Fuel pump accuracy at your service station

[Bloodyaussie]

There has been a bit of talk about service station pumps being way off the mark and wonder if we did a large scale test of pumps in your area.

Dont be scared to name and shame... I will be heading out soon and will do my test but would be good to have an ongoing check of service stations.

Not hard just put exactly 1 litre in..

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x260/jpgpz/10330445_866139006735899_674135773207586832_n_zpsb 2293410.jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/jpgpz/media/10330445_866139006735899_674135773207586832_n_zpsb 2293410.jpg.html)
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x260/jpgpz/10269608_656017187766827_512297428386718689_n_zps2 bc35adf.jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/jpgpz/media/10269608_656017187766827_512297428386718689_n_zps2 bc35adf.jpg.html)

[Sir Roofy]

MOST PUMPS ARE OUT BY 30/40c THEY ARE RUNNING THAT FAST TO DELIVER
MINIMUN FUEL AT HIGH PRICES
AS SOON AS YOU PRESS THE TRIGGER IT JUMPS 40c JUST AS THE FUEL GETS
THERE, ALSO THE FASTER YOU PUT IT IN THE MORE FOAM YOU GET
AND THAT RELEASES THE TRIGGER BEFORE THE TANK IS FULL

[Bloodyaussie]

I had a mate who worked for "Weights and Measures " and he said they should be bang on as this is a huge breach of those laws involved...

He use to have to test service station pumps and weighing machines... good bloke to have known for many reasons I cant talk about... he he!!

[jack]

After adding 32 litres into my 30l reserve tank I stopped filling, never added more than 30 and I really drain it. Surface was level and so was car.
This was at Safeway Cairns and I complained to the operator who basically told me the pumps were accurate and wasn't interested. I kept all the details and contacted the weights and measures equivalent in QLD who said they would audit the pumps.
Three days later they rang me back to advise that the pump was correctly calibrated and they had no explanation for the difference. At least they followed it up, I've never been able to add that much to the reserve tank since.

[Winnie]

After adding 32 litres into my 30l reserve tank I stopped filling, never added more than 30 and I really drain it. Surface was level and so was car.
This was at Safeway Cairns and I complained to the operator who basically told me the pumps were accurate and wasn't interested. I kept all the details and contacted the weights and measures equivalent in QLD who said they would audit the pumps.
Three days later they rang me back to advise that the pump was correctly calibrated and they had no explanation for the difference. At least they followed it up, I've never been able to add that much to the reserve tank since.

The tank is 35L though.

[Sir Roofy]

I had a mate who worked for "Weights and Measures " and he said they should be bang on as this is a huge breach of those laws involved...

He use to have to test service station pumps and weighing machines... good bloke to have known for many reasons I cant talk about... he he!!

the measurements in the jug are probably right but I bet them little number wheels in the machine are warn

[threedogs]

You are also pulling up cold fuel and more dense where later it will heat up and expand
Hard to factor that in

[MEGOMONSTER]

You are also pulling up cold fuel and more dense where later it will heat up and expand Hard to factor that in They do have temperature compensators in built.

I must rephrase that answer.
I know for sure the trucks delivering the fuel have temp comp inbuilt.

[threedogs]

not on any fuel tanks I worked on over 5 years
but that was a while ago now.

[MEGOMONSTER]

not on any fuel tanks I worked on over 5 years but that was a while ago now.

Fuel tankers have temperature compensators. 100%

[rusty_nail]

The tank is 35L though.

GU reserve tank is only 30L

[MudRunnerTD]

After adding 32 litres into my 30l reserve tank I stopped filling, never added more than 30 and I really drain it. Surface was level and so was car.
This was at Safeway Cairns and I complained to the operator who basically told me the pumps were accurate and wasn't interested. I kept all the details and contacted the weights and measures equivalent in QLD who said they would audit the pumps.
Three days later they rang me back to advise that the pump was correctly calibrated and they had no explanation for the difference. At least they followed it up, I've never been able to add that much to the reserve tank since.

