A man is calling out a popular gas station chain after alleging he refueled at one of their stations—only to get a tank full of water.
In a video with over 237,000 views, TikTok creator Michael Moon (@michaelmoon260) says he is stuck on the side of the road. The reason? He says that the diesel he got from a Casey’s gas station caused his vehicle to break down.
“I stopped at Casey's in Saint Joseph, Missouri and got fuel this morning. Had about a quarter of a tank,” he recalls.
According to Moon, he emptied some fuel into a McDonald’s cup to inspect it. At that point, he says he noticed something strange about the diesel. He doesn’t show himself pouring the contents of his tank into the cup.
“Are you kidding me?” he asks, showing the cup. “That's half water.”
Half of the liquid does appear to be clear.
“We just had a fuel system put in the truck last week. $10,000. That's probably why the fuel system went out of the truck, ‘cause I used to get gas there,” he says. “Don't get gas at Casey's.”
What Happened Here?
Water is a common contaminant in diesel fuel. It can get in via condensation, from storage tanks, during transport, or other means.
If it’s only a small amount of water, it will likely dissolve or remain suspended in the fuel without incident. However, if there is enough water that, it separates and settles to the bottom. This is called “free water.”
Getting water in a diesel vehicle’s tank is bad for a number of reasons. The fuel system depends on diesel for lubrication. Water can damage the high-pressure fuel pump and injectors. This, in turn, can cause the engine to break—and lead to a very expensive repair.
Where the water Moon purportedly found in his tank came from—be it Casey’s or elsewhere—is impossible to prove with the information provided.
Moon says that the fuel in his video came from the fuel filter. These filters are designed to separate and collect water from the system, meaning that the presence of water isn’t necessarily remarkable or definitive proof that the diesel he got from Casey’s was contaminated.
But if water was in his fuel system, it could definitely cause his vehicle to break down and require an expensive repair.
How Can You Avoid Fuel Contamination?
While you can reduce the risk, you can’t completely protect yourself from contaminated fuel. But if you are concerned about accidentally filling up with water, there are a few steps you can take.
For one, you can only go to gas stations that have well-rated gasoline. Top Tier provides resources that allow you to search for the best gasoline in your area. While this does not entirely eliminate the risk of getting contaminated gas, the organization’s frequent testing makes it less likely.
It can also help if you maintain your fuel filter/water separator and react quickly to warning signs. For example, Ford recommends draining the water separator at specified intervals. If you see a “water in fuel” warning on your dashboard, it’s best to immediately stop driving and get the tank drained.
“Maybe They Left Some Of The Cleaning Agent In It”
In the comments section, other drivers shared their experiences with fuel contamination.
“I got Casey's gas in 2008 and immediately broke down,” wrote a user. “Haven't been there since.”
“We had a large fleet of vehicles and had a lot of fuel related issues,” recalled another. “Our mechanics said, ‘Don't buy fuel at Casey's.’ We quit and the issues quit.”
Not everyone blamed Casey’s gas station. One offered an alternative theory about how Moon’s tank got contaminated with water.
“Idk man. If you just got your fuel system redone, don’t you think maybe they left some of the cleaning agent in it?” asked one. “This exact same thing happened to me when I replaced the fuel pump. Nothing to do with the fuel.”
Motor1 contacted Casey’s via email and Moon via TikTok direct message and comment. This story will be updated if either responds.
