I've just been b-slapped....

[John Rawlings]

I just returned from the shop of a good friend that is a diesel mechanic, (thanks, Mike!). I've been having some problems with my truck and the problems appeared to be isolated to fuel filter issues.

To make a long story short, he removed the fuel filter (one that I installed new a month a little over a month ago), cut it open, and discovered that *someone* had put BEACH SAND in my fuel tank!

I'd hate to think that a fellow diver did this to me....but beach sand isn't really that available anywhere but at the beach, and the only time that I'm at the beach and away from my truck is when I'm underwater.....

At least the fuel filter seems to have done its job and kept the sand out of the engine.

I know that I've made a few enemies in diving over the years, but I never thought that any of them would do something like this. Another possibility is that maybe he/she/they just didn't like my bumper stickers - politics can cause people to do some bad stuff every now and then. Needless to say, locking gas-caps are now being purchased and installed.

Bastard. :angry:

- John

[Dusty2]

Probably not a diver. Probably a random thing.

[John Rawlings]

Probably not a diver. Probably a random thing.

That's probably right....

I'm hoping that the repairs will be covered by insurance because it was vandalism...but who knows, since it was obviously done some time ago, and usually insurance companies want police reports.

- John

[airsix]

That's pretty low. I'm sure glad it wasn't anything that could get past the filter. Any idea WHERE it happened (or a short list of likely possibilities)?

[John Rawlings]

Not specifically, since the the sand appears to have been put in *probably* about 2 - 3 months ago. It looks like it takes about a month for the filter to clog enough with it for symptoms to appear, then I replaced the filter once, and it took another month for the problems to re-appear. Based on that time frame, according to my log possible locations would thus be Mukilteo, Cove 2, Redondo and 3-Tree North, (each a site that I dived at multiple times)....but that's speculation. Another possibility would be when I went out on a charter out of Tacoma and my truck was in the marina parking lot all day.

In other words, right now I don't have a clue.

[spatman]

:angry: f-ing a-holes!

[ArcticDiver]

Have you done enough asking around to determine if this was a general thing or you being singled out? If it were just someone being Mean Jean I'd think others would have the same thing. If just you....well maybe someone was being a bit more personal in their cowardly comments, eh?

[loanwolf]

That is F'ed up John. I doubt he was singled out, he just has a older rig without a locking gas cap. What color was the sand?

[Penopolypants]

I'm sorry about your truck! That sucks!

I spoke to a woman at Redondo who once had a drunk fisherman come up to her and complain bitterly about divers. After saying his piece, he wandered off, and she went to the loo, leaving her gear out in her truck. She came back, packed up, and left. The next time she went diving she found that her dry suit now had multiple puncture holes. Guess he came back and had a little more to say. :angry:

[BDub]

Seriously uncool, John.

[dsteding]

Did you save the sand?

[limeyx]

That really suck :( What the heck is wrong with people these days ?

[Sockmonkey]

That's totally messed up. F'd up even.

I'm so sorry man.

-Eric

[John Rawlings]

Did you save the sand?

Yes....I kept the "innards" of the fuel filter.

The tanks have not yet been removed, but there has to be more of it in them as well.

[Grateful Diver]

I would guess a random act of vandalism ... they happen occasionally at all the sites you mentioned. But if it's sand, it'd tend to rule out Cove 2, since sand isn't readily available there.

Things like that defy reason ... why do people create computer viruses, after all? For sure they don't know anything about the people who are affected by them. It's a twisted sense of empowerment to know you just messed up somebody's day.

The drunk fisherman thing happened to me at Redondo a few years back too. Almost came to blows ... those of you who know me know that when somebody gets in my face and threatens me, that's where it's going ... but his buddies came over and dragged his drunk ass back out to the pier before it got that far. Haven't seen any sign of that sort of problem there in probably four or five years now. Vandalism does still happen there from time to time, though ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[loanwolf]

Did you save the sand?

Yes....I kept the "innards" of the fuel filter.

The tanks have not yet been removed, but there has to be more of it in them as well.

Their is defiantly going to be more in the tanks. Crap you have multiple? Kids used to screw with our trucks at the plant in Monroe all the time. Most of the time it was milk they put in as at that time Dariegold had a plant near buy. That just sucks man. John what is your weekday schedule like? If you need help let me know I have the time during the week. I am sure that Mike mentioned this. Depending on what year your rig is the fuel pump may be before the filters and sand in that is not good on it either. If you do not have a shop we may be able to use Steve's shop to work on it and get out of the rain if he does not have any projects going at the time.

[John Rawlings]

Well, I just had a fairly pleasant conversation with my Insurance company about the situation. Pleasant enough that I'm feeling *somewhat* optimistic about things.

I've got a 3:00 PM appointment with the insurance claims adjuster today.That's when I'll find out where we're going to go with this.

Wish me luck!

- John

[LCF]

I don't understand vandals at all. Personally, it makes me very sad to break things, or see them broken. I just don't get the pleasure that people take in marring or hurting or destroying things, especially other people's things. Sorry this had to happen to you, John.

[Tom Nic]

Grrr..... Just saw this... :angry:

Probably not a diver. Probably a random thing.

I would guess a random act of vandalism ...

Boy, I sure hope it wasn't a diver. I've seen my share of booze fueled random weirdness, so it certainly didn't have to be a diver. But at the same time, I've also seen some pretty crazy angry things in my 5 short years in the diver community - stuff I still have a hard time believing. And angry politics? ...if you doubt that vandalism can come because of a bumper sticker you haven't been paying attention.

Another possibility is that maybe he/she/they just didn't like my bumper stickers - politics can cause people to do some bad stuff every now and then.

Sigh.... I'm afraid there are many candidates for this. Here's hoping that they are caught and exposed - for everyone's good.

[Octoloco]

Sorry to hear about this. To you of all people!
Same thing happened to my father-in-laws boat years ago - we had to get towed in by a garbage scow!!

Hope you find the bastards!

[Geek]

Hey John, are you absolutly sure you just didn't use some of that gas from back when you invented it in the 1800's? It does go bad after a while you know

[John Rawlings]

Hey John, are you absolutly sure you just didn't use some of that gas from back when you invented it in the 1800's? It does go bad after a while you know

Naaaaah....I used steam back then to power my rig!

[Berritt]

That's awful!

[John Rawlings]

Well, so far things are looking reasonably good. The new filter seems to have kept the sand from impacting much, and I've stayed off the front tank that "seems" to be the one that was tampered with. Won't know if both tanks had sand put in them until they are removed and examined.

I'm dropping off the truck this afternoon at Bickford Ford in Snohomish (yay!) before I head off to DEMA and they are going to do all of the work, examine everything that might have been impacted, and completely flush the fuel system. So far, it looks like my insurance company is going to come through. My comprehensive coverage covers vandalism and it should be 100% covered with no deductable.

If everything works out the way that everyone says it will, I will have dodged a rather large and nasty bullet! Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

- John

[Tom Nic]

Really glad to hear it John, and very right that it would turn out so.

Guess we should check on our insurance coverage....