Here's the conversation I had with a guy filling up a nice, not a beater, tow truck. I pulled in to fill it up, and just as I started, I hear a guy say:
"That's a really nice car. Are you sure you want to fill it up here right now?"
"Yeah, why not?" Thinking oh geez!
"They're filling the tanks up over there, so I wouldn't do it"
"Why's that?"
"Well when they fill up the big underground tanks like that, it really stirs up all the crappy sediment at the bottom of the tanks. There's a lot of foam and the gunky, dirty stuff gets up into the foam. Then when you fill your car up, all that junk comes up through the pumps and goes into your gas tank. And that car is way too nice to let that happen to."
"Wow, never thought of that, thanks a lot"
I had put a whopping 1 1/4 gallons in, so I stopped and went to another station.

Just thought I would share some advice that seemed to make sense to me.

 

Nice Info! It does make sense

 

Thanks for passing that on.

 

That is exactly why I never fill up when they are. I have no proof that it's true or anything, but I'd rather not test it.

 

makes sense

 

Yeah, this is me.
And thanks for sharing.

 

I've heard this but one would hope they would put filters at the pumps to ensure this crap doesn't get in to your car...

 

Which is why you also want to frequent new gas stations.....

New tanks...new filters..less crap

 

As GeorgiaBII said, there are filters on each pump that are supposed to be changed quite often. When I worked at a gas station we changed them on a regular basis and never had any problems caused by debris/foreign material in the fuel.

 

The gas station I worked in..used to punch the filters...so hence my "stick to new large dealer" stations

 

This makes sense, amazing how I never thought about it, Though id rather be safe then sorry even for fuel filters in both my car and the actual pump. Thanks for this info

 

lol pretty simple, but I never thought about it.

Dont know if theres merit behind it but I wont fill up at a station thats being refueled again

 

i was told that the water in the underground tanks mixes with the gas during this process...I would imagine that filters won't help much.

Another thought...how do you know the filling truck didn't leave 2 minutes before your arrival?

 

^ Good question.

But ive known this before i even started driving...lol. I wouldnt trust it anywayz... who is to say that the gas station is on top of their game?

 

Although the filters remove both water and debris, there is no accounting for unscrupulous people.

 

I've heard the same tale, from a certified mechanic (for what that's worth) but about water rather than "crud".

I'm not sure that filters would be able to clean out fluid impurities from the fuel. Anyway, what happens when the filter clogs up? Do the pumps just slow down more and more, or is there a bypass that gives you crappy fuel whenever the filter needs cleaning?

My nearest gas station has the slowest pumps I've ever seen, so perhaps they just don't clean their fitlers often enough. Another gas station has signs boasting the "fastest pumps in town - guaranteed" which makes me wonder whether they are really good at cleaning out their filters, or whether they don't have any at all.

 

my dad had told me this when i first started driving. whether it's entirely necessary or not, i still follow the rule. i don't know that i'm ever so empty that i can't go back another day or at least find a neighboring station. it's not worth the risk (even if it's an imaginary one) to me for a rule so easily followed.

 

i never fill up when theyre filling up weather or not the filters are clean and new or not is upto the gas station so why test it is my theory

 

I use purchase Shell gasoline. Their fuel is teleported into the tanks, thus reducing any sloshing affect inside the "potentially" dirty fuel tanks.

 

Knew this already. I pass by stations that are refueling. It's common sense.

 

Yeah, but wasn't the guy filling his truck? Do as I say not as I do sort of guy I take it.