Triumphrat

shane · 10-02-2006

Hi Everyone,

Need to vent and if I am lucky get some advice.

I put fuel in my Sprint last night and noticed that the fuel was completely opaque. After a lot of dancing around I have managed to organised to get the fuel pump tested etc.,

Back to the bike. I didn't want whatever it was in my engine so I didn't start the bike, I pushed it home (not too far). This morning I check in the tank and the contaminant has separated and settled on the top of the fuel.

It is the consistency of a head of guiness (to look at) and an off-white colour. Obviously there is no way I am going to ride the bike with this stuff in (it has actually coated the top of the tank as well).

I am an RACV member so I can get towed. Peter Stevens Melbourne has a probable 2 week waiting time on getting the bike back.

Has anyone got any ideas?
- What the hell this***** in my fuel is?
- Where I can take that is triumph registered to get this resolved in a shorter time period?

The bike is my only form of transport so I am back to trams and the like for the duration.

The photo submission area is closed at the moment so I won't be able to post pics of this stuff (bad quality pics) till I get home.

Stlakid · 10-02-2006

My guess would be water and condensation that collects in the underground tanks at the service station. As long as the station gets new product on a regular basis it stays on top of the fuel. The problem comes when the station in question pumps their tanks to low and the water and such gets brought up with the fuel. Thats why it's usually better to fuel up at more popular (and usually brand name) stations so the supply is more consistent. It's no guarantee though. Back when we had the gas lines over here it was a pretty common problem. The stations pumped as much as they could, but if you went to low you were pumping a lot of water and ***** too.
Since you didn't run it a good flush of the tank and maybe the feed lines should be all you need to do. Try a different station of course for the next fill up.

steventhechef · 10-02-2006

That I know PS has the market sewn up in Melbourne. You could try Qld but you'd have to have Gold Card RACV !!

I'd be talking to the ar5eholes at the service station to get some joy.. but then I'd never go back..

Tankman · 10-03-2006

Shane this may help. I sounds like fuel is contaminated, get a sample, get it tested, if it is, take the fuel and the test results back to servo that sold the ***** and insist they pay for repairs. Try ringing the Bendigo Triumph dealer and booking it in there. It is a lot stuffing around and you may have to trailer the bike to them, but its got to be better than dealing with the thieving pricks at PS. Anyway hopefully you will be up and running soon, and hopefully we will see you down our way soon,

Cya The Tankman

DaveM · 10-03-2006

shane,
all the advce above is good, onya Tankman and Stevo. and Stlakid is exactly right again.

The kid is no dumbo that is for sure! Onya kid :-D

I have had a similar experience with fuel but in a car.

I say go the bastards, theyshouldn't let it get low like that anyway.

Who knows you might get some free 98 octane go juice for your trouble.

Anyhow good luck mate!

Davem

Stlakid · 10-03-2006

Quote:

and Stlakid is exactly right again

Er, well not exactly.....The FUEL would float on top of the water residue, not the other way around!

DaveM · 10-03-2006

Kid don't be so pernickity :-D

You're a hero admit it.

You know a whole lot more than a lot of us do here about these here techo malogical machineries!

Motobicyclettes.

Yup you da man Kid :razz:

Davem

shane · 10-03-2006

Thanks for the advice everyone. The bike ended up going to PS after I had a bit of a chat with one of the people I have previously dealt with there. They have promised to try and do their best to slip it in when they have a free minute. In the end with my lack of transportation I didn't have a huge choice in the matter.

I have also instructed PS to save a sample as per your recommendation. They are going to make sure to get both fuel and the ***** on the top in the sample.

Here is the best sample pic I have. Bad focus from the auto-focus unfortunately. It is indicative though.

ruscook · 10-03-2006

Good luck Shane I hope it's an easy fix...

Russ

steventhechef · 10-03-2006

It is really lucky that you spotted it before running the bike. No telling how much damage it would have done otherwise.

I tend to watch the fuel going in myself - pondering of the next few k's on the road.

Keep us posted.