Everyone has heard stories of someone pulling away from the gas station with either bad gasoline or the wrong grade of gas. Our engines run on certain grades and bad gas can cause some annoying and sometimes problematic symptoms and may take some help from your local auto repair shop to drain the gas and clean out your fuel system before refueling with better quality gasoline. Have you ever experienced this? Do you know the causes of bad gas?
When you purchase a new vehicle, be sure to check which fuel you should be using. But it is low-octane gasoline that could involve multiple issues. There is fraud on the part of the gasoline retailers and distributors known to exist. Thankfully, the majority of states have a department of weights and measures that makes sure filling station pumps are accurately calibrated so patrons get a full gallon when they pay for a gallon. Hopefully, though, the fuel quality will meet the rated octane it states. As you know, most pumps offer three grades of gasoline; regular 87 octane, a mid-range blend 89 octane and premium 91 octane.
According to automotive experts, the numbers may vary a bit however depending on the brand, the additives used and whether or not the fuel contains ethanol as an octane-boosting additive. A 10% ethanol blend typically adds a couple of points to the base octane rating. The problem for consumers is that even honest gas stations can be ripped off by unfair practices like distributors who fail to deliver fuel that meets the full octane rating. Just something to be aware of! Hopefully the gas that you purchase isn’t diluted either. This has been a problem for some consumers in the past and is not good for a vehicle.
Most vehicles on the road can run on regular grade gas but there are some that require premium, too. This information can be found in the owner’s manual. The average vehicle should not need the extra octane unless it has a problem or a lot of miles and a heavy buildup of deposits in the combustion chambers. Then it might be worth the extra 20 to 30 cents more per gallon for premium.
If you suspect bad gas – dirty or diluted, then you probably have noticed symptoms like knocking and pinging. This could also be due to other issues with your engine and should be looked at immediately. However, often times, it could be due to bad gas. There is such a thing as dirty gas, often due to gasoline which has been contaminated with dirt, water or other liquids. Typically there is an underground filter in place, but there is a chance it could not be working properly. Plus, alcohol attracts water – something these filters cannot help with. It does not happen very often, but fuel also can be cross-contaminated in pipelines, in storage facilities and distribution centers, and even in transit by moisture and other petroleum distillates such as diesel fuel, kerosene and other chemicals.
If your vehicle is misfiring, sputtering or stalling, our repair technicians could be able to diagnose this. We can drain the tank, saving you hours of trying to figure out the problem. Dirty gas can also be due to one’s own dirty fuel tank. Allow us to monitor your fuel pump and fuel filter to prevent corrosion, clogging or engine issues over time.
