Please help...

I have a 2001 5.4L F150, with about 85k on it. The only problems I've ever had with it are 1.) the AC went out 6 months after i got it, and 2.) I had to replace my IAC valve about 8 months ago.

I only get about 14.5-15.5 mpg's and do a ton of city driving, so recently I was wondering if I would get any sort of benifit from switching from regular fuel to premium. So, driving home from work on Friday, I decided to stop at Shell and fill up with this new "V-power" crap... Big mistake! Since Friday, I've driven about 40 miles, and the last 10 miles have been with, what feels like, only 6 cylinders. The whole car has a nasty vibration, and it's obviouse that a couple cylinders are missing. The problem is especially bad when I get over 40 mph, and i feel it even when idling.

I'm pretty sure it's the gas because the last (and only time) I used Shell "V-power" the same thing happened. Only last time i only filled up about half way, and it went away after I filled up a couple more times with regular. I didn't think it was the fuel at the time because my IAC valve went out a day after i filled up with the gas. I thought the problem was the IAC valve. I took it off, and it was covered with so much carbon that it was stuck open...

I'm about to try and cyphon the gas out and fill it up with regular. I'm wondering if anyone else has had anything similar happen with Shell or any other premium fuel. Is it all the cleansers they put in the premium gas? Is it even possible that it could be the gas? I'm thinking it's gotta be, because the truck was fine before I filled up with this crap...

Any help/advise would be much appreciated... Thanks,

Robert

 

I use Shell regular grade gas all the time but never have used the Premium, so I really can't say one way or the other that way.... To darn expensive and my truck runs fine on the 87, so I dont' bother.....

You might have a hard time siphoning out the gas thru the filler neck however...... I'm pretty sure they all have some sort of block down there to prevent that very thing.... At least my truck does... I tried to get some gas for my lawn mower one time and the hose only went down about 6 inches. It was a pretty small hose too....

Good luck!

Mitch

on edit.... 14-15 mpg with mostly city driving is pretty darn good in my opinion!! That's about what I get and most of my driving is hwy!! I don't think that just using Premium fuel is going to improve on that any significant amount to make up for the increased cost......

 

yeah, that what i thought. apparently mine does too. this sucks. i don't want to f-up my truck. the damn "service engine soon" just turned on...

 

I would venture a guess and say it is a co-inky-dink that your truck started running crappy soon after the Shell fill up. I have had a couple of co-inky-dinks myself and they just caused me to look in the wrong directions. Try starting with the code that was thrown, most likely a bad cop or coil pack( 4.6 or 5.4).

 

Did you buy the V-Power at the same station both times? May be contaminated fuel in your area. Maybe your engine doesn't like premium fuel of any kind.
I use V-Power because I have the SuperTuner. The Shell premium gives me the best gas milage (16 city/19hwy), at least 1/2mpg better than all the other stuff. I never had any problem with it.

Fritz

 

You may have got a bad load of fuel; I'd recommend 1 - 2 cans of gas dryer (HEET) and change the fuel filter.

Best of luck!

 

I have used several tanks of V-power from various stations and have had no problems. The key however is that I am tuned for 93 octane. If you are stock you will get little to no benefit from V-power as you are tuned for 87 and you could face potential problems. Your stock timing will not compensate for 93 octane and will not burn correctly or cleanly. If you bought it for its cleaning properties you would have been better off with a bottle of your favorite fuel system cleaner.

 

ive used shell vpower for about 3 years now. and never caused me any problems and i get 18 city and about 22-23 highway

 

The tank filler neck has a screen device down in it that will prevent siphon hose access. I use the V-power all the time without incident. I agree with several of the other statements: higher octane is useless unless properly tuned, it could be a totally separate problem, and it could possibly be a specific gas station problem.

 

This kind of reminds me when Sunoco first introduced Alcohol in gas here back in the 80s. It cleaned up the fuel system so well that it sent all the varnish in the gas tank to the fuel filter and clogged it. Change your filter and see what happens.

JMC

 

I would believe that the Shell Gas is giving you the problem. There is a site that shows who brings in most of there gas from overseas and Shell is the one who brings in the most. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, just that they do it. I run BP 89-93 octane and have never had a problem. I know a LOT of people that tried running Shell fuel and have had nothing but problems. It could be a co-inky-dink, but I doubt it. Let us know what you find out.

 

Do you have a time machine? It was only launched in June of 2004!

 

Busted!!

 

I agree with pstmn1. The same thing has happened to me. I normally use V-power because I also get about .5 mpg more with it. But I filled up once at a 7-11 and my truck started running like crap. I thought it was the gas. But after 2 bottles of Heet and 2 fuel filters it finally threw a code. It was a misfire on #3. New coil pack and it ran as new.

 

I'ld try the heat. I had two instances within six months of stumbling and stuttering that eventually threw a check engine light. First time it was #6 and second was cylinder 7.

I used a gas dryer both times and it cleared. I dasmn near replaced coils and plugs both times, but it eventually cleared. After driving through the tank.

I'm still looking at new plugs(Motorcraft) I'm having a hard time believing these coils burn up so fast. Near 80,000 miles.

The last time I used a bottle of Berrymans octane boost(not recommended but it worked quick) it said for off road use only and guaranteed to raise octane 7 points. It sure ran great, but it's like most other products that work, they're not recommended for newer vehicles with cats or O2 sensors.

Good luck