Does this happen to anyone else? Filled up a 5-gallon can at the usual station, put it in my mower and it wouldn't start. Mixed up some 2-cycle mixture and put it in my chainsaw and it wouldn't start. Filled another can at another station, dumped out the bad fuel from mower and saw, and they're fine. Interestingly, I'd also filled the Farmall Cub from the bad batch and it ran with no problem, but Cubs seem to run on anything with a 2-digit octane number.
- Thread starter Teakettle
- Start date
Honestly, it doesn't make sense. Even if the gas were bad, the engines should already have gas in the carbs and lines to allow them to start. They would eventually start running poorly, but would start.
Honestly, I don't think it's possible to get fuel so bad these days that things won't run on it.
Honestly, I don't think it's possible to get fuel so bad these days that things won't run on it.
steve_in_mo
Well-known Member
I have the same experience as Teakettle. If I want to run any of my small engines, they need fresh gas.
It's easier if I just go ahead and buy premium gas because it keeps longer..
If you go to the gas station lately and pay attention, some of them are selling stale gas.
Stale gas smells different from fresh gas. t's subtle, but noticeable.
It's easier if I just go ahead and buy premium gas because it keeps longer..
If you go to the gas station lately and pay attention, some of them are selling stale gas.
Stale gas smells different from fresh gas. t's subtle, but noticeable.
Sometimes there are strange coincidences.
A few weeks ago I fueled up three reliable tractors from the same batch of gasoline, and all three ran poorly. I blamed it on the gasoline but I adjusted the carburetors on all three and they ran smooth again. If it had actually been bad gasoline, I don't think I would have been able to "adjust it out". Plus, after burning out the "bad" gasoline, no adjustments were necessary when I filled with "good" gasoline. Other engines around the place were not bothered by the "bad" fuel.
A few weeks ago I fueled up three reliable tractors from the same batch of gasoline, and all three ran poorly. I blamed it on the gasoline but I adjusted the carburetors on all three and they ran smooth again. If it had actually been bad gasoline, I don't think I would have been able to "adjust it out". Plus, after burning out the "bad" gasoline, no adjustments were necessary when I filled with "good" gasoline. Other engines around the place were not bothered by the "bad" fuel.
Chain saws don't really have a lot of residual gas in the carb or lines. The mower had been run totally to empty before I filled it (but it was getting gas when I tried to start it, I pulled the spark plug
to check and it smelled of gas). The same thing happened to me once before, I suspect there was a lot of water in the gas from the pump
to check and it smelled of gas). The same thing happened to me once before, I suspect there was a lot of water in the gas from the pump
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Sounds like you need to stop buying gas from the place and switch to some other place. Years ago I got gas at a Signal store and put it in the tractors so they would be ready if we got snow like they where saying we where going to. Next morning we had snow and none of the tractors would run due to water in the gas. I have not gotten gas at that place since and almost never buy anything there
We got some ARCO gas years ago, when on vacation. Pickup pulling a trailer- we always ran it off one tank, and left the other one full for if we ran low. Truck started running really poorly, and we were having trouble making it up a hill. I switched to the other tank, and away it went, running fine. Haven't bought ARCO gas since. Always buy non-ethanol for the small engines around here.
farmerjohn
Well-known Member
Saw the discussion title and thought you were going to talk about the baked beans you ate.
I got bad gas this summer at local BP. It had rained about 3.5 the day b4. The trucker did not secure the cap on the tank properly. Another factor is drainage of the area where the fill ports are. If not properly pitched so rain can drain away, water can collect in the recess where the fill ports are. Both of these is what happened in my case. Cost $800 to get vehicle dried out. Cars are designed so that you CANNOT get fuel out of them now. I was reimbursed by the BP operator.
Buckeye Oliver collector
Well-known Member
I went to a BP once and got fuel. Car never did run right again. Have not been back to a BP since then. That was 2014.
1948CaseVAI
Well-known Member
Don't know about the place you bought it, but you should never buy gas from a mom and pop operation.
john in la
Well-known Member
Mistakes happen.
Real question is did you report it to the station or state regulators so they could fix it.
Real question is did you report it to the station or state regulators so they could fix it.
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
I've never seen bad gas.
I have seen contaminated gas, and I've seen diesel put in the gas storage tank.
Usually it's water, and that can be seen settling to the bottom.
One time a car came in, towed in as it would not run. I dumped the tank and there was a mixture of water, sand, mud, very obvious. That came from a new station that was having a half price gas grand opening.
I stay away from new stations, stations where they are working on the tanks or lines, or stations that have been closed and reopen. Even the truck delivering gas can stir up water of the bottom. Best go somewhere else until it settles.
I have seen contaminated gas, and I've seen diesel put in the gas storage tank.
Usually it's water, and that can be seen settling to the bottom.
One time a car came in, towed in as it would not run. I dumped the tank and there was a mixture of water, sand, mud, very obvious. That came from a new station that was having a half price gas grand opening.
