Diesel pumps in service stations

[Russell_374247859]

Hello all

Just bought my first diesel car and was hoping to be able to use the wider fuelling bays that the lorrys use when on motorway service stations. Does anyone know if the pumps/diesel is the same (i.e not Red diesel or anything) ?

Many thanks

Russell

 

[Chrisbee]

It's exactly the same fuel but you may find the pump has a bigger nozzle and will almost certainly have a faster delivery. It may also have a trigger lock to keep the fuel flowing "hands free".If you don't want to get splashed with diesel take great care.Trucks fill up with up to 1000 ltrs at a time, if the delivery was the same as the normal "car" pumps they would take an age to fill.

 

[JohnM20]

Hi Russell

I believe that the only difference is that the pumps for lorries delivers fuel at a much faster rate. This could lead to an overflow from your car due to back pressure ending up with diesel all over you and the forecourt. If you are VERY careful and barely squeeze the trigger you can fill a car at a lorry pump but it tends to make it slower than if you went to a normal car pump.

JohnM

 

[drsorento]

hi Russell, you will find that the pumps that the lorrys use the fuel will usually come out at a faster rate under higher pressure than those intended for cars and therfore you may find that the auto-cutoff, that shuts off the pump when the tank is getting full will not work as well as it should and you can get yourself soaked with fuel as it shoots up the filler tube.

It will not contain red diesel, as this is reserved for the farming community.

Hope this helps

 

[RogerL]

What's the issue with normal filling stations, eg supermarket style?

You'll have to use pumps on the same side as the filler cap because the caravan will push you over enough to prevent taking the hose to the other side - but most drivers only use the same-side pump solo.

Just remember you need to turn wide to prevent the caravan cutting too much of the corner - but that's no different to getting in/out on tight caravan sites.

I think some, perhaps all, of the HGV bays expect you to pay up front before taking fuel.

 

[Lutz]

I think you'll find that the nozzles of the pumps that lorries use are too large to fit into the filler tubes of most cars.

 

[Mikey1]

A high speed pump has bigger internal pipework,a larger diameter hose and larger nozzle so delivers a better flow rate,still same motor and pump unit,as mentioned a lot of cars wont accept the bigger nozzle,the hose and nozzle are heavier and due to size the nozzles dont have plastic covers around the grip either so cold handies plus alot of forecourts dont like cars being filled as the splashback makes a mess.

Normal pumps are fine choose your pump give yourself plenty of room and dont let others rush you.

 

[Ian_374396739]

Some cars eg Vauxhall Vectra have a reducer fitted inside the filler that is larger than one fitted to petrol cars but to small to let lorry nozle in, so unfortuneately it will be trial and error, most lorry lanes require a swipe of either fuel card or credit card prior to delivery commencing. I have used this style pump while working in fuel industry without any problems, at some service stations sell red for use in refrigeration units etc, but are clearly marked not road fuel!!!!

regards

Ian

 

[Russell_374247859]

Many thanks all for your replies - very useful. I used to have a petrol car so have always used the main pumps, but the lorry ones tend to be sited on the way out and look more convenient. Also, we have been to at least one service station where it was difficult to get from the lorry/caravan parking round to the normal pumps.

Russell

 

[Pat_374304630]

Russell,

Don't use the lorry pumps. The nozzle won't fit into your car, it's bigger than the car nozzles. Trust me I'm an ex lorry driver.

 

[Russell_374247859]

Russell,

Don't use the lorry pumps. The nozzle won't fit into your car, it's bigger than the car nozzles. Trust me I'm an ex lorry driver.

Cheers Pat, have decided best to stay clear & keep using the main pumps.

 

[Mikey1]

Its does depend on what car you have as the big nozzle will fit into some cars filler pipe.

 

[maxtherotti]

why not fill the car up before you go?

most modern diesels i should imagine do a good 300 miles to a tank towing (my discovery does 600+ solo and 480 ish towing)

rob

 

[Mikey1]

I want to fill up where fill up Rob! i presume you have Disco 3? i have got friends with 2.7 Disco 3's and get no-where near the figures you quote.Combined middle 20's towing low 20's per gallon.

Only on a long motorway journey at a steady pace did we nudge 30 mpg solo.

 

[SteveW77]

discovery does 600+ solo and 480 ish towing)

Must be the only one in captivity.

Steve W

 

[DomDom]

Disco 3 has a 90 odd litre tank and the 2.7 when driven properly can easily achieve mid thirties MPG solo, more so the manuals. I run a V8 Discovery 3 and can normally get 27 on a run and about 23 round towns. Towing it gives about 16. If I slipstream a lorry at 56mph I can get over 20 when towing.

The new 3 litre engine in the D4 is even more frugal although I have only driven the Jag XF with that engine (average 43.6mpg fwiw) but I have driven the Full Fat Range Rover TDV8 which gave over 30 on a run. Even LR quote 25ish combined for the FFRR.

The modern engines are a long way ahead of the old TD5 and 300TDI variants and both of those belong in tractors.

 

[Mikey1]

The Disco 3 actually has an 82 litre fuel tank and although they quote 30mpg , from every road test i have read and from towing friends say its more in the mid 20's,as a friend put it "the only time i get near the quoted mpg figures is when im stationary"

This is a 2.7 ton slab fronted vechicle with a 190 bhp engine so its always working hard.

 

[DomDom]

That 82 litre figure is to the 1st click off at the pump. It is quite possible to get another 19 litres in after that.

I notice also that all your knowledge comes from reading or listening to friends etc. I actually own one and this is the second one I've owned. I can tell you quite catagorically that 0ver 30mpg is easily achievable. It does indeed weight 2.7T but slab fronted is not the case. It's quite aerodynamic for a 4x4.

Oh, and unless you have a misfuel prevention device it can be filled at a lorry pump. (original question)

 

[Mikey1]

Sorry Dominic i will ignore the Land Rover Website (says 82lts which +- 2%) and the motoring magazines and i forgot the TWO we use for moving our exhibition equipment,but i dont drive them, but i do sign off the guys expences so i know the running costs of them.

If you are put 101 lts i would ring Trading Standards and get the Fuel pump checked for calibration.

 

[DomDom]

Sorry Dominic i will ignore the Land Rover Website (says 82lts which +- 2%) and the motoring magazines and i forgot the TWO we use for moving our exhibition equipment,but i dont drive them, but i do sign off the guys expences so i know the running costs of them.

If you are put 101 lts i would ring Trading Standards and get the Fuel pump checked for calibration.

Sorry - typo. Should have read 10 not 19. It's this reclaimed coffee spill keyboard and fat fingers. But yes, over 30 is easy. Strangely some of the chaps in the Disco3 forum are reporting that the new software update has trashed the economy of them but these later cars cannot have the EGR valves removed either which doesn't help.

As it goes I was going to LPG my V8 but really can't be bothered with the average consumption I get. Mid twenties I can live with.

Dom