Anything I can add to a full tank w/ bad gas?

[A_A_G]

So I filled up my tank on Saturday and hadn't driven much until this morning on my way to work. My truck is stumbling and shaking at low speeds and shaking violently at idle.

Is there anything I can add to the tank if the fuel is in fact contaminated? The closest place to my job is an O'Reilly auto store.

 

[Brybo86]

what kind of truck hopefully you can just change the fuel filter?

 

[JHZR2]

What's to say it is the filter? Star-tron is sworn by according to some. Id give it a try first assuming it is ethanol/water issues.

But Id also consider going after the gas station for a refund if the gas is garbage and making issues with your truck.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2


But Id also consider going after the gas station for a refund if the gas is garbage and making issues with your truck.


Me too, and if the gas is in fact bad make them pay for the repairs if any are needed. Honestly if their gas was bad let them pay to remove and dispose of it, and replace it with fresh gas.

 

[fdcg27]

Is there a CEL?
I've heard a lot of tales of bad gas, but I've never gotten any in forty years of driving.
You might try calling the station as well as the local PD and news outlets.
If you really got a tank of bad gas, you won't be the only one, so somebody else will be aware of it.
If a number of people are having the same problems with the fuel, it'll be pretty hard for the station to deny responsibility.
The only cure may be to drain all of the bad fuel out, if that's really the problem.

 

[A_A_G]

Yes CEL turned on just as I pulled up to my work parking lot. I haven't had a chance to take it to get the code(s) read.

 

[dave5358]

Originally Posted By: A_A_G
So I filled up my tank on Saturday and hadn't driven much until this morning on my way to work. My truck is stumbling and shaking at low speeds and shaking violently at idle. Is there anything I can add to the tank if the fuel is in fact contaminated? The closest place to my job is an O'Reilly auto store.


If you can't find a miracle additive, have you considered just pumping out the tank? Depending on your fuel filler neck, you could siphon the tank. Or remove a fuel line and let the pump empty the tank. You could probably just empty half or 2/3ds of the gas and then fill up with premium.

 

[IndyIan]

Last time I thought my car got bad gas, it was actually a bad intake gasket... Unless you filled up in the middle of nowhere, odds are its your car.
I suppose adding methanol (methyl hydrate) is a cheap way to increase octane and suspend some water if you have any in the tank.

 

[Kuato]

Bad gas from a station likely has moisture in it. Try a can or two of a fuel treatment that removes water. Since the tank is full the vehicle will probably need to sit awhile before the fuel treatment diffuses through the tank.

I got some water in gas once that was so bad the car wouldn't start. 2 days sitting and it fired right up. The gas station in question replaced their tanks less than a month later; I suppose they had numerous complaints.

 

[SHOZ]

If the gas originally had ethanol in it there isn't much you can do to re homogenize it.

 

[AandPDan]

Get the code read.

It may just be a coincidence that it came on AFTER you got gas.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
Get the code read.

It may just be a coincidence that it came on AFTER you got gas.


+1

Get the code read, if it seems to relate to bad fuel, I would try to use a bottle or two of water remover (methanol) ie. gas line antifreeze. Walmart has gas line antifreeze for a buck, try a bottle or two and get the truck on the highway for a bit. Might just be some condensation in the tank and or gas. Good luck, and let us know what code you get.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Nothing practical can be added to your tank that will help once the water % is high enough to cause phase separation. Only 4 tsp of water will cause the ethanol + H2O mixture to drop out of the gasoline. The Alcohol+h2o It will be on the bottom of the tank and the (lighter) fuel will be ~84 octane up top.
Given you car is running bad with a full tank you may have flooded your evap canister. Do you top off?

Either that or the station pumped you phase.

I would IMMEDIATELY get the car to a garage and have them drain some fuel off the bottom and see whatr it looks like. Call the Station manager also and keep him/her informed at whats going on.
Good luck.

 

[JamesBond]

What kind of truck/engine?

An older truck I might try some red bottle Heet, B12 or Seafoam and just go easy on it.

If its an EcoBoost or some newfangled direct injected thing, I would look into getting the bad gas out of there.

 

[sdowney717]

Do gas stations use a floating pickup?
It does sound like you got some water in the gas and it caused a phase separation.

 

[AandPDan]

It may not be fuel related at all.

Checking codes is a good place to start.

 

[Voltmaster]

I highly doubt its the gas, what brand was it?

oil refineries are very strict about their formulas because they dont want to get sued.

Gas could be old because it does go bad after 2 months.

You can try octane boosters, but expect for that only thing you can do is to get it out and throw it away or drive it until its low and add good gas to it.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I worked at a interstate rest area.

A fuel tanker was filled with sludge from the bottom of the oil storage tank. It filled up our underground tank with sludge.

NYS Thruway authority ended up having to pay for repairs, rental cars and hotel rooms for those affected. A few engines had to be replaced.

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I worked at a interstate rest area.

A fuel tanker was filled with sludge from the bottom of the oil storage tank. It filled up our underground tank with sludge.

NYS Thruway authority ended up having to pay for repairs, rental cars and hotel rooms for those affected. A few engines had to be replaced.


Thats reassuring..

 

[NHHEMI]

If the OP got gas that is blended with ethanol adding dry gas as some suggest is going to do nothing. The gas is already at least 10% dry gas due to the ethanol.

Startron might help stabilize the fuel and take care of the issue. One of the things it was designed to do. It is a very good product. I wouldn't do it in the OP's case though. I would get all the gas out before any harm is done to the rest of the fuel system. In a small engine I would try it.

If it were me I would have immediately shut the vehicle off and had it towed to a shop. I would have let the gas station know what happened and that a bill would be forth coming if it was fuel related.

When I worked auto parts back in the day a local Mobil station got a tanker of bad fuel. For the next couple weeks we were selling a ton of fuel lines, pumps, injectors, carb rebuild kits, etc... as the vehicles damaged were getting repaired at local shops. The station actually shut down for a while as they had to clean the tanks. The station paid for all repairs.