Gas Station Diesel Pump Nozzle Size

wesk1954

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Location
Aurora, OH
TDI
09 Jetta TDI
I have now found a new issue since I took delivery Saturday on my new TDI. (Hooray)

When I went to a shell station today for the first fill up (cause you KNOW I had to take a little road trip yesterday, and averaged 47 MPG... and this on a brand new engine, so it will only get better)... I found that the pump nozzle was simply TOO LARGE to fit into the car. I tried to nurse the fuel in, and then proceeded to make a mess. So after a couple of gallons and getting REALLY pissed off at myself, I went to a different station (Sheetz) and they had "Auto diesel" pumps with the standard size dispenser nozzle. And yes, before you ask, both stations pumps were labeled ULSD, although I have found one gas chain (Speedway / Super America) that are still selling LSD, and won't be upgrading to ULSD until the refinery is upgraded.

Since I'll be traveling extensively with my job, and buying diesel at various locations throughout 3 states, I'm wondering if you find a similar experience, especially thinking of truck stops, and do you always have to look for "auto diesel" signage before you can KNOW that the nozzel is going to fit into your tank?

And lastly, heaven forbid you're really in a jam and no other sources seem available, has anyone seen an adapter / device that will allow you to use the huge nozzles when fueling up your Jetta?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Wes
 

Drivbiwire

Zehntes Jahr der Veteran
Joined
Oct 13, 1998
Location
Boise, Idaho
TDI
2013 Passat TDI, Newmar Ventana 8.3L ISC 3945, 2016 E250 BT, 2000 Jetta TDI
I have the same issue on the MB, I have to have the auto sized nozzle and the filler will not take the larger high flow truck pumps.

DB
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
Even worse - I have the small filler on one of my super-duties! Both VWs have the large opening, but the 38 gallon beast only takes the little one...

One of these days I'll punch it out.
 

lkchris

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Location
Albuquerque, NM, USA
TDI
2003 New Beetle
The first station you visited probably had another pump with the smaller nozzle. Perhaps even on the opposite size of the unit you used. You just pulled up to the truck pump.
 

vw4life

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2001
Location
New West, BC, Canada
TDI
2014 Touareg TDI
wesk1954 said:
I have now found a new issue since I took delivery Saturday on my new TDI. (Hooray)
<<snip>>
And lastly, heaven forbid you're really in a jam and no other sources seem available, has anyone seen an adapter / device that will allow you to use the huge nozzles when fueling up your Jetta?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Wes
Its called a funnel. I'm sure in a pinch you could use something like this
 

Fencemaker

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2006
Location
Washington, PA (SW PA)
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 5sp; 2009 JSW TDI 6sp
There is a thread on this site in the A5 Forum with instructions on building your own adaptor out of commonly available copper piping parts. Here is a link:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=113333&page=5

By the way, your 09 is not unique in this problem. :eek: All the A5 Jettas are fitted with a similar restrictor device that won't allow you to pump from the large/high-flow nozzle sizes. There is even a brochure (or should be) included with your owners manual that explains this issue.

In my experience, diesel pumps in the USA come in three sizes:

There is the smallest size, which is exactly the same size as a gasoline pump nozzle and fits very well into the A5 filler recepticle. Most of the local BP's in my area of SW Pa have this size nozzle, and most diesel nozzles that are attached to a bank of gasoline pumps have this smallest size nozzle.

Next, there is an intermediate size, which is slightly bigger than a gasoline pump nozzle size. This intermediate size fits into the A5 filler recepticle, but not nearly as well as the small size nozzle. You can pump without splashback using the intermediate size, but I suggest you only set the pump on the slowest flow click tab if you want to set it up to auto-fill. The intermediate size flows a bit faster than the smallest size nozzle, so when you top-off after letting the foam settle, keep this in mind.

