I've been chasing a P026D code on my 2018 Duramax for awhile. First shop cleaned the MAF and cleared the code. It came back two weeks later.

Same shop had the truck for three days running through the tech bulletins, couldn't figure it out, referred me to the dealership.

Took it to West Point, they had for 10 minutes and said I need all 8 injectors replaced for $5,800. Nope, not happening.

They cleared the code and when it came back after a couple weeks I took it to a local shop that a couple of people that I trust use. The owner is a good guy and shoots straight.

He pulled a sample of fuel upstream of the filter and it was awful. There were black "flakes" all in it, almost like algae, also water and low cetane. Filter was trashed.

He asked where I buy diesel and I let him know that I fill up at Bucee's because of the high turnover at the pumps (and because I get the carwashes on the company fuel card)

Well, I won't be going there anymore after seeing the fuel and paying for the fuel system/injectors flushing and cleaning. I have some BG products to treat the next few tanks as well.

It could've been a one-off bad batch situation, but I doubt I take the chance again. Hopefully the code is gone for good.

P.S. - I will still go to Bucees for ice, kolaches, sandwiches, jerky, etc. Just not fuel

Which location?

I'd let the store know with proof and make them pay for it.

Katy store

RB Stewart supplies all the fuel to Buccees. I would definitely tell the store so they can figure out if it is site specific, or if it is on RB Stewart's side.

If I could get contact information for someone at Bucee's that cared, I would call. I doubt the manager at the Katy location would have time or care. That store is crazy busy all the time.

If anyone has a phone number or email for someone up the chain at Bucees, I'd give it a shot.

I've heard your insurance company will chase down a gas station for bad gas if you can prove it.

This is why I always spray a decent amount into my hand, or on the concrete, before putting it in my vehicle. Sometimes I'll swish it around in my mouth first, like a wine sampling (I spit it out of course).

I get some funny looks, but my truck runs without issue!

That first line had me. I was like wtf

I had the same issue with diesel contamination in my previous truck. Went back to gasser because of it. If I ever go back to diesel I'll get a Shell or Chevron card and only use one brand....figure it would help to show I only used their product.

Dill-Ag13 said:

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That first line had me. I was like wtf

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I thought I'd add in the tasting part...just in case people believed me

Sent you a PM.

Send that to the CEO of Buc ee's, he's an Aggie.

Take a video filling the cup up at the pump. Keep receipts showing you fill up from there regularly. Keep any documentation the shop gave you when they pulled the gas.

You need remove the finger pointing ability from an insurance adjuster/company rep as best as you can.

No, it couldn't have been gas from another station. Here are the receipts.
No, it wasn't faulty vehicle maintenance. Here's a video of your ****ty gas coming out of the pump.

Etc.

AgGrad99 said:

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... Sometimes I'll swish it around in my mouth first, like a wine sampling (I spit it out of course)...

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Back in the day, if you were in the Navy and worked in engineering, doing a taste test was a legit part of the maintenance requirement for inspecting the diesel.

Also, never buy gas when they are refilling the tanks. Bunch of sediment gets stirred around that used to be settled at the bottom of the storage tank.

This is fascinating to me, so I have some questions. None of this is meant to be combative, I'm genuinely curious how this happens in 2022 with filtration technologies available. How often is this truck driven?

I have filled up at that station since they opened when I lived over there. I drive a a 6.0 Diesel. I have to play devils advocate here because...

Anything in the tanks like that will get caught in the pump filter system, which is changed pretty regularly when flow rates are below a certain threshold at Buccees.

That means it has to be after the filter, which is weird because of the turnover.

So now I'm back to the truck...that would be caught by one of the 3 filters on my truck, and I'd bet yours are better than mine being over a decade newer.

The water would also get pulled in the separator, which would probably throw a light PDQ.

Finally, if I were an owner of a gas station about to have to pay a repair bill, I'd need proof. IN other words, video with time stamps showing it coming out of one of my pumps. "my mechanic said its the fuel and your the last place I filled up" isn't going to even cause me to pick up the phone.

I gotta be honest, I'd be looking hard at my own truck and fuel lines. That just doesn't make sense to me. We don't have all these filters and separators becuase they are fun to install.

If that was an upstream sample, I'd be figuring out how in the hell that made it past a filter in the truck and fixing that first and foremost before chasing down the fuel guys. That seems really bad.

And this is not a prod at you, I'm genuinely interested in how this is possible considering the above. I know diesel engines and mechanics quite well. I do NOT know fuel pumps, filters, and storage.

By the way, I saw this in a gas engine once, a 1996 Dodge Ram, but it was gas and there were 'shiny flakes' in the fuel. Looked almost like glitter. I had the same questions then but the fuel filter on that truck was pretty much the screen on the pump so....that answered that question.

I drive the truck every day. I'm with you, I have no idea how this gets past all the redundant protections.

I'm not a diesel mechanic, but, the way I understand it, any fluctuations in air or fuel quantity/quality/pressure over time will throw the CEL code.

The filter took what it could, but eventually was overwhelmed by the magnitude of crap in the fuel. These new diesels, regardless of manufacturer, run extremely high fuel pressures in the rails, so any debris is an issue.

I'm not going after anyone to pay for it, I just wanted to let someone know there's a problem. The burden of proof is high and I'm not about to get in that fight. I could go get a sample today from the pump and it'd probably look fine.

