Dodgy diesel riddle was a tank issue

Howard Westphal and contaminated Diesel sold at Scouthead Filling Station whick wrecked his Range Rover Fuel System.

THE mystery of Scouthead Filling Station’s diesel fuel contamination might have been solved.

The Chronicle reported on Friday that at least three cars had been left undriveable after being filled with diesel at the Huddersfield Road filling station on March 4. The dodgy diesel caused around £16,000 of damage to customers’ cars.

Fuel tank experts King Tank Technic of Droylsden say a common process known as phase separation was to blame. This occurs when a significant amount of water is in a fuel tank of an ethanol-blended fuel — in this case diesel. Ethanol acts like a sponge on the water and prevents it from floating to the surface of the fuel. When the ethanol is saturated with water it separates from the fuel and the compound floats on the fuel’s surface - as seen in a picture inside the Scouthead tank. When the mix is pumped into a fuel tank it causes the problems experienced by the motorists.

A spokesman said: “It is quite clear this is a case of phase separation. I feel quite sorry for the filling station owners; this is something that can happen without anyone knowing. Every fuel pump has a vent and over time moist air gets into the tank, causing a build-up of water. Tanks need to be cleaned regularly to avoid such problems.”