Cheating / Short Fuelling Tricks at Petrol Pumps


Joined
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I always do tankful whenever i visit any bunks. I ask attendant to show me zero before filling and request him to leave his hands from the nozzle until it gets auto cut off.
 
Joined
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This used to be there in Bangalore for long. When I used to fill petrol in my bike there in 2014, someone usually try to interrupt in between asking whether I need oil and in between and if you lose your focus from the meter, they will reset it quickly.
 
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Jun 11, 2015
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Hi Guys,
During my recent visit to Pondicherry from my home town, I planning for a tankfull (to save the fuel bill by filling in union territory) experienced the following and am sharing this.
Petrol Pump 1 : Hindustan Petroleum
After parking the car opposite the machine I informed the lady operator for a tank full. The lady operating the pump said ok, placed the fuel dispenser on the car and started filling. While the machine is pumping she sheepishly asks "Sir, you told to fill for 300 right?" I got suspicious and promptly replied that I needed tank full. Mean while a man also an employee of the same fuel station was nearby the vending machine. After hearing my reply without ever placing the dispenser back to the machine she continued filling the fuel after stopping the dispenser intermittently around 300 and continued filling. Sensing something fishy I told her to stop filling, make it round to 600 and paid for the fuel. After paying the amount I asked why did she had set the fuel limit to 300INR when I clearly mentioned for auto cutoff and she said all petrol dispensers were not equipped with auto cutoff so she had set for 300. Since I wasnt in any mood to argue left the pump.

Petrol Pump 2 : Indian Oil
Since I always fill till first auto cutoff went to the next fuel station nearby. Here the fun begins. I asked the attendant for tank full and he said switch on your cars fuel gauge so that you can read when the tank is fill. I said auto cutoff is governed by the dispenser and not by my car or rather any car. To this he boldly questioned "Do you have any idea how auto cut off works" and to this I replied patiently from my understanding as mentioned here. He got tensed and with a hardened face asked the lady attendant to fill up, meanwhile murmuring something to himself. After the first cut off (the click sound on the dispenser) asked the lady operator to stop, paid the amount and collected the bill from the dispenser machine. Here also the answer I got that no auto cutoffs enabled on the dispenser. (how the hell then the dispenser cut off with a click sound?)

My questions
1.Does the auto cutoff mechanism (as in the link previously mentioned) is the same that works on all Indian fuel stations or different?
2.Does all fuel stations are auto cutoff equipped? (I know its stupid but its better to have a resounding confidence right)

PS:The above mentioned stations are on NH45A near cuddalore-Pondicherry border on the left side while returning from pondicherry.
PPS: Any recommended fuel stations in pondicherry to rely on
 
Joined
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This is pure gimmick to fool customers. Modern MPDs have auto cutoff. Most of the retailers have it, at least in big cities.

When the fuel in the filler cap reaches/touches the nozzle sensor present inside, the gun will automatically cutoffs. So, I don't think this is any different. Maybe he was trying to be over intelligent.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
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well so many times i visit to the petrol pump there technique of filling petrol in tank is really fishy so many time i caught them but still they incorrigible and hence they do what they want to really ..........
Does anybody have any guess on how are they gonna make profit by avoiding the auto-cut off feature?
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 10, 2014
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As correctly pointed by Nishant, "When the fuel in the filler cap reaches/touches the nozzle sensor present inside, the gun will automatically cutoffs".
But Auto cut off depends on whether the nozzle sensor is working or not. It is in no way connected to MPD. It is a different part . At the bunk you had gone, may be nozzle sensor may not be working and hence the reply.
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2010
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God 's Own Country
Hi Guys,
During my recent visit to Pondicherry from my home town, I planning for a tankfull (to save the fuel bill by filling in union territory) experienced the following and am sharing this.
Petrol Pump 1 : Hindustan Petroleum
After parking the car opposite the machine I informed the lady operator for a tank full. The lady operating the pump said ok, placed the fuel dispenser on the car and started filling. While the machine is pumping she sheepishly asks "Sir, you told to fill for 300 right?" I got suspicious and promptly replied that I needed tank full. Mean while a man also an employee of the same fuel station was nearby the vending machine. After hearing my reply without ever placing the dispenser back to the machine she continued filling the fuel after stopping the dispenser intermittently around 300 and continued filling. Sensing something fishy I told her to stop filling, make it round to 600 and paid for the fuel. After paying the amount I asked why did she had set the fuel limit to 300INR when I clearly mentioned for auto cutoff and she said all petrol dispensers were not equipped with auto cutoff so she had set for 300. Since I wasnt in any mood to argue left the pump.