I stay away from new stations, stations where they are working on the tanks or lines, or stations that have been closed and reopen. Even the truck delivering gas can stir up water of the bottom. Best go somewhere else until it settles.
timcasbolt
Well-known Member
've never bought bad gas. Heard about it, but never experienced it first hand.
Years ago, I got a batch of bad gas in my somewhat high performance Corvair. Remember the gas wars? Guess station operators were buying low grade and selling as high test. Was out of town, when I bought a few dollars worth to get home. Car was running very rough. Stopped at another station, topped tank with high test, and was able to limp home, Another tank of good gas, and my problems went away.
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
I don't think I've ever had bad gas either, been lucky I guess, been driving since 66. I buy premium for our 2 strokes, everything else gets E-10. I notice on gas buddy that there's a big spread in the price of premium, whereas regular is the same all over our area. I bought a couple of gallons of the cheapest recently at the Arco station, I thought maybe it was ethanol with premium, so when I got home I tested it, and no, it's straight gas! 60 cents a gal. cheaper than the Holiday down the street!
Oregon Tractor Jack
Member
Around here most of the the fuel is transported in a pipeline from up north (Seattle). There is only one and it will supply gas and diesel. There are no "plugs" between the gas and diesel shipments when there is a change over. What you will get is a mixing of the fuels to a certain point. Most of the time the mixed fuel is pulled off so the fuel is pure. If the pull off is not done correctly you will get "bad gas" with a slight amount of diesel. Usually just enough to lower the octane that higher compression engines need. I don't know what happens if you get to much gas mixed with diesel. That is not something I want to think about...
As stated in other posts water is usually the reason for "bad gas".
OTJ
As stated in other posts water is usually the reason for "bad gas".
OTJ
timcasbolt
Well-known Member
here is no truth to this. https://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/Shopping-Guides/does-premium-gas-last-longer
Bob Bancroft
Well-known Member
- Location
- Aurora NY
My supplier brings about 1000 gal diesel fuel, and usually half as much gas to the farm, on the same load. His truck has a single pump! I wish it was two, but I've never had a problem. When I used to help deliver fuel, the trucks had two pumps, so you never had to cross over between gas and diesel/fuel oil.
We have a fuel supplier her in town and they put in a new station. For over a year no problems, then I filled up one day and the van started sputtering and you would be going down the road and it would be like you turned the key off and then it would pick back up again. I put in some Seafoam still no good. Finally drained the tank 26gallons It didn't have water but didn't even smell like gas even old gas smelled more like thinner. Ended up putting in a new fuel pump old one was ruined.
Gambles
Well-known Member
Okay, it's been decades ago, but I remember a really bad instance.
This would have been in 1987 and I was living in Dallas, Texas at the time. The Diamond-Shamrock gas chain sold some bad gas citywide for several days. Their gas plugged up fuel filters, injectors and fuel pumps. They admitted it and took out a full page ad in the Dallas Morning News saying that they would pay for any damages to your car if you could prove that you had purchased gas from them and then had a problem. I was driving a carbureted car at the time and my car had a few hiccups and surges while I was in Oklahoma and was driving north. In my case, it was nothing more than a plugged fuel filter that was easily accessible.
This would have been in 1987 and I was living in Dallas, Texas at the time. The Diamond-Shamrock gas chain sold some bad gas citywide for several days. Their gas plugged up fuel filters, injectors and fuel pumps. They admitted it and took out a full page ad in the Dallas Morning News saying that they would pay for any damages to your car if you could prove that you had purchased gas from them and then had a problem. I was driving a carbureted car at the time and my car had a few hiccups and surges while I was in Oklahoma and was driving north. In my case, it was nothing more than a plugged fuel filter that was easily accessible.
caterpillar guy
Well-known Member
I get gas from the same guy about once or twice a year never have a problem. I do have a drain in the bottom of the storage tanks to let water drain out when I loosen the plug. Eeven have them on the diesel fuel tanks too.
I've not had bad gas,though I did get some poor fuel in a truck once when driving for an owner operator. Never bought fuel there again. I've bought fuel all over the us with few to no problems with it. I do become a creature of habit in winter where I buy fuel though.
I've not had bad gas,though I did get some poor fuel in a truck once when driving for an owner operator. Never bought fuel there again. I've bought fuel all over the us with few to no problems with it. I do become a creature of habit in winter where I buy fuel though.
You must live in North Carolina, like me. My truck had the 'surges' at idle for a week because of whatever was in that tank full. Its almost back to normal now since the last fill-up.
Off topic, but I drained green gas out of a (non-running) mower at work today. It didn't smell old and there was over 2 gallons of it. (And about a hand full of leaves, too.
Off topic, but I drained green gas out of a (non-running) mower at work today. It didn't smell old and there was over 2 gallons of it. (And about a hand full of leaves, too.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Summer-grade gasoline has a lower vapor pressure than winter-grade gas. Not necessarily "bad" gas, just harder to ignite. If the gasoline from that station was truly bad, there would be dozens of cars in the shop.
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