Beware at that one truck stop in Flagstaff, fuel quality is terrible

I rolled through the Pilot off I-40 in Flagstaff last Thursday on a run to Phoenix and filled up my '97 Cummins. By the time I hit the next exit, engine was knocking rough and my fuel filter was clogged solid with what looked like sand and algae. Had to pull over for 3 hours and swap it on the shoulder. Any of you guys ever dealt with bad diesel from a specific station? I'm thinking of putting in a complaint.

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_morgan2d ago

I saw a DOT report online that said Pilot stations in Arizona had a fuel contamination spike back in 2021, something about water getting into their underground tanks after heavy rains. But faith27's right too, my buddy's '99 12-valve did the exact same thing last year, and it turned out his tank had years of sludge settled at the bottom from running on cheap fuel. A bumpy road or a fresh fill-up can stir all that junk up. I'd still file a complaint with the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures just to be safe, they're pretty good about checking places when someone reports a problem. You might also want to drain your water separator and check your fuel lines for any debris before you write off the station entirely. I've learned the hard way that old diesels can hold onto some nasty surprises in the tank.

faith272d ago

October 2022 I filled up at that same Pilot with my 2003 F-350 and had zero issues, ran fine all the way to Kingman. Are you sure it wasn't something already in your tank from before? Old trucks like ours sometimes pick up crud from the bottom of the tank that's been sitting there for years and it just takes a bumpy road to shake it loose. I've seen more problems from people not changing their own filters regularly than from any station around here. The DOT out here tests fuel pretty regular so I kinda doubt it was the station's fault. Might just be coincidence you broke down right after filling up, you know?

jamesc792d ago

Did you check if that Pilot had just gotten a fresh delivery right before you filled up?