Odd fuel issue, stranded me...a WTF moment....

[Joe Bob]

This was a 3 WTF weekend.....

The scenario......

I've never had a fuel gauge that worked right.....many attempts to fix the sender both with myself and other knowledeable Pelicans... always went in VERY tight, worked outside the tank but never inside and I just learned to ignore it, figured I hit a speed bump and dented the bottom once too often. I actually bought a new sender and converted it when I went to 964 gauges.

So I went back to ignoring the gauge like I do the oil level gauge.....don't get me started on that and the POS clock. I typically fuel up when the odo hits 300 miles....I figure I have 3+ gallons left.

Anyways....had a luke warm date.....and headed off for a 20 mile drive. Odo said 277 miles. Get off the freeway and lose power.....crap......lights are working, no tach bounce, but engine is popping and kvetching and I pull to the side of the road. I gots fuel, I gots power to the DME...WTF? My first guess was failed belt on the dual dizzy. I disconnected the coil pack....still ran like crap.

Was able to limp into the condo, find the date (blind date...get it?), have dinner....spent the nite......ended up on the couch, voluntarily after a 20 minute hiatus upstairs in the big boy room....geez, that gal snored like a drunken seacook after a tour of the Pubic Bay whorehouses.....anyways....

Got a ride home the next day. Had to re-up my AAA....to Premum to get the freebie long term tows....had just realized they sent me the lower value card by mistake.

Went back today....for craps and giggles, I took along 3 gallons of premium. Dumped her in the tank ....weather was for ducks, in the middle of a Monsoon.....let her prime with the ignition on....VROOOOMMM.....anudder WTF?

Went to the station, dumped in a thing of Techron filled her up with Superduper.....took 15.....annuder 3x WTF? 15+3=18 and the SC has a 21 gallon tank.

At long last my question....

Is CA fuel that crappy that a month in the tank it seperates and kills a motor?

[porwolf]

Hi Joe Bob,

for whatever it's worth: I am driving my stock 79 SC only occasionally in Southern California. Sometimes not for weeks. Never had a problem like yours. I usually gas up with Chevron regular with Techron. Mine is a rather low compression engine and factory recommendations are for regular gasoline.

[TubbyAZ]

Wow. Well in Phoenix here, our gasoline is supplied by a pipeline from CA for about 28% of our need. The rest comes in a bigger pipeline from TX (from what I remember when the line from TX failed for period of time about 10 years ago). Never had a problem, and by the time I get around to using a full tank it's likely to be a month old.

Perhaps your last fill was already questionable or too finely aged, and the extra month made it turn to crap.

[Targalid]

Hey Joe Bob! We had a similar experience, with a different car, where we finally pulled the fuel line and a quart or so of water soaked ethanol ran out of the fuel line. The ethanol absorbs water and then separates from the gasoline. It doesn't make the fuel system happy.

[Joe Bob]

Thanks, I'm glad it didn't happen on the freeway.....I was doing 80+ and getting my doors sucked in by Priuses in the diamond lane.

Nice to know that my federal subsidies for corn/methanol may get my ass killed.

Before anyone kvetches...my fuel pump and pressure is fine.

[TubbyAZ]

Originally Posted by Targalid

Hey Joe Bob! We had a similar experience, with a different car, where we finally pulled the fuel line and a quart or so of water soaked ethanol ran out of the fuel line. The ethanol absorbs water and then separates from the gasoline. It doesn't make the fuel system happy.

That's why I love living in the Valley of the Damned- it's drier than a popcorn f@rt here. Last year I think we had a string of days with 4% humidity.

[Joe Bob]

Ummmm, how does that matter when y'all have a sealed gas tank? And the tankers have vapor recovery and the underground storage tanks as well?

Bzzzzt, sorry yer not immune.....them corn fed subsidized asshats are gonna get me killed.....

[Danny_Ocean]

Read it and weep, you left-coast tree-huggers...

[Joe Bob]

AH....FL, where they sell underwater home lots.....yeah, I trust yer gas as much as the piss I get in Mexico. They have more diesel down there because it's harder to cocktail.

At least I have records and can discuss this issue with the weights and measures nazis here in CA.

[Bob Kontak]

Did you try to start the car before putting the three gallons in yesterday? Would be nice to know if it ran like crap after it completely cooled down but before you added gas.

Although it got you home and you mentioned no rough running.

[Joe Bob]

Yep....tried starting it. Typically this engine is a one hit starter. If it doesn't start right away, I suspect an issue.

When I had the problem last year with intermittent power to my DME I learned that grinding and grinding just pizzes of the starter and battery.

I'm glad it got me home, just mystified on what got me stuck.