Oh, also wanted to add this. My truck never ran poorly. If it weren't for the CEL I'd be fat and happy driving 80. Runs like a champ through this whole thing

Reading the situation, I was thinking the same thing that BrazosDog laid out. Hope there is a follow up on this thread.

"If that was an upstream sample, I'd be figuring out how in the hell that made it past a filter in the truck and fixing that first and foremost before chasing down the fuel guys. That seems really bad."

To clarify this: "Upstream" is before the filter. "Downstream" is after the filter.

So, they were sampling what was in the tank.

They also sampled at the injectors pre-treatment and post-treatment to confirm it was cleared.

dahouse said:

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"If that was an upstream sample, I'd be figuring out how in the hell that made it past a filter in the truck and fixing that first and foremost before chasing down the fuel guys. That seems really bad."

To clarify this: "Upstream" is before the filter. "Downstream" is after the filter.

So, they were sampling what was in the tank.

They also sampled at the injectors pre-treatment and post-treatment to confirm it was cleared.

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OK. I see what you mean. Well, I am wondering if the buccees pumps have fuel bypasses. If they get too plugged up, will they just bypass the filter?

I would probably get a shart ton of filters, and change them after 100 miles. If its not bad, I'd change it again after 200 miles. Then 500, then weekly, then monthly....etc, etc until they looked clean. I think all the fords are pleated open element so you can see what it looks like. Id change them until they look clean.

Just so everyone knows, You can guage the fuel filter quality at bucees (and probably other filling stations). If you are pumping diesel, and its taking like ALL F-ING DAY....those filters are plugged. I would stop and find a new pump. I know this because I questioned one of the guys servicing the pump at that bucees in katy once when it took forever to fill my tank. The dude said that once the flow reaches a certain level, they change the filters. So, they use a GPM system to determine filter quality. Anyway, that is hopefully useful to someone.

I agree with the filter regimen. I have 3 sitting on the work bench ready to go in.

Same for the gasoline pumps.

I used to work at a Kroger fuel center (miserable summer)... All pumps had internal filters that were changed when the flow rates slowed. Diesel pumps went through more filters than the gasoline, but they all have them.

As for water, modern tanks are double walled with a saline solution netter the double wall. Water sensors in the inner tank and salinity sensors between the double wall. The system will know about a leak VERY quickly.

Add a FASS or an AirDawg

New World Ag said:

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I had the same issue with diesel contamination in my previous truck. Went back to gasser because of it. If I ever go back to diesel I'll get a Shell or Chevron card and only use one brand....figure it would help to show I only used their product.

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You won't get any certainty that the diesel is good at a Shell or Chevron. Most wholesale agreements don't require the wholesaler to buy diesel from Shell/Chevron like they do with gasoline. So the diesel in the tank is just going to be the cheapest diesel that wholesaler could get

I've got a friend that pays a lot more attention to the minute details of vehicle ownership than me, and Love's diesel is all he runs in his trucks. He says the biodiesel they run provides better lubrication compared to regular diesel and is easier on high pressure fuel pumps. Anecdotally, my Jetta TDI seems to start easier on it compared to diesel from other stations. My last 10 tanks had been at Love's, I got one tank at Bucees last week and it took several seconds to start cold, and started cold immediately once I got a tank from Love's this week. Might check my fuel filter tomorrow after seeing this.

Bucees fuel is terrible.

My worst mpg tanks are from there. Lose 2-3 mpg on their gas and have stopped buying gas there. Still use the toilets and buy food.

Looks like the tank level was low and pulling from the diesel / water / microbio interface. The bottom layer of these tanks are probably full of evil ***** The fuel itself looks fine and in the US market USLD is ULSD is ULSD regardless of where you buy it. The difference will be in transport and storage.

Costco has the only Top Tier diesel.

https://www.toptiergas.com/diesel-licensed-brands/

• Must meet the stringent standards of the TOP TIER Diesel Fuel Performance Standard, including best practice housekeeping to minimize particulate and water contamination.
• Stations must prominently display the TOP TIER logo at the fuel dispenser. NOTE: Not all stations of a licensed brand may be selling TOP TIER Diesel Fuel. Find more information here.
• Reduces Deposits, Increases Lubricity, and Improves Fuel Stability for a Cleaner Diesel Fuel. See below for more information on how TOP TIER Diesel Fuel achieves these important attributes.

Was behind a duramax at Kroger and driver had disappeared so just sat and waited. Finally he came out holding a starbucks iced coffee bottle and showed it to me and suggested I buy elsewhere. He is a long time mid stream guy and says he samples every time before he buys. Bottle was about 50/50 fuel/water. So I went else where and stopped and picked up some Howes Diesel treat just in case it was going around. I haven't started checking before fill but probably should.
Costco might be a good option but not many have diesel, including the new place in College Station.

HumbleAg04 said:

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Looks like the tank level was low and pulling from the diesel / water / microbio interface. The bottom layer of these tanks are probably full of evil ***** The fuel itself looks fine and in the US market USLD is ULSD is ULSD regardless of where you buy it. The difference will be in transport and storage.

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Tanks pickup off of or near the bottom. Diesel floats on water.

CEL back on today on the drive to the office. This is getting out of hand. With all the technology we have built into these vehicles why can't the problem be identified.

Because all the technology built into trucks today... IS the problem.