Problem: Diesel fuel does not work in gasoline-powered engines, and vice versa.
Solution 1: Look at the pump prior to refueling to see if it’s diesel or not.
Solution 2: Buy a $40 gadget that sniffs the fuel nozzle’s fumes for you.
Product Page [Fuel Checkers via Coolest Gadgets]
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In the US, at least, diesel nozzles are larger diameter and won’t fit into a gasoline tank; conversely, you could easily put gasoline in a diesel tank.
This just checks the size of the nozzle, doesn’t sniff the fumes.
It has a battery and LEDs- I assume its certified for use in explosive atmospheres?
Dave
The gadget is installed inside the fuel flap and user has to _remember_ to use it. It will not automatically prevent misfueling.
Might be somewhat useful in rental cars but big red sticker is cheaper.
DIY guys might probably install the thingy straight over the hole and put in some kind of electrically operated barrier wired to the checker’s green light. But: gas fumes + electric gadget =
I think this got investment on the BBC show “Dragon’s Den” I think it’s mainly aimed to sold to people who sell hire cars and so on. Though #1 in this thread, gives a much better solution the UK should have followed!
No, the device on Dragon’s Den used the difference in sizes between the nozzles as described by #1; much better solution.
Actually, I think all this device does is check the diameter of the nozzle. You attach it to the nozzle, and I guess the three electrical contacts close circuits or something with only certain nozzles? The page is intentionally vague…but i’m certain it doesn’t “sniff” anything.
But what if the wrong fuel is in the pump to begin with?
It only works on nozzles in the UK according to the FAQ http://www.fuelcheckers.com/faq/31-general/46-nozzlecompatibility
As for commenter #1, you are incorrect. Diesel nozzles come in truck and auto sizes in the US. The auto nozzles will fit in a gasser’s fuel spout.
a sniffer may be USEFUL
when fuel is super expensive, and thieves are siphoning and selling in the black market. you can sniff before you buy.
@Dan Wineman
My thought exactly. Several years ago, my brother-in-law had a diesel that a gas station had to pay for an engine rebuild* on after they filled the pump with gasoline. Who knows how much that mistake cost them after a day’s worth of fill-ups.
*Well, technically not a rebuild. They flushed the fuel system and had to replace all of the injectors. Still, it was about $500 in the late ’90s, IIRC.
how stupid are you people, diesel is diesel and petrol is petrol (sorry, gas). the rest of the world copes with it. what’s the problem?
I think this device is aimed at people illicitly siphoning fuel out of tanks, you know, to beat the pump prices.
Probably best to tell if they have the right stuff before you nick it, eh?
I find it interesting that the diesel version is black and the petrol version is green, when most of the pumps I’ve seen in the US use a green pump handle to indicate diesel, leaving the standard black for regular gas (petrol).
I thought I had it figured out for a second, that these were meant for blind people