Petrol Pump 2 : Indian Oil
Since I always fill till first auto cutoff went to the next fuel station nearby. Here the fun begins. I asked the attendant for tank full and he said switch on your cars fuel gauge so that you can read when the tank is fill. I said auto cutoff is governed by the dispenser and not by my car or rather any car. To this he boldly questioned "Do you have any idea how auto cut off works" and to this I replied patiently from my understanding as mentioned here. He got tensed and with a hardened face asked the lady attendant to fill up, meanwhile murmuring something to himself. After the first cut off (the click sound on the dispenser) asked the lady operator to stop, paid the amount and collected the bill from the dispenser machine. Here also the answer I got that no auto cutoffs enabled on the dispenser. (how the hell then the dispenser cut off with a click sound?)

My questions
1.Does the auto cutoff mechanism (as in the link previously mentioned) is the same that works on all Indian fuel stations or different?
2.Does all fuel stations are auto cutoff equipped? (I know its stupid but its better to have a resounding confidence right)

PS:The above mentioned stations are on NH45A near cuddalore-Pondicherry border on the left side while returning from pondicherry.
PPS: Any recommended fuel stations in pondicherry to rely on
Please try out the ashram run petrol pump near general hospital pondicherry its just opposite old maternity hospital they always set pump to zero show it to customer and start fuelling.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
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Most of the petrol pumps will have machines tampered so show a upto 10% difference in fuel.
But around December last year i had a pathetic experience.I knew the owner of the pump & I never liked the guy.
Since we were taking a long journey my friends wanted to split the fuel when filling with me & insisted i fill at this known persons bunk on the outskirts of Bangalore. As soon as we went there i noticed them instructing me to a particular machine even when 3 to 4 were free to use. I believe this is the heavily tampered money maker machine they have lined up for gullible customers. The owner was far away & my friend got out to talk to him & i saw his face shrink as he realized it was us.
My car usually fills 34 to 35 litres once the low fuel light comes on in the car. In this case my low fuel light was yet to appear so was expecting a 32 litres or lesser fill for full tank.
What the meter went upto was a 41 odd litres[surprise] . I was fuming at this moment & was caught between my friend who is happily talking to the owner & the fact for that 9 litres is the cheating figure for the diesel.I was also annoyed at my friend who insisted we fill their.
But i realized they tamper specific machines & direct customers to these to ensure maximum profit!
In Bangalore i fill only at Bowring petrol pump,the pump next to ITC gardenia opp woodlands & the one pump near Lalbagh southend road,next to Teachers college.

Also i am lead to believe petrol is heavily adulterated cause its more profits as its expensive. My mom filled up at a rural petrol pump & i noticed the car jerking as if the injectors were clogged,have to use fuel additives to free it up.Never had issues when filling at specific pumps which we were satisfied with.
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
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Bangalore
These are alarming and we need to be careful and watchful. I always fill petrol in BP bunk at Ne w Thippasandra main road (next to Ganapathi Temple in bangalore, they always set the meter to zero ask the customer before staring and auto cut off works fine. I never had an issue.
 
Joined
May 13, 2015
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Chennai / Coimbatore
I always prefer tank full to tank full method and will give clear instruction to them don’t fill after auto cut off. Finally ask them to give automated bill instead of hand written.
 

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