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Originally Posted by gmercoleza
Here are the questions I have:
1) Do you think my problem was caused by bad gas?
2) The tanker was filling the station up when I was there. I've heard theories that this is a bad time to fill up since it stirs up impurities in the underground tanks. Is there any truth to this?
3) Did the Techron actually cure my problem or was it coincidence since I had mostly burned off the "bad" tank of gas?
4) Do you think this was just a freak thing and is gone, or will the problem come back?
5) I have filled up at the same station here by my workplace for nearly a year and have never had a bad experience. The few gallons I put in for the Techron came from this same station, and I plan to continue using the same station unless this problem occurs again. Am I stupid?
Thanks everyone.
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1) Yes, "bad gas" is usually due to water contamination
2) Yes, It is good practice for the station not to use a freshly filled tank for at least one-half hour, but I suspect this rarely happens in practice. Filling the tank can stir up water at the bottom of the tank and allow it to mix more with the fuel, but it will settle out to the bottom with time.
3) No, Techron is probably the best product on the market to clean deposits off injectors and inlet valves, but it will not cure a water problem. Ethanol is a "co-solvent" which will allow separated water to mix uniformly with gasoline and in such low concentration, it will not cause driveability problems. The problem probably self corrected due to the water being purged from the system by the normal consumption of fuel. There are also commercial "gas driers" available at auto parts stores, which contain ethanol. If it ever happens again, try one of them.
BTW, is your fuel "oxygenated" with ethanol? Most areas of the country require oxygenates in the winter, but not summer and March is usually the changeover period.
4) Probably just a freak occurance, but try to avoid filling up when you see a tanker unloading.
5) I would suggest you talk to the station manager and tell him about the problem. Ask if they allow the tanks to "settle" for at least a half-hour after a fuel delivery before the fresh fuel is made available to the pumps.
Duke