours never make that mistake again. Enjoy your travels!
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:36 PM   #6
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Best friends wife did the same thing at BP in ohio to her new VW. As with you she realized it after it was to late but before she started the engine..
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:57 PM   #7
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Years ago the fire department bought a mini-pumper. The only gasser in a building full of diesels. The new guy (no, not me) decided to top off the vehicles during his shift. Diesel in them all. The new mini-pumper made it about a block from the pumps. It was out-of-service for some time and repair costs were high for the taxpayers.

Again, it wasn't me, but everyone at the station learned from the event.
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:59 PM   #8
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Glad you caught the mistake and found two good Samaritans to help you!!!!!
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Old 05-09-2018, 06:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W5CI View Post
Diesel Handles are YELLOW here where I come from, Plus I double check pro to squeezing the nozzle
Most of the yellow diesel handles I see in the West are bio-diesel. I've never seen a green gas handle out here.
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Old 05-09-2018, 06:13 PM   #10
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Drive a diesel RAM, so green is the "norm" for me. Just took a trip to Ireland, and the rental car was a diesel. But the pump handles are reversed over there. Black is diesel & green is gas. Every time I stopped for fuel, I was SLOW & DELIBERATE about which hose to use.

Very sorry about what happened. Thanks though for the warning. I'll be keeping a more careful eye on which hose I use here.

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Old 05-09-2018, 06:17 PM   #11
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Don’t feel bad about 3 months ago we got a call later in the evening from my mother in law. Late enough it made us wonder what was wrong. They were calling because they did the same thing and weren’t sure what to do.
The only place around here I have seen green for dsl is Costco everywhere else is yellOw they normally fill at Costco but had stoped at a Bp because they had a discount
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Old 05-09-2018, 06:19 PM   #12
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http://blog.goodsam.com/green-gas-nozzle-handles
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