Contaminated gasoline - where to test?

Power/Fuel
21

The last two fill-ups, almost 30 gallons total, were from this same station. They don’t sell gasoline with ethanol.

However, the company does manufacture E 10 gasoline, and this got into the tank. The water content was probably just under 0.5%. The next two days, with temperatures in the mid 30s, the car ran fine for a total of twelve miles.

The next morning, temperatures plummeted to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point phase separation occured. The water concentration did not cause this at warmer temperatures. Phase separation is dependent on alcolhol concentration, water concentration, and temperature. Once it occurs, only water and alcohol, in a homgenous blend, are getting pumped to the engine. The gasoline is in an upper layer. That is why the car suddenly stopped running. For the first two days, there was no phase separation, so the car ran fine. Then, after phase separation, it would not run at all.

The station tested the gasoline and identified the contaminant as ethanol. A chemical fingerprint also identified the gasoline as theirs.

22

It took a while, but after contacting corporate, I was reimbursed in full for all costs. I also learned there were 150 other cases where the company agreed to pay.

So to all naysayers who want to blame everything but the gas: it does happen.

To those who questioned the ability to get reimbursed: I’ve got the check to prove it.

23

There is only one legitimate situation I know of where “bad gas” can cause a fuel pump not to be able to deliver fuel, and it’s only over time. A few years back there was a class action lawsuit regarding excess sulpher content in the gas, which was apparently causing corrsion of contacts in fuel pumps and resulting pump failures. You can Google it for details.

In your case I suspect the real culprit was that fuel pump they changed.