Sulphur in Gas

[DG624]

Seems that SHell has had problems with bad gas. I was a regular customer because I thought they were better. Maybe not.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040528/ap_on_re_us/sulfur_in_gas

Has anyone had trouble in LA or FLA?

[Shuie]

Cool. Wonderful. I just filled up at a Shell yesterday. My truck is running a little sluggish, but my gas gauge isnt acting up. Yet. We are starting to change over to the pisswater reformulated stuff here also. Hopefully the water it absorbs will do something to offset the Sulphur problem.

Thanks for the heads up up.

[DG624]

I have been using SUNOCO more lately because the price was lower. Ohio has not had any issues yet. Seems the oil companies are always finding a way to limit supply and right at Labor Day too.

[Paulporsche]

I ran Sunoco 94 in my 3.2LSC engine for most of the last 15 years because my mechanic felt I needed it for the higher compression. Then I switched to Shell 91 (their highest) last summer, about 3 months after changing my WUR. The car immediately started easier, had more pep without popping or pinging, and got better mileage, all due to the lack of ethanol, which can be up to 10% in Sunoco.

Then one day I seem to be getting fantastic gas mileage. Thinking it is too good to be true, I refuel, and find I have 2 liters (1/2 gal) left in the tank even though the gauge reads 1/4 full.

Then I read about a whole host of new and near new GM vehicles in Canada having a similar problem, which is apparently caused by corrosion of silver elements in the sender caused by sulphur in the gas. The sulphur was in Shell and Petro-Canada gas here in Toronto. The oil company claims it got into the gas from something left in the pipeline through the gas was fed and blame GM for using silver. GM blames the gas.

At this point I am not sure what is going on, but for the time being, I am watching both my gas and mileage gauges, and refuelling when the mileage tells me to. So far I think I have not had a recurrence of the stuck gas gauge, but you can be sure I am watching.

It would be good to know if other areas are experiencing this, and if Porsches have silver in their senders.

Paul

[DG624]

I really tried to say away from ethanol but SHell was really high so I switched. Maybe just in time. I have not noticed any rough running but I have had a stalling problem I am blaming on the DME switch. What else is out there that does not have ethanol?

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Don't all fuels have sulpher in them? It is just in the amount the refiner gets out. And small towns generally have their fuel delivered by the same delivery vehicle and have the additives added when the fuel is put in the tanks.

[Wayne 962]

The good news is that the fuel tank sender is extremely easy to replace on the 911...

-Wayne

[sammyg2]

I have to call BS on this one.
If the gasoline had enough sulfur in it to damage the fuel sender floats it would quickly trash a whole bunch of more expensive things like pistons or catalytic convertors and such. It would take extremely high sulfur concentration to do what they say.
My guess is that the fuel has a low PH, possibly trace sulfuric acid.
Still bad for engine parts but wouldn't show up for a while.

BTW sulfuric acid is used in many alkylation units in refineries as a catalyst.

[Paulporsche]

I think we all hope you are right!

When I get a chance I'll take out the sender and clean the wires on which the float slides. Maybe it was just a buildup after 26 years. Seems like a good time to check out the filter at the bottom of the tank.

Paul

[DG624]

Sammy, that is the next qustion. Why didn't the fuel damage catalitic converters? I think GM is about to have another recall and they are trying to avoid it by blaming the problem on gasoline. I have never had any problem whith Shell except price.

[Randy Webb]

It came out of a refinery in Norco, LA. I doubt that refinery serves areas like Ohio. Big mess in southern Louisiana - I was visiting when this happned. Hundreds were affected - Shel & Texaco and a few Chvron stations.

Interesting that Shell just got a fraud type indictment for illegally reporting on their oil reserves....

[DG624]

I heard that about Shell, I also heard that Arabia has more reserves than they originally thought. We really need a substitute for oil.

[Randy Webb]

"We really need a substitute for oil."

- This is nothing -- wait until Al Queda takes out the Saudi port facilities -- $10/gal. will look cheap.

(Of course, I just "improved" my mileage by doubling the hp in my car....)