Budman Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Here is a new problem I've never encountered before. I was in town the other day, needed gas, so I thought I'd go to the local Walmart. After all, they have the cheapest gas in town, right? Turns out its for a very good reason. Attached to their pump was a gizmo where you pay extra to get the additives for their gas. I, unfortunately chose to ignore it and just pumped the gas into my truck. Now the check engine light burns brightly on my dash. I checked my owners manual. It basically says when this light comes on .............. "You've Got Bad Gas In The Tank! Run it out and refill with premium gas." I'm also betting this is going to require me to install a new fuel filter. Has this happened to anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSRS_KLASH Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hey Buddy, it has happened to my Aunt as well. She purchased a new chevrolet car (can't remember which one) and said that everytime she pumped walmart gas that her gas mileage would stink and her check engine light would come on, she finally had enough of the non sense and took the car to the dealership and told them. The man working in service said the walmart doesn't have certain things in the gas and does have a few things that you don't want in your gas also. She stopped buying gas a Wally world and hasn't had a problem since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hey, thanks for the info Klash. Now that I have a full tank of this stuff, I'm wondering ............ Would it help (or hurt) if I added a can of off the shelf fuel treatment? Any advice out there would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hey, thanks for the info Klash. Now that I have a full tank of this stuff, I'm wondering ............ Would it help (or hurt) if I added a can of off the shelf fuel treatment? Any advice out there would be appreciated. bud ..lucas .or marvel mystery oil .sea foam .. gummout ..stay away from stp .have this daily at work ..after you run that fuel out .buy some exxon ... and stop by your little autozone you have on main street and talk them into turning the light off .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Thanks O/T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACER3395 Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Here is a new problem I've never encountered before. I was in town the other day, needed gas, so I thought I'd go to the local Walmart. After all, they have the cheapest gas in town, right? Turns out its for a very good reason. Attached to their pump was a gizmo where you pay extra to get the additives for their gas. I, unfortunately chose to ignore it and just pumped the gas into my truck. Now the check engine light burns brightly on my dash. I checked my owners manual. It basically says when this light comes on .............. "You've Got Bad Gas In The Tank! Run it out and refill with premium gas." I'm also betting this is going to require me to install a new fuel filter. Has this happened to anyone else? im a tech & also use walmart gas in my o5 chevy truck no problems , but a check eng light can be as simple as u left the gas cap loose , or had the key , with cap off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingaces Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 THIS IS IN NO WAY A BASH TO WALMART BUT THEY REALLY DO HAVE THE CHEAPEST GAS. FILLING UP AT OTHER PLACES I GET AROUND 410 MILES PER TANK, WITH A SMOOTH RUNNING ENGINE..............PUTTING IN A TANK FULL OF WALMART BRAND GAS I GOT 380 MILES FROM THE TANK OF FUEL, WITH THE ENGINE SURGING. I WILL NEVER USE WALMART FUEL AGAIN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 I AM NOT GOING INTO WHAT BRANDS ARE BAD RIGHT NOW .. I HAVE CARS EVERYDAY COME THROUGH THE STORE .... AND I ALWAYS ASK THEM WHERE THEY BUY THIER GAS ...SAME ANSWER.S .EVEN THO I WANT TO BUY THAT CHEAPER BRAND .. I STAY AWAY AND STICK WITH EXXON ....ITS A SHAIME . THE RIP OFF GOING ON ...LOWER PRICES . LOWER GRADE AT SOME PLACES ..AND MOSTLY ITS NOT THE SELLERS FAULT .. ITS THE SUPPLIER ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-Crew Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 I wrote this in response to a complaint from a friend at church that was posted on their bulletin board. It seemed appropriate to post it here as well: Gasoline facts.. Most people are aware that "gasoline" is not just distilled petroleum. The oil companies have advertised for years about their own special additive package that "keeps your engine clean" or "smoother running". Over the years the additives have changed as the needs of modern engines and environmental awareness have influenced the formula. How many of you remember "Ethyl" - "Fill her up with ethyl will you".. Ethyl was short for TetraEthyl Lead, a wonderful ingredient that slowed down the combustion process to control pre-ignintion (knocking or pinging) and created a nice cushion on valve seats that prevented valve seat wear. Too bad it release lead into the air and contributed to lead poisoning in dense urban areas. Next came MTBE, MethylTertiaryButyl Ether. Cars now have hardened valves and valve seats so lead is no longer needed for that. There is still the need to control the burn rate and prevent pre-ignition so the industry adopted MTBE. Now we know that MTBE is highly soluble in water and does not break down in the environment. It is being found in ground water all over the place and is suspected as a serious health risk. Enter Ethanol. Most retail gasoline in Texas is labeled as "contains ethanol". That