Strange problem

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by iowasvx

OK just replaced the battery cables and grounds. Car running perfectly on the test run. Only time will tell now. Thanks for all the help.

If it happens again, suspect the ignition switch.....

[lilbrudder]

Originally Posted by Chuckles

They would pour water in the tanks to dilute the gas

try this little experiment, put some gas in a empty soda bottle, put a little water in and shake until your arm falls off, let it sit for a minute and watch all the water sink to the bottom. they don't mix...... but i bet they had fun replacing their rusted tanks.

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by lilbrudder

try this little experiment, put some gas in a empty soda bottle, put a little water in and shake until your arm falls off, let it sit for a minute and watch all the water sink to the bottom. they don't mix...... but i bet they had fun replacing their rusted tanks.

Recently I heard someone vowing to never buy fuel from the local Econo-Sludge station because they "water down their gas," making her car run badly. How the rest of us manage to buy all grades from the place and get on down the road without incident is a mystery.

dcb

[Chuckles]

Originally Posted by lilbrudder

try this little experiment, put some gas in a empty soda bottle, put a little water in and shake until your arm falls off, let it sit for a minute and watch all the water sink to the bottom. they don't mix...... but i bet they had fun replacing their rusted tanks.

The way most, or at least those stations worked, was simple. It blends the fuel from more then one tank, specifically two in this case, three if you went for a premium grade. Inside the pump itself. There are usually a few different injectors that keep the mix well blended. A standard handle has 1 small line, where the fuel comes out, and 3 large, called vapor return lines. These line make that sucking noise you hear when you fuel up. On a hot summer day, you actually give the station the better part of half a gallon of fuel for free, up that return line, depending on your gas tank temp and size.

The basic way it all works... For a few hours people are randomly getting less actual fuel, and a small shot of water. If you fill from empty, it'll rough up your engine, but usually its only a hand full of people who get the water, before it turns back to gas again, and many of those don't run on empty before getting some gas. There is little to no proof the water was ever there, especially since some water will make it into the station tanks regardless, so they never face legal issues.

It usually works itself out pretty quick. the biggest issue is if you add water to all the tanks, when you first start up in the morning, the car will run for a while on the agitated mix your fuel pump fed into the lines, then nearly straight water will mix. If there is enough, the car chugs a bit, and stalls. Usually it takes a few minutes to work the water out, and it runs bad for a while. ***Try adding some dry gas*** If you like, but I really don't think that's your issue.