fuel stations cheating behaviors?

[Jimmyl]

Any one knows why so many petrol stations' petrol is fairly warm in cold winter days? and why my car's computer tells me that it uses about 6.8L/100Km but I have to fill up 31.35L for only 392.8km?

[The_Hawk]

Underground temperatures have far less variation than the air around you, so it's very possible it's warmer than the air.

As for your fill up(s). Are you going to the same servo everytime? Stopping on the same click of the pump? Small differences like angle of the vehicle, when the pump cuts off etc can all factor into this. That and the reading the car has never been 100% accurate for me, more a close indicator. If all those factors align, that sort of difference is possible.

All of that said, fuel consumption is a long game, sign up to Fuelly and keep a running log, maybe next time it reads under! I wouldn't be blaming the servo over a single odd reading.
Fuelly - Track and Compare your MPG

If you're worried about a particular servo, go elsewhere and see if the problem goes away, maybe that one places pumps really aren't working right. It's possible, but if it continues else where it's probably you, after all there is always the other explanation. Your 15 - 20 year old sensors aren't quite right anymore.

[JustCruisn]

I filled tank then drove Brisbane to Hunter, 835km, filled when I got there 49.9litres.
In car display showed consumption for the trip was 6.3l/100km.
But actual was 5.98 l/100km.

So I would not rely on the display to be very accurate.
As Hawk says, you would be better looking at longer term trends, that will help reduce the fluctuations.

[Jimmyl]

Thanks for repley. I would say it's the service station's issue. I have a new Corolla now. I always fill up tank there and 3 times a week. I noticed that warm petrol gun on a cold evening and grabbed its staff to touch it with his hand. He lied and asked another guy to feel the temperature difference between fuel guns of RON 98(at air temperature about 15°C & 91(warmer than body temperature), both us felt apparently at least 10+ degree difference. I talked to the indian staff and let him hand over this issue to his manager. Guess what, last night, two days later, I found the same bowser fuel gun being at air temperature.

And interestingly, when the petrol gun was warm, the bowser shows filling quantity is quite close to what the to car display. However, when I feel the petrol gun is the cool, it will have a big difference, say 31.35L instead of car trip calculator's 26.75L .

I have long been told that in Australia, about 1/5 fuel stations ripping off customers by warming up to get more volume-you buy by Litre, or adjusting the metre to give you less.

[HiddenTaco]

Did you report them to the ACCC?

Why continue to use this station if you think they are dodgy?

[Jimmyl]

Hi HiddenTaco,

Not this time. Think about leaving it.

One thing ink I have noticed before, when my previous golf MK4 used coles petrol, it ran more mileage but with W/W caltex with most likely to ping its engine.

[Transporter]

Yeah, I know the the feeling when you fill up 85L into the 80L fuel tank and the computer is saying that you can still drive for 95 Km.
...on average some servos have an error of 50ml/1L, it’s 5L on 100L of fuel.
The diesel engines fuel consumption is quite unaffected by how or where you drive, so it’s easier to prove that the servos are definitely under filling our fuel tanks. I know where to fill up in my area. You need to do the same, find one that gives you accurate fuel economy and stick with it.

[Hillbilly]

I have long been told that in Australia, about 1/5 fuel stations ripping off customers by warming up to get more volume-you buy by Litre, or adjusting the metre to give you less.

Can you tell us how they do this in an undergound tank accessed only by a pipe. I was under the impression that a GOVT agency went around checking that volumes are correct at random times.

[Transporter]

1quart is 946ml. If the pump is made for metric and imperial systems, I guess it shouldn’t be that difficult to flip it to imperial why the sign says L. Just my speculation into this issue, though I’m sure there are many ways.

[Hillbilly]

1quart is 946ml. If the pump is made for metric and imperial systems, I guess it shouldn’t be that difficult to flip it to imperial why the sign says L. Just my speculation into this issue, though I’m sure there are many ways.

YEah I filled up a t Hervey Bay once and had a 36 L aux tank in my Patrol after 41 L was getting a bit antsy so went in and went crook Got a pisspoor response so reported them to some Govt dept which Ihave forgotten the name of