On the way back from lunch going to work today, my L starts stumbling/missing bad! I'm COMPLETELY stock except for my airfilter and exhaust.

It ran fine on the way to work this morning (live ~1 mile from work) after filling up at the local Shell on 93 octane last night as usual (the gas station is only 1-2 miles away from home).

Also, when it started, all gauges looked fine and no Check-Engine light - just missing/stumbling bad.

Could it be bad plug/coil pack or bad-gas or what? Any ideas?

My gf called the local SVT Svc Mgr now and he said it sounds like bad gas and I could get octane boost or something and run it out or they could pump it out.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Ronald

 

rqbrown:

It does suggest bad gas since the ONLY thing new in your
trucks environment was getting gas...would suggest that if it
is bad gas, change your fuel filter ASAP since you may have
also picked up particles from the storage tank...do you
have a locking gas cap?...better get one just to avoid any
mean spirited persons out there...I would try the STP gas treatment (in the black bottle) since it can disolve water before I tried the octane boost (just an opinion).

 

GM,

Thanks! I'll look to getting the gas treatment asap and then a fuel filter.

No locking gas cap yet! I need to get one.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks for the reply.

Ronald

 

rqbrown:

Get the STP Fuel Injector cleaner in the "black" plastic bottle;
it's more concentrated. Ideally the cleaner should be put in a gas
tank that is low on fuel, that way it is distributed and diluted more
uniformly as you poor in fresh gas...but in your case you probably have a full tank of gas...it will still help, just drive around on some bumps to get it stirred about.

Good luck !

 

Go get a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol and pour it in the tank. This is the part of Gas Treatment that helps to remove water. Gas and water don't mix but the alcohol mixes with gas or water. Gas treatment doesn't have near as much alcohol as just buying the real thing.

If it's trash you need to change the fuel filter.

If it were me I would do both.

 

i had like the same problem ur havin,i thought it was a fuel problem but it actualy was a bad coil pack, and none of my check engine lights or anything came on

 

u dont think a plug made a supprise exit do you?

 

This had crossed my mind also.

The Svc Mgr here in Plano/Frisco, TX told my gf to go to Autozone and get whatever they suggest for water in a tank of gas.

We're trying to go by-the-book and get everything documented, etc. in a worst-case-scenario and it's a "warranty war".

We'll see.

Thanks!

Ronald

 

good luck ronald getting the truck fixed. Let me know what it was. Thanks, Shane

 

Shane,

Thanks!

It's such a PITA to see my "Suzy" run SO strong (for a stocker - not intending to go mod-crazy) and after a fill-up of Shell/93 late that night and the next day, it runs like a Pinto.

Coincidence?

I limped back to the house from work (1-2 miles away) at 15-20mph with my hazards on! She was still sounded like she was hitting on 1/2 her cylinders.

I just got back from a TALON meet with a bunch of us L guys (our fearless mod. Doug was there who gave me a coupla' good suggestions and other suggestions from other TALON L guys - thanks, Doug/et. al. !)

I just want my "Suzy" back for the Ennis FFW and LFest '03.

I'll be happy then!

Thanks,

Ronald

BTW Shane, where is Plainfield in relation to Champaign? We just moved here to Plano, TX from there...

 

just dump a little c16 in there, hehe. the lead is not enough to hurt anything. and it will help to raise the octane

 

Well, whatever the problem may turn out to be (hopefully nothing too serious) .... make sure you replace the fuel filter, especially if you run fuel system cleaner through it.
A fuel filter from a Navigator is much bigger and will fit just fine. It won't fit into the original spring clamp.... so just put it just under the spring clamp and above the bottom of the frame rail. It won't go anywhere, but you can zip tie it in if you feel the need

 

Plainfield is a little under an hour south of Chicago. From Champaign I think I am 2 hours or so. Maybe more I haven't made the trip. I have a friend who is going to College there so I am planning on making the trip in the next few weeks or so. I'll let you know. Good luck with the truck, Shane

 

 

I'm sorry but I don't think your L's problem is the gas. There's nothing inherently wrong with 93 Shell. I realize the underground tank might be stirred up(if recently filled?) but I think you have an eng., PCM, etc. problem that just happened after your fill-up.

If it was "bad gas", 8 oz of any cleaner, alcohol, etc. isn't going to make a bit of difference. Your L needs a good diagnostician IMHO.

Dan