mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Bad Gas (minimal-LBC and too long)

To: mglist <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Bad Gas (minimal-LBC and too long)
From: David Lynes <cdlynes@bellsouth.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 15:39:06 -0500
There is a petrol retailer in town (Atlanta area) that sells what they
call guaranteed gasoline.  And since it is inexpensive and on my way
every day, I use one particular station all the time.

I filled up the tank on my SO's Bronco II on Tuesday and drove 30 miles,
then it slowly lost power, finally coughing out on a short hill and
refused to run any further.  I had to get it towed home, only 3 miles or
$35 (for David Deutsch, yes, I did tip him an extra $5 cash, and he
seemed genuinely surprised)

I know I can no longer hear the electronic fuel pump, so after checking
the fuses and fuel pump relay, I purchased a new in-tank pump and in
line filter, about $175.  Last night, as I was draining the full tank in
preparation of dropping it to install the pump, of course I was watching
for garbage in the tank.  I found a few ounces of an opaque yellowish
(not rusty) fluid pooling in the bottom of the gas can, which I siphoned
out and kept in a jar... Looks like diesel or just plain water,  I can't
tell.  (LBC content, the siphoned gas filled up the tanks of both my
MGs)

So I took a sample to the station this morning thinking they may be
interested, honestly thinking if I got some stuff in the gas, I wouldn't
have been the only one (would they tell me if I wasn't?) Of course, no
one else has reported any trouble.  They told me I could have poured the
stuff in there myself, were absolutely not interested in my sample, and
told me the home office would send me a form to have my mechanic fill
out. (my mechanic?) Turns out, I have to have a "licensed" mechanic
report on the form that the cause of the failure was in his opinion due
to their gasoline.

Although I understand their skepticism, I really didn't have the $$ at
my disposal (self employed and gearing for tax time) to pay a mechanic
to pull my tank  and install the thing... Just to have them tell me a
couple of months down the line that it wasn't their fault.  And I can
understand that they can't pay for every car that has a clogged filter
and bad fuel pump. I hope I don't have any problem with my injectors.
Finishing the job tonight.

Just had to vent... The guarantee is a good marketing tool, just read
the fine print.

Sorry for the rant


David Lynes, Woodstock, GA
78 MGB
73 Midget
(looking at that 72 Midget in St Simon Island!)




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>