Topic: Bad Gas?????
in Forum: C3 Engines
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OK....went and ran some errands this Morning in the Corvette. Running great everything normal. After running around town and making several stops, Gas Gauge about 1/2 way between 1/4 and empty, so I stop at this Valero station that say's no ethanol. Fill up with 91 octane (high as I can get) and drive about 2 1/2 miles doing about 65 mph and I feel this thing start to surge. It surges like I'm giving it more gas, kinda back and forth. When I turn into my housing addition I hear the exhaust kinda popping and idling fast. Back into the drive way and it is idling about 1500 to 1600 rpm. I first think maybe a vacuum leak, so I plug off the vacuum lines coming off intake for Headlights and tranny. No change. I don't see anything wrong anywhere. Could I have gotten bad gas. (No jokes about bad gas please.)
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Frederick, MD - USA
Joined: 9/8/2003
Posts: 3398
Vette(s): 1969 convertible L71 427/435 4-speed black interior
You may well have a case of bad gas! 
Sounds like there was water in the underground tank. All underground tanks have water at the bottom...there's no way it can be avoided, but the in ground pickup is supposed to be several inches above that. What can happen is a tanker just left the station dropping off a load of fuel, and it takes several hours for the fuel to stop sloshing around. When it sloshes like that the water at the bottom can get roiled up enough to reach the pickup and get into your car.
Usually when I see a tanker making a delivery, I won't get gas at that time and will wait several hours before doing so. Of course, if the tanker just left I don't know that.
A high volume gas station usually doesn't have problems with excessive water at the bottom of the tank...it's usually stations of lower volume sales and condensation builds up. They're supposed to stick (measure) the tanks daily to measure water depth and fuel usage.
Try dumping a couple of containers of dry-gas and drive the car. Get the isopropyl type gas dryer, not the ethanol type...more expensive but far better effectiveness.
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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I agree with Bruce...prolly got some funky crap at that station. There is a station close to the shop here that I know for a fact was dumping water in the underground tanks a few years back, when fuel prices got sky high...
I won't buy fuel at any Valero anymore, either, for other reasons...
Try the DryGas stuff, and either run all of that gas out, or drain it somehow. IF it is water, you sure don't want it settling in YOUR gas tank, as it will rust the bottom out of it.
I won't buy fuel at any Valero anymore, either, for other reasons...
Try the DryGas stuff, and either run all of that gas out, or drain it somehow. IF it is water, you sure don't want it settling in YOUR gas tank, as it will rust the bottom out of it.
Joel Adams
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Mounds View, MN - USA
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That is one of the benefits of ethanol in gas. It absorbs water, so that can never happen. Up here we have an additive called Heet. All it is is ethanol and cleaner.
Larry
Larry
Problem solved!!!!!!! 2 bottles of the Isopropyl type gas treatment and about 20 miles of driving and we are back to normal. I'll put some more miles on it tonight or tomorrow. Try to get all this tank used up. Sorry but ethanol is a dirty word around this part of the country. I guess that's about the only good thing about it is it absorbs water.
Thanks Guy's
Thanks Guy's
Glad to hear that it runs normal now..Heet is a great product that works perfect..don't know why they don't sell it everywhere! Burn that tank off fast and fill it up couple of times while you do it! Don't beat on it to hard while you do it!
Rich
Rich
My first parade at Carlisle 2010
in Forum: C3 Engines
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