Grounding yourself is the key

 

At least someone agrees with what I say.

 

"melt your turbo"?? Only if you were running hot and heavy down the Interstate and then just shut it off. Extra wear and tear on the starter is a minor factor. Those starters are designed for many cycles. While the simple act of pushing diesel through the hose will create friction, a spark from you to the nozzle won't start an explosion and fire with diesel. It takes the diesel oil to be highly compressed and heated to combust. Combustion and fires from refueling operations is extremely rare.

FIRES AT REFUELING SITES THAT APPEAR TO BE STATIC RELATED
February 17, 2004

Compiled and written by: Robert N. Renkes
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
Petroleum Equipment Institute
P.O. Box 2380
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74101-2380
(918) 494-9696 (phone)
(918) 491-9895 (fax)
rrenkes@pei.org

Reports by Year

Year Total NHTSA Only

1992 1

1993 1 1

1994 3 3

1995 8 7

1996 7 4

1997 9 5

1998 10 3

1999 32 6

2000 23 1

2001 12

2002 31

2003 12

2004 2

Unknown 7 4

Total 158 34

Now consider the number of refueling operations that go on daily. According to PEI "Americans pump gasoline into their cars between 11 and 12 billion times a year without incident". See more at http://www.pei.org/

 

most places I fill at are at least 5 minutes off the fwy so I usually pull in, Idle for a minute or so then shut it down. I'm usually putting in 30-35 gallons so its gonna be a few minutes,especially topping off the last 3-4 gallons.

I shut down mostly as a courtesy to the others filling up at the station.

 

This is what's key. Diesel fuel won't ignite from a spark, such as one created by static electricity.

 

The stuff will not even evaporate on concrete that is over 130 degrees.

 

But it sure will make a slimy slippery mess!

 

jfralph--salamanders on diesel, or weed burners in 55 gal drums--you need them in MT
Worked around Havre in winter, sometimes it would have seemed to be better to be on fire than put up with -40.

 

I was a service manager for a major truck leasing company and we showed all of our employees a video on the myth that diesel fuel will not ignite by a spark or cigarrette. If the temperature of diesel fuel is raised to 150 degrees F. it can and will ignite in a fuel tank. The video shows the fuel tank turning into a flame thrower. On semi's they run a heated fuel/water seperator that is supposed to be shut off when temps run above freezing, but can be forgotten or malfunction causing the fuel to be heated to 150+ and creating this situation. In the case of a pickup the fuel could also be raised to these temperatures after pulling a long hill in a high temperature climate on a low fuel tank. The fuel returning from the engine is heated by the motor, the engine heat blowing past the fuel tank and the heat from the road could in a rare instance raise the fuel temp high enough to ignite. When you stick the nozzle in the tank and pull the trigger you displace the heated gases out of the tank right back at you.
Years ago I watched a poor guy die when he had his car parked too close to a campfire. He heard a hissing at his gas cap and without thinking he opened it to let off the pressure before he started it and it pushed the vapors right into his lungs as he gasped in amazement. The fumes then ignited burning him inside and out. I was at quite a distance and it happened so fast nobody could do anything.
I have welded aluminum tanks without completely washing them out and got away with it, but we all do stupid things when we are younger. I have also thrown matches in cool diesel fuel but never had the motivation to try it at the 150 degree mark. Like they say on TV, don't try this at home.

 

turboglide, I tossed a light match into a paper cup of diesel about 1 year go to see if it was true and it did not ignite.

 

I start fires when I'm burning brush and trees when clearing land with a mix of gas/diesel 30/70%. You do not want to wait very long between pouring ift out and lighting it. It will make an impressive "WHOOOSH" when the match hits! Diesel is harder to light but burns hotter.

 

I will let it idle if it is diesel only pumps. If it is a mix pump with gas and diesel, I will shut it down. But if I was running it hard before getting to the station, I will let it idle.

 

I make sure the last mile, open road, is very easy on the throttle……….before fueling

 

Tim, when you get ready to sell your X sell it to me. I don't know of anyone who takes care of their vehicle as well as you do!

 

I agreed with the fact that it won't ignite when it is cool. The fuel is not creating vapors. Warm it up to 150 degrees and try it! That is all my point is about. You could put a match out in gasoline if you could get past the vapors.