Finally, there is the large/high-flow nozzle, which doesn't fit at all into the A5 filler recepticle. I've found this size nozzle repeatedly at local Sunoco stations and it is so frequently found at these stations that I don't even stop at Sunoco stations anymore (except for last weekend on the PA Turnpike, where the Rest Area Sunoco had some diesel pumps in the gas pump area that used the small nozzle).

Anyway, if you really want to construct an adaptor, follow the above link. And, if you want to read about the nozzle size issue ad nausem, go to the A5 Forum.
 
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Windjammer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2006
Location
Cinti, OH
TDI
MK4 & Mk5
lkchris said:
The first station you visited probably had another pump with the smaller nozzle. Perhaps even on the opposite size of the unit you used. You just pulled up to the truck pump.
Probably not.

wesk1954, It's not a big deal when your traveling. Yes you need the auto nozzle, but you'll get about 600 miles per tank. Just don't wait until the last minute in an unknown area to get fuel.
 
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wesk1954

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Location
Aurora, OH
TDI
09 Jetta TDI
I haven't owned a diesel since an 87 MB in the late 80's, and I had forgot about this issue which I also had with the Benz, although it seemed a little more forgiving than the Jetta is proving to be.

By the way, the link you provided for the nozzle adapter doesn't seem to work for me - but no big deal. I'll find it.

And to those that said I needed to go across the lane to a different pump... actually, I checked ALL the diesel pumps they had at this particular station, and they were all too large.

Thanks to all,

Wes
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
wesk1954 said:
(snip) I checked ALL the diesel pumps they had at this particular station, and they were all too large.
__. Wes, my '03 will accept the biggest nozzle so that's not a big deal for me but I have *very* rarely found a station that doesn't have at least one "auto-diesel" nozzle. In fact, at a truckstop "travel center", there's usually a pump in front with the gas pumps that has an "auto-diesel" nozzle and at least one of the truck pumps in the back is also "auto-diesel".

__. Truck stops like to separate big trucks from other vehicles and this is one way to do it. But, like I said, I've very rarely seen a diesel-fuel location that didn't have at least one pump with the auto-diesel nozzle. (That's not to say that they're easy to find sometimes and they're often tucked right up next to gas pumps so that a gasser filling will block them from sight or keep you from getting to them, but that's another thing.)

__. Unless the filler on your car is *really* different from anything else out there, you shouldn't find it a problem as you travel.
 

TornadoRed

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Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
wesk1954 said:
Since I'll be traveling extensively with my job, and buying diesel at various locations throughout 3 states, I'm wondering if you find a similar experience, especially thinking of truck stops, and do you always have to look for "auto diesel" signage before you can KNOW that the nozzel is going to fit into your tank?
It's been years since I pulled into a station which had only the large nozzles and high-speed flow. Most truck stops have diesel pumps for light trucks and cars.
 

wesk1954

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Location
Aurora, OH
TDI
09 Jetta TDI
Hey, I'm just the lucky guy I guess. Not only did I find a Shell station that only had two diesel nozzle's and both of those too large, but I'm also the lucky guy that found that our local Speedway stations are still selling LSD instead of ULSD.....

Some guys have all the luck!!! LOL

Wes
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
wesk1954 said:
I'm also the lucky guy that found that our local Speedway stations are still selling LSD instead of ULSD.....
__. ULSD should burn cleaner than LSD but LSD has more "intrinsic" lubrication properties (although all the major oil companies add an additive to raise the lubrication of ULSD) and LSD gives better fuel economy. So some of us with older cars *look* for LSD instead of ULSD. It can't be used in an '09, though.
 

BadMonKey

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Location
Colorado
TDI
2013 Focus ST
Even though my golf has the larger opening I have a problem with the larger nozzle pumps flow rates being to fast. Even on the slowest setting I still have to stop it every few seconds to prevent it from puking diesel down the side of the car. Overall I avoid them whenever possible as they are a pain in the a%%.
 

Fencemaker

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2006
Location
Washington, PA (SW PA)
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 5sp; 2009 JSW TDI 6sp
Wes,

Sorry about the adaptor link, it didn't work right at first. I edited the post and it should work okay.

