Roundabouts and diesel

[Houseman]

This is probably a really dumb/obvious question, but what is it with roundabouts and diesel?

I nearly binned my beloved recently due to a sudden "whoopsdieselfuck" incident while leaned over a bit, going about 40kph round a 2 lane jobbie (Queenstown Rd exit off Mangere Motorway). Somehow managed to hold on by employing farmbike style and throwing a leg down to hold the front end together. Not pretty, but very glad to get out of it unhurt and unscratched.

Got on KB as you do to browse similar threads and apparently diesel spills on roundabouts are a common occurence.

What I'd like to know is...why? Do trucks not screw their fuel caps on properly or sommit?

[Bald Eagle]

Do trucks not screw their fuel caps on properly or sommit?

That's your answer right there.

[Houseman]

Guy in a car in the other lane slowed down and saw the whole thing. I looked over and patted my chest (as in "sheez that was close") and he just shook his head at me as if I was hooning. Wanker.

[Houseman]

That's your answer right there.

Cheers for that, that's pretty piss-poor safety wise...

[Woodman]

The other reason there is a lot of diesel on roads and accumulated on roundabouts is because of the amount of diesel leaking out of the fuel pumps on a lot of diesels.

I was talking to a guy in a garage the other day and he says it is keeping him going at the moment fixing the leaky pumps.

It is the winter blend of diesel that the fuel companies are supplying that is causing the seals to leak. It happened a few years ago as well when I was in the trade.

Wonder how many accidents the fuel companies are responsible for???

[Scuba_Steve]

On the up-side if you hit them right you can do some wicked drifts

[varminter]

Judging by the amount of rainbow coloured blobs I see on the road when it's raining I assume that about half of the fuel fed from the pumps goes on the road, it must be pissing out of some vehicles. I've often considered tossing down a match.

[Ocean1]

That's your answer right there.

Somewhat. Also, unlike cars and for reasons that I'm unaware of diesel tanks are almost never air-tight. If you look at most truck tank caps they either have no seal at all or on that patently doesn't work.

Fookin' criminal.

[JimO]

the dreadad boy racers tend to pour deisel around as well

[pete376403]

As well as the other reasons, truck tanks tend to be on the left (passenger) side of the vehicle, so on the outside as the they go round the about = fuel thrown to the outside of the tank (where the leaky cap is).

[Guided_monkey]

Feel free to ring the council if it's bad enough.

They are responsible to clean-up. Don't accept a 'helpful' it will be washed off with the rain.

[yungatart]

Feel free to ring the council if it's bad enough.

They are responsible to clean-up. Don't accept a 'helpful' it will be washed off with the rain.

...Or the police.

[st00ji]

Judging by the amount of rainbow coloured blobs I see on the road when it's raining I assume that about half of the fuel fed from the pumps goes on the road, it must be pissing out of some vehicles. I've often considered tossing down a match.

good luck with that!

diesel spreads out a huge amount in a bit of moisture, even tiny drops can cover a palm sized area with ease. throwing a match on it will result in the match going out, its not petrol

[MSTRS:Me]

If you look at most truck tank caps they either have no seal at all or one that patently doesn't work.

Also, the filler pipe tends to be quite short, meaning the cap is not high above the level of the tank (as they are in cars, for instance).

[cbfb]

Also in the event of an accident where the vehicle gets tipped/rolled, the fuel tank gets dumped all over the place.

That's why having a properly fitting fuel cap is a requirement for WOF.