label means that the gasoline contains up to (and in most cases at least) 10% ethanol. Ethanol at 10% is wonderful stuff. It raises octane and is an oxygenate which can reduce unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions. E85 has been in the news and most people are aware that E85 or 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend can be used in a "flex fuel" vehicle but because ethanol contains less energy (BTU/LB) than gasoline, fuel economy is less than it would be on regular gasoline. Back to Elmer's fuel mileage issue. Gasoline labeled "contains ethanol" is not E85 or gasohol. There is a slightly less energy content in BTU/LB but the difference is something like less than half of one percent. In the noise and almost unmeasurable when checking gas mileage. It is very difficult for a vehicle to get less than average fuel mileage based just on the "quality" of the fuel. Check your owners manual for recommended octane rating. Some high performance vehicles recommend using higher octane fuel for these vehicles, and only for these vehicles will using a lower grade of gasoline have a possible affect on performance and fuel mileage. The on board computer will adjust the ignition timing to prevent knocking and that can affect the overall efficiency of the engine. If your owners manual says use regular, use regular. Mid grade or premium does not keep your engine cleaner, make it run better or get better gas mileage. It just costs you money you don't need to spend. So where did the gas mileage go? First, don't judge anything by just one tank. There are too many variables to make any decisions on one data point. Did you fill it just as full as the last tank. Was the car on an incline. Did you spend extra time sitting around with the car idling and the AC on. Was traffic more stop and go than usual. On the more suspicious side, gas station owners have much more incentive now to "cheat" on the pump. They are operating on very slim profit margins so pumping 9/10 of a gallon and calling it a full gallon is a whopping 10% increase in profit and a drop of 10% in indicated mileage for you. Something more subtle like 2 or 3 percent is much less likely to be noticed but still almost a gamble worth taking. You might even just blame it on "bad gas" and go on. On the less sinister side, make sure you are doing all you can to make the most of your precious fuel. Check your air pressure in the tires. Under inflated tires are not as big a drain on fuel mileage as they once were (before radials) but for tire life, safe handling and fuel mileage, keep them set right. Always remember to check them in the morning, the listed inflation pressure is "cold". Don't worry if they are a couple of PSI high in the afternoon sun. Avoid excess idling. It is tempting in the Texas heat to leave the car running if you just need to jump out for an errand. If you leave the car unoccupied, it is illegal. If you leave someone in the car it just wastes gas. Find a shady spot and roll down the windows. It does not take more gas to start than you will use in a few minutes of idling. Drive like you have no brakes. Every time you use the brakes to stop you take energy you put into making the car roll and turn it into waste heat. Drive at least a block ahead. That means look at the traffic in front of you and anticipate if you will need to slow down. Often you can see the light and know you won't make it in time so slow down early instead of racing up to the light. On the highway, keep your speed down. Most of the energy needed to keep a car moving at speeds over 50 MPH is used to overcome wind resistance and wind resistance doubles for every 10MPH over 50 MPH. Driving at 65 instead of 75 can save you 5% or more. For a nominal 20 MPG car thats 1 mile per gallon. For a beast like my old pickup it is even more. I can get close to 20 MPG at 55 but only 17 MPG at 70. At $5/gl I don't drive fast any more... Take the junk out of the trunk. Hauling around stuff you don't need wastes gas. This might be better aimed at the pickup guys but we are all guilty at times of hauling stuff around just because we are too lazy to take it out or because we think "we might need it some day". Look carefully at what you carry around and decide if it is really necessary. Plan your trips, carpool, walk when you can, ride the bus, when you have a choice use the smaller car. With gas as expensive as it is, it doesn't take much to save some big $$. Jack Foy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 I AGREE WITH MOST OF IT ..BUT I DO KNOW MY JEEP GETS BETTER GAS MILEAGE AND RUN.S BETTER WITH EXXON .CANT SAY WHAT IT WILL DO ON SHAMROCK . NOT MANY OF EM AROUND MY HOUSE ..ALSO I DONT BUY CITCO UNLESS I JUST HAVE TO .DONT WANT THAT .S. O. BLANK TO GET MY MONEY . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 Chevron has an additive that works well in both my V-6 Fuel Injected GM products. In the 2001 Olds Intrigue I get 30 mpg on the 465 mile round trip between my home in San Antonio and HMP with Chevron regular. About the same with Exxon/Mobil and the Costco regular. With about anything else I get 27-28 and I can feel the throttle plate sticking after a tank or two Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Here is something I found interesting. I ran that tank of "bad gas" out on my way to Cowtown Friday. And Yes, the "check engine" light stayed on the whole way. I refilled with Exxon premium in Ft. Worth. My "Check engine" light immediately went off as I pulled out of the gas station. This morning before leaving Ft. Worth, I topped off to come back home. I put in premium shell. The pump said it contained 10% Ethanol. As I left the station, my "check engine" light came back on and stayed on the whole way home. (((shrug))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Here is something I found interesting. I ran that tank of "bad gas" out on my way to Cowtown Friday. And Yes, the "check engine" light stayed on the whole way. I refilled with Exxon premium in Ft. Worth. My "Check engine" light immediately went off as I pulled out of the gas station. This morning before leaving Ft. Worth, I topped off to come back home. I put in premium shell. The pump said it contained 10% Ethanol. As I left the station, my "check engine" light came back on and stayed on the whole way home. (((shrug))) bud just park the car ... problem solved ........ some fuels have more sulfer ..some have less .some have more oct. some dont ...some have water .. some dont .. some have additives some dont ... and that poor computor goes through hell sort of speak when you buy gas ... ......you know what i do ..i dont look at that light anymore ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-Crew Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 It would be most interesting to see what code the computer is bringing up when the CEL is on. I'll bet it is a O2 out of range code or something similar and I'll says there is a reasonable chance the 10% ethanol may be more like 15%.. At that level the normal fuel map runs out of range and can't make enough adjustment to compensate for the extra ethanol. The worst case is it might be bad enough to throw the thing into "limp home" mode - full rich and full timing retard. That would throw your gas mileage out the window.. It is one of the few codes that could come and go that quickly in response to a fuel change. BTW, very few stations (if any) are required to buy from the distributor that bears their name. Most stations buy from whatever distributor has the cheapest price. Your Exxon fuel is just a likely to have come from a Shell refinery, the Walmart stuff sure as heck doesn't come from a Walmart refinery.. You can argue that the refinery puts together a different additive and dye package for different brands but the additives (or lack thereof) won't cause a CEL and all gasoline has to meet minimum standards (just like oil). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poorboy Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Budman, your check engine light will not go off the first time the computer doesn't recognize a fault. Most vehicles will take about 5 ignition cycles without the car recognizing a problem to turn the light off. What I'm getting at is that your car probably had already adapted to a range that it would run the bad fuel and the computer just happened to turn the light off that ignition cycle when leaving the Exxon station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 I'll keep y'all posted. Could be there's more going on here than initially meets the eye. We shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 my wife came in the other day and said h.e.b.'s gas pump had a new deal,did you want the fuel additive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 So, HEB is doing that too, now? I'm afraid those type of deals are going to create a lot of unnecessary confusion, problems and expense for a lot of people. I think they are good things to stay away from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Update----------- After a fill up with Exxon Premium, and as Poorboy indicated above, 4 to 5 ignition and run cycles the CEL turned off and remains off. I said quietly to my pick-up .............. "Grown particular in your old age, have ya?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speed demon 7 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I don't buy gas from Shell, Exxon, or Citcgo. I only buy from Conoco(Flying J is a Conoco brand) or Raceway. Both these companies use US oil. I have been doing this for 2 years, because I want the oil companies to spend money here, not with terrorists. If I pay 5 cents more, than it is worth it. In the state that the economy is, a c5 cent differnce in 20 gallons is $1. If it means keeping jobs here or over here or over there, I'll pay extra. My 07 Dodge runs great on that gas and I get great mileage(for a truck). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfigure8er Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 THIS IS IN NO WAY A BASH TO WALMART BUT THEY REALLY DO HAVE THE CHEAPEST GAS. FILLING UP AT OTHER PLACES I GET AROUND 410 MILES PER TANK, WITH A SMOOTH RUNNING ENGINE..............PUTTING IN A TANK FULL OF WALMART BRAND GAS I GOT 380 MILES FROM THE TANK OF FUEL, WITH THE ENGINE SURGING. I WILL NEVER USE WALMART FUEL AGAIN. actually the service stations at wal mart stores are owned by murphey oil company, they are in no way affiliated with wal mart except leasing of land, here in pearland, when the new walmart supercenter opened up, their number was 0678 and my home number was 0677, i had so much fun when customers would call my number by mistake, theres no telling how many gift certificates they had to give out because of me! i would pretend to be a disgruntled employee and hang up on them, cuss them out and all kind of things! i finally got a letter from the phone company stateing that wal mart would like to have my number as it was so close to theirs but my attorney told them it wasnt gonna happen, but guess what, they did it anyway cause they are walmart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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