Also, I have to respectfully disagree with the many folks who believe that most stations with the large size diesel nozzles almost always have another pump with the small size nozzle available. That may be true at large truck stops found along major interstates, but in my neck of the woods it is not true. I can think of at least a half-dozen local stations that have only large size nozzles and no auto-size nozzles for diesel.
 

wesk1954

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Location
Aurora, OH
TDI
09 Jetta TDI
You are SO right, and I have found the same problem at some local stations. In fact I'd PREFER to buy gas at Shell as I've heard good things about their diesel, however, it is virtually impossible to fuel my car at their station.
 

WEDEL.1

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Location
Adelaide, Australia
TDI
Golf VI BlueMotion, 1.6TDI - Oettingered
My next door neighbour works at a Ford dealership. He got me this adapter from a Ford Mondeo. Not perfect, but tit does work.


 

naturist

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2001
Location
Bro Jerry's hometown, Virginia
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 2005 Jeep Libby CRD, 2012 BMW X5 35d
Adapters for this problem are also sold by VW and BMW, with the BMW part a few dollars cheaper than the VW one, believe it or not. My 2001 lacks that restrictor but my 2005 Jeep CRD has it, so I bought one of the BMW adaptors. But I've never used it -- if you just keep your eyes open, you'll find a small nozzle somewhere at almost every station that sells diesel. Search here for "adaptor" and you can find the part numbers for both VW and BMW -- and you might need to order them. I think the BMW one was about $6, hardly worth the effort of building one, and it comes with a storage tube and a pair of rubber gloves.
 

showdown 42

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Location
naples,FL
TDI
2016 TDI touareg
I would just get a funnel for emergency filling, I was given on of the VW kits that I keep just in case I need it. I would never put LSD in a CR diesel, If it is used often you will have clogging of the pollution equipment. JP
 

SkiWell

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Location
MN
TDI
2017 golf Alltrack S manual Gey/Brown
In have my 2013 tdi sportwagen less than a month, and today I stop at Marathon station do get a diesel; they have a small nozle which they installed recently, and I couldn't put it in? I think there is a sensor which blocks the fuel opening if it is sensing a wrong type of diesel; I stop at the Quick Trip- and the same diameter nozle has some insert inside, and it works perfect. I also called VW service dep. and they said that the block will only opens if it is right type of diesel??
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
I also called VW service dep. and they said that the block will only opens if it is right type of diesel??
First: Believe VW dealer's Service writers about as far as you can throw them. There is only one kind of diesel fuel for sale in the US (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel). It is "winterized in the colder months, but there are not different types of diesel.

Second: There are no laws in the US specifying the size of pump nozzles used to pump diesel fuel. There are basically three sizes of nozzles. There are the old leaded gasoline sized nozzles which are often used today for diesel fuel. Then there are the unleaded gasoline nozzles which are smaller. Modern gas cars have restrictions which prevent the old leaded gas nozzles from fitting. This was a requirement when the switchover from leaded to unleaded was going on and stations could sell both types depending on your car. There are also the large "high flow" diesel nozzles you will find at most truck stops for filling up the big rigs.

Most stations use the old leaded gas sized nozzles for diesel fuel, but there is no law requiring this, so some might use the smaller unleaded nozzles - these will not work in the new VWs because they are not big enough to open up the tank inlet. Also the large truck sized also will not fit without the adapters mentioned above. If you find a station with the smaller nozzles that will not work first complain to the management and then find another station. You really do not have many other alternatives.

Have Fun!

Don
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
What Don says. Alternately, you can remove the restrictor from the filler pipe of your car - there are threads on how to do this.
 

SkiWell

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Location
MN
TDI
2017 golf Alltrack S manual Gey/Brown
Thanks guys! I went to the VW dealer, and bought BMW adapter for $6.99- just in case if I will run to the similar issue in the future.
 
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