Bad Gas?

erniehorton · Post by **erniehorton** » 08 Sep 2009, 18:45

Recently I was on a trip in my C-70 and had to add a partial tank of fuel at an off brand rural service station. The car ran fine for the rest of the trip there. But when I started it the next morning it was missing, sputtering, and not running well at all. I pulled off to the side of the road and put it into neutral then revved the engine a few times. That seemed to solve the problem. That was a week ago and now each time it is cranked the same thing happens. When it is warmed up then turned off and restarted the problem almost disappears but now my "check engine" light is staying on. Any ideas? Maybe a clogged fuel filter?

Romort628 · Post by **Romort628** » 08 Sep 2009, 19:44

I use to own/lease a old rural gas station....It had a crack in the tank that let water in. The actual owner that I leased from refused to fix it. Bottom line when fuel got below that crack in came water. If this is the case here. I would first fill up with gas containing 10 percent ethenol that will obsorb some of that water. Also stop at any place that sells gas line antifreeze and throw a couple of bottles in. If this doesn't correct the problem, Change your fuel filter. Get the code pulled for free at Autozone or Advance then you can look up the code on here.
More then likely it was that bad gas. Rutters, Hess both have ethenol in there gas its says it at the pump.

iselloil · Post by **iselloil** » 09 Sep 2009, 05:28

Ethanol in the gas formula does not mix. It causes phase seperation in which you get a layer of all three products.Also the ethanol is a cleansing agent.If there was sediment in a tank before the introduction of ethanol,and was not vacced,the ethanol then will break the sediment or residue from the tank causing filters to clog,at the station and in a vehicle.

Romort628 · Post by **Romort628** » 09 Sep 2009, 08:05

I have ran ethenol for as long as ethenol has been around and have never had a problem with it clogging fuel filters. Also I have been turning wrenches for a living since 1972.

iselloil · Post by **iselloil** » 09 Sep 2009, 12:00

Ethanol was Just mandated in most areas these past years. I am a fuel distributor and have several repair shops and or stations.
Most cars have not been affected,because fuel has been run thru the system on a regulars basis.
Several older cars, we had to flush the tanks and fuel systems after they stopped running due to tank issues after ethanol was used.
We were told especially in our metal tanks,before the 10% ethanol was brought to the stations, the tanks should be vacced and scrubbed.One station we did not do this and had no issues.
I'm not saying that ethanol screws up all cars and tanks, or anything like that.But water in the blends today is a big issue,especialy in underground storage tank that end up taking on any water.

Romort628 · Post by **Romort628** » 10 Sep 2009, 08:01

I'm origianal from the midwest and we have had it for over 10 years. Bottom line it removes water.
And just some friendly advise to travelers stay away from the old gas stations you don't know what crap my be in those underground tanks that will take you a year to straighten out in your vehicle.

iselloil · Post by **iselloil** » 10 Sep 2009, 12:31

http://www.epa.gov/OMS/regs/fuels/rfg/waterphs.pdf

This might clear some thing up about water and ethanol with RFG gas.

ChiNorm · Post by **ChiNorm** » 11 Sep 2009, 14:35

Your symptoms scream 'water in the gas'. As water sinks to the bottom of the tank when at rest, you have problems at start up. Once you get rolling, the vibration mixes the water and gas together.

Add some gas line freeze fix to gas tank and fill up with fresh gas to dilute the water %. Keep filling up the tank until you clear the water.

A new fuel filter certainly won't hurt.