Date:         Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:39:24 -0400
Reply-To:     Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Was: dead cat kills van- What About Bad Gas
Comments: To: "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <e30c845b0903201922t70ae9aa8h51e10598e8029aa7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Pete,

Yes, the crap they are passing off as gasoline nowadays can definitely
go bad in a few months. The refining process is a lot different than it
used to be and it's designed to increase yeilds and make distribution
easier, not for long term storage.

Remove the fuel line from a fuel rail and insert it into a 5 gallon gas
can, then turn on the ignition and the fuel pump will empty the tank
into the gas can. It'll take a few minutes.

You could try diluting the bad fuel by adding 3/4 tank of 91 octane, but
if it were me I'd try to get as much of the bad gas out of there as
possible first. Dispose of it as hazardous waster or keep it to use as
an accellerant for the campfire of your next bus gathering.


Happy Trails,

Greg Potts
1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
www.busesofthecorn.com
www.pottsfamily.ca



Peter T. Owsianowski wrote:
> This Cat Story got me thinking!
>
> My brother's '85 with a 2.2 GoWesty in it won't start after sitting in his
> barn most of the winter.  It started on the first crank, ran for 4 seconds,
> then died.
>
> It has gas, spark, and is turning over well.  Won't even pop one or two
> times.  We put in new plugs turned it over, and nothing, then came out
> really wet.  Checked the injectors and they are spraying well.  Connected a
> known good ECU and cranked - nothing.  Pumped some of the gas into a glass
> from two injectors and it had a really bad smell.  We put the new plugs in
> front of the heater, then sprayed starter fluid in each cylinder, put the
> dried plugs back in, hooked up AFM and Viola!  It started and ran
> wonderfully for about 8 seconds, then died and wouldn't start.  Checked his
> gas tank level and it looked like 1/4 tank.  He swears he had a 1/2 tank
> back in November when it started snowing here in northern Indiana.
>
>  We plan on hooking up the fuel pump and draining out the gas in there and
> putting in as new as we can to see if it starts.
>
> He has a brand new Cat (last year) so it can't be that - If it is bad gas,
> can gas go bad in one winter?
> --
> Pete
> '79 Westy "Aardvark"
> '87 Westy "Joe's Van"
> WWW.Busesbythebeach.com
>


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