Bad Gas?
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From: Washington State
Bad Gas?
Last week I was towing my trailer down to the Tahoe area and stopped for the night in southern Oregon. The next morning I fill filled the tank and took off. About 10 miles down the road I get a jerking feeling, a few minutes later a couple of more jerks. This continued for about 40 miles. I thought that it was probably either dirty gas or water in the gas. There were no decent Gas staions/ part stores around until after it had cleared up. The truck is an 02 F250 CC with 70K on it. Does this sound like water, or is it the warning signs of something else? Should I change out the fuel filter (only 12 K on it)? StevenG
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From: OK
Fuel filters are cheap and easy to change. If you suspect bad fuel- or even if you bought fuel from a questionable station, I'd go ahead and change the filter.
However, since the problem cleared while still using that suspect fuel, there may have been something else going on. Did you notice any kind of rough idle or erratic RPM traits during the time when you had the problem?
However, since the problem cleared while still using that suspect fuel, there may have been something else going on. Did you notice any kind of rough idle or erratic RPM traits during the time when you had the problem?
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From: Washington State
The blips were very short duration and I could not see an RPM change, but that could be due to Ford ignoring a short ( micro second) blip. After the incident I put 1500 miles on the truck without incident. It was like the truck deployed a drag chute for a fraction of a second then released it. StevenG
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From: Long Island USA
Sounds like water. Change the fuel filter, and run some dry-gas through it...
When changing the filter, you need to relieve the pressure in the system first. I do this by pulling the fuel pump fuse (#19 in my '01 SD) while it's running. After it stalls, I guarrantee there's no pressure (or least, not enough to hit you in the eyes)
Of course, the computer may log a "fuel pump secondary voltage low" code, which you can get rid of by disconnecting the battery for an hour. This has the added benefit of getting the motor to re-learn, because after changing the fuel filter, it may be getting more gas under load ...
art k.
When changing the filter, you need to relieve the pressure in the system first. I do this by pulling the fuel pump fuse (#19 in my '01 SD) while it's running. After it stalls, I guarrantee there's no pressure (or least, not enough to hit you in the eyes)
Of course, the computer may log a "fuel pump secondary voltage low" code, which you can get rid of by disconnecting the battery for an hour. This has the added benefit of getting the motor to re-learn, because after changing the fuel filter, it may be getting more gas under load ...
art k.
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From: Long Island USA
Originally Posted by oldrifleman
Thanks, that was sort of what I figured. I was a little surprised that it happened after getting gas from a major (Chevron) station in a good sized town. StevenG
Problem is, they usually have water seperators on the pumps (or before them). Sounds like someone forgot to change/drain them, or didn't pay the service contract on the pumps this month/quarter/year
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From: Vancouver Wash USA
being as I'm from the same parts as you are, it's gotta be the gas. I can't run gas outta some of the 'cutrate' ($2.49 a gal as opposed to $2.55) gas stations or I get the same thing. A slight burp at idle, or a slight miss at speed. It's very small, like a plug misses one firing cycle.
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$2.55, that would be cheap, this week reg is 2.69 - 2.75. Yeah Ken, I noticed that you are one of those "Southern Gents", my sister lives in Battle Ground. It would have been slight at idle, but at 65-70 it was a bit of a surprise. I always avoid the AM/Slushy mart places for gas (of all kinds). StevenG
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From: Vancouver Wash USA
Originally Posted by oldrifleman
$2.55, that would be cheap, this week reg is 2.69 - 2.75. Yeah Ken, I noticed that you are one of those "Southern Gents", my sister lives in Battle Ground. It would have been slight at idle, but at 65-70 it was a bit of a surprise. I always avoid the AM/Slushy mart places for gas (of all kinds). StevenG
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From: Long Island USA
Wow... I'm really beginning to wonder about something.
Here on Long Island, in Metro NY basically, we used to have the highest gas prices around.
Now, I just put $30 in my '01 yesterday, and it was $2.47 for regular 87 octane.
That's the cheapest place around here, Gulf gas, my modulars have run great on it for the last 10 years...
It's as much as $2.54 in places, but that's on the high side, like Amoco/BP (which, by the way may be too high an octane because my modulars don't run the same on it, kinda like they are "cold").
Here on Long Island, in Metro NY basically, we used to have the highest gas prices around.
Now, I just put $30 in my '01 yesterday, and it was $2.47 for regular 87 octane.
That's the cheapest place around here, Gulf gas, my modulars have run great on it for the last 10 years...
It's as much as $2.54 in places, but that's on the high side, like Amoco/BP (which, by the way may be too high an octane because my modulars don't run the same on it, kinda like they are "cold").