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Dazza67
26th June 2014, 05:42 PM
Has anyone had success in recovering their costs associated with fixing a engine that has had a gutfull of contaminated diesel ???

Had a frantic call from my father this arvo that his beloved Nissan Terrano II was in for a pre trip service and the guys at All4x4 had picked up it had a gutfull of contaminated diesel in it.

They said the tank needs to be dropped and cleaned as well as the injectors may well need to be pulled and possibly replaced.

My father had done his usual and thought 'yeah they will do the service and test drive so I will fill the tank".

Lucky the guys picked up on it as he only filled it yesterday and only fills from the same servo every time (has receipts and log book).

So its now been flat bedded to the AAMI insurance center for inspection and repairs.

The servo manager has admitted this afternoon that there is a "Problem with the tank and the sump" but wont put it writing when asked but has stopped selling fuel as my father is the 3rd person over the last week or so with fuel problems.

When running it had light white smoke and the fuel sample which we have is only 1/5th fuel the rest was sort of a pale milky colour but smelt of thinners and sort of tried to ignite when I lit it, definitely wasnt just water.

So is he going to be up for possibly more than this tank of fuel and his insurance premium ?? Or insurance should recover costs and reimburse ?

Have others faced the same fate and had no probs, the insurance apparently was keen to know the location and said they knew of this servo.

He is worried as the car is due to depart in a few weeks for a NSW to WA.

p38arover
26th June 2014, 05:54 PM
An independent or a major brand servo? I've heard that the big companies come to the party if it's proven to be their fault.

See also http://www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/racv/Internet/Primary/my+car/advice+_+information/fuel/contaminated+fuel

86mud
26th June 2014, 06:41 PM
Many years ago I got caught with contaminated diesel from an independent supplier.....and tried to fight it but the cost of the fight far out weighted the cost to remove tank, clean fuel lines etc. Old style mechanical fuel injection pumps could handle a little contamination. My problem was it was an actual bacterial growth that ended up clogging the filter.

Then a few years later when the low sulphur diesel was introduced, my fuel pump started leaking like a sieve.....and BP compensated me for a pump rebuild...$1500 I was stocked!

dromader driver
26th June 2014, 06:50 PM
yep full cost recovery incl tow. someone left the camlock loose or off on the underground tank fill and the apron flooded in heavy rain. a number of trucks reported same problem.

Dazza67
26th June 2014, 07:23 PM
Thanks for the replies


An independent or a major brand servo?l (http://www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/racv/Internet/Primary/my+car/advice+_+information/fuel/contaminated+fuel)

Its a Ampol, United so a independant.

They dipped the tanks and it came up good, however they ran the pump as to fill a vehicle and its contaminated. So a problem somewhere between tank and pump.

Dazza67
3rd July 2014, 06:04 PM
Bit of a update, got the dreaded call at lunchtime. Uneconomical write off.:(

Took off from work and stripped everything I could from it as it was being picked up this arvo.

The diesel mech said everything is trashed fuel tank, pump to the injectors and he only drove 15ks to get the service.. $8230 quoted in repairs :eek:

Strange thing was the fuel sample from the tank had the diesel on the bottom and whatever contamination floating on top, if it was water wouldnt it be on the bottom ??

Insurance company took a similar sample to use against the servo as it is confirmed 3 other vehicles to the same fate.

Old man is shattered but was going to replace it in November.

So later this arvo put a deposit on a new Isuzu MUX LST 3.0ltr TDI for pickup on Wednesday, the guy said fastest sale he has had in a while...