I did exactly the same thing in Geelong. Same numbers and all. Followed up with a report and got the call to say that it checked right. I have got between 30 & 34lr into my sub many times since.

Next time I full I will stop the pump at 1lt, 10lts & 100lts and take a photo. As long as the final equates then I think the 1lt test must have something to do with the pump or Hose?? It will be interesting to see.

[rusty_nail]

I did exactly the same thing in Geelong. Same numbers and all. Followed up with a report and got the call to say that it checked right. I have got between 30 & 34lr into my sub many times since.

Next time I full I will stop the pump at 1lt, 10lts & 100lts and take a photo. As long as the final equates then I think the 1lt test must have something to do with the pump or Hose?? It will be interesting to see.

i think the problem is for that test to work you would have to do it every time you fill up, as some pumps might work fine and other not, and maybe the pump will work fine this time and not the next? such a pain in the @rse

[threedogs]

GU reserve tank is only 30L
According to my manual some reserve tanks are 30 others are 36 depending what motor you have.
All mains are 95 litres

[rusty_nail]

According to my manual some reserve tanks are 30 others are 36 depending what motor you have.
All mains are 95 litres

thanks for clearing that up TD, what would we all do without you :1087:

[Alitis007]

People you need to remember that you can over fill a petrol tank if you keep clicking after it cuts out too many times, what your actually filling is the expansion part of the tank which is meant for when your filled up in summer and the fuel heats up. Within 2 or 4 litters of the listen capacity is normal imo because of this reason but at times when the bowser says i have filled up 10 - 15ltrs more that i would normally put is when i have complained. What i have noticed is that the bowsers that show i have filled more than normal have a fast flow rate but the ones that to me are fairly accurate have a slower fill rate.

[jack]

Mine was at a slow fill pump that overfilled the 30l sub tank, most servos I use have slow fill.
I did get some satisfaction from knowing that they were inconvenienced by having their bowsers tested, they weren't in the least bit interested. As we were on our trip I kept very accurate fuel figures so took particular notice.

[Bloodyaussie]

My local I use every week was bang on.. and as for filling amounts I never go by this.. unless the tank was see through and there was a little line I was filling up to.

[sooty_10]

After reading this thread and seeing other pics/posts on FB when I filled up tonight I checked the bowser at 1L and 10L both times were spot on at the local woolies/caltex servo. Just for 91 unleaded in my commodore.

[Covo71]

Filled up two 20lt jerry cans at the Shell in Bathurst and managed to put in 46lts. Said something to the servo they said tough luck, jerry cans are more than 20lt. Went home checked it litre by litre. was 42lt in both. Sent email to shell telling them info and servo did not want anything to do with it and they replied and said they can't do anything and it was up to the servo to sort out. Have not been back and I tell as many people as I can. I was spending between $100 to $200 a week. Happy to give it to someone else.

[Bloodyaussie]

Got nothing to do with Shell mate... its weights and measures.. very very strict but so hard to police.

[Alitis007]

Filled up tonight and the Shell coles express i regularly go to was spot on at 1, 10 and 100ltrs which i'm happy about

[janderson]

According to my manual some reserve tanks are 30 others are 36 depending what motor you have.
All mains are 95 litres

My reserve tank mostly takes 33.74 liters. Rarely changers, but I also fill at the same pump. Once in sunshine Safeway I put 25 liters into a 20 liter Jerry can the operator refused to do any think about it.

[threedogs]

BA might be onto something here, seems
A Current Affairs in Melb is doing a segment on Bowser accuracy
this coming Monday,

[MudRunnerTD]

Last time I filled

45186


Sent from my iPhone using Motorculture mobile app

[firm351]

Last time I filled

45186



Wow $1.485 per litre, i can only dream of prices like that over here.

[MudRunnerTD]

Yeah diesel has stayed pretty constant for a long time but appears to have had a price increase in this last week and is up to $1.56 now. How much is it where you are? Sorry how far from Perth are you?

[firm351]

I'm about 40 kms from Perth, around my area the price hardly ever changes maybe 1 or 2 cents up or down and has been sitting about $1.61 or there abouts for at least a year now. For a long while it was around $1.50 then all of a sudden it jumped 10 cents and never came back down.

[TimE]

At Innaminka in 2007 I managed to get 2 litres more into a gerry can that I had been able to do anywhere else. A complaint met with the response "go to the next servo then" smart arse.

I have been through Innaminka 3 times since, and guess what, I work it so I don't need to fuel up there, I do go to the next servo.

[nissannewby]

Costco has just opened up here and has diesel 20c cheaper than its nearest competitor. $1.40 and less

[Maxhead]

At Innaminka in 2007 I managed to get 2 litres more into a gerry can that I had been able to do anywhere else. A complaint met with the response "go to the next servo then" smart arse.

I have been through Innaminka 3 times since, and guess what, I work it so I don't need to fuel up there, I do go to the next servo.


Haha, I had the same experience in Laura, 10% extra on the way up and on the way down..didn't bother mentioning . They nearly charged my missus Z& kids to use their tin toilet...LOL

[NP99]

Costco has just opened up here and has diesel 20c cheaper than its nearest competitor. $1.40 and less

Plus the $50 membership fee :)
Noticed some servo's here state min 2 litres, that might be so that the 1 litre discrepancy mentioned gets sorted out....don't know!!!

[lhurley]

Plus the $50 membership fee :)
Noticed some servo's here state min 2 litres, that might be so that the 1 litre discrepancy mentioned gets sorted out....don't know!!!

$50 once a year. 20c/L cheaper fuel, if your a local, your membership would be paid off pretty quick

[nissannewby]

$50 once a year. 20c/L cheaper fuel, if your a local, your membership would be paid off pretty quick

Correct. Only 2 fills for me and that membership has paid for itself.

[threedogs]

Correct. Only 2 fills for me and that membership has paid for itself.

Well worth the $50 membership IMO and even better if doing some miles locally

[Maxhead]

Costco has just opened up here and has diesel 20c cheaper than its nearest competitor. $1.40 and less

Do you know which fuel they use?? 20c saving is huge. Hope they open here soon:)

[MEGOMONSTER]

20c off fuel, wow, I'd pay $100 meme reshoot for that all year round.

[MudRunnerTD]

Yep 20c off fuel would save me $32 per 160lt fill!! Winner!

[nissannewby]

Do you know which fuel they use?? 20c saving is huge. Hope they open here soon:)

No idea mate but I know they don't have their own refinerys over here so they need to purchase it off someone who is already here. This limits it to basically your main suppliers bp, shell, caltex etc.

[04OFF]

$50 once a year. 20c/L cheaper fuel, if your a local, your membership would be paid off pretty quick


Especially true for anyone driving a 4.5L petrol eh Lachlan (lol)

[Rickie3]

the 9 in the first pic is certainly debatable the 9 above totally different

[nissannewby]

Yep 20c off fuel would save me $32 per 160lt fill!! Winner!

Yep exactly if I fill both tanks it's just over 170L so it's certainly a viable option for myself. I read an article of someone trying to talk it down saying even if you saved 4c on a 50L fill you would need 30 fills to make the membership worthwhile. The problem with that argument is it's a lot more than 4c plus you can make savings in store as well.

It's also good as most servos (I would say within 10km) are lowering their prices now to even the likes of bp which we filled up at a couple of weeks back and put premium in the Carolla for 1.40 :)

[04OFF]

It's also good as most servos (I would say within 10km) are lowering their prices now to even the likes of bp which we filled up at a couple of weeks back and put premium in the Carolla for 1.40 :)


That's the benefit I think Matty, it will hopefully start to keep the other big players a little more "honest".


IMO, peoples stupidity does not help, they will queue up to pay 5c more for fuel, to get 5c off fuel with a docket, we have been getting bent over for far to long, the big servos are professional anus lubers, be interesting to see how they all react.

[kevin07]

I checked my local at 100 litres and it was 100% correct 7 11 georges hall