crap. bad gas...

[Wicked_Sludge]

filled the ranger up today and my girlfriend and i went out exploring a few back roads. upon coming back into town, we were accelerating into traffic when the truck just quit..like someone had yanked the key from the ignition. got it pulled over and after some tinkering, hit the schraider valve on the fuel rail, the green mixture that spewed forth could hardly be considered fuel. after some cycling the key and cranking the motor, my fuel pressure slowly died off to nothing. i can still hear the pump running, but it sounds labored (clogged), and im getting nothing but air to the fuel rail now.

now for the funny part: the truck died in downtown (right in front of my ex-employer no less) and i wasnt comfortable leaving it there over night. so after riding the bus home (yuck), we brought the red escort into town to...you guessed it...tow the ranger to a safer local. it was only 1/2-3/4 mile to the shop where i work, but we got quite a few slack-jawed stares on our way through downtown, escort in the lead.

got the truck shoved into a safer parking spot for now. will hopefully siphon the tank tomorrow to see just how bad it is. will drop the tank within the next few days to flush the fuel system and fill with clean fuel. hopefully i wont be in for a set of injectors as well (you can bet safeway will be buying me another tank of fuel).

-sludge out.

 

[PaleBlue90]

depending on what the damage is id have them give you the cost of any replacement parts

 

[Mark_88]

Do you, by any chance, have a locking gas cap? I've heard of getting dirt in your gas, but a GREEN slime????

That sounds more like someone messing with your truck...

 

[Roadkill]

Change the filter as well. It's probably clogged up tighter than a frogs arse.

 

[thegoat4]

I second the locking fuel cap thing. I got one because some kids in my apartment complex got it into their heads that it was funny to dump all kinds of shit in peoples' tanks. They broke my fuel cap, but didn't get it out. I had to pop off the filler neck and chip the cap out with a die grinder and a screwdriver.

Personally, I'd drop the tank and pull the pump instead of just siphoning it.

 

[mhughes165]

id go down here before u don ANY work, and ask to speak to the manager, you will have to have there approved shop look at it and give them the qoute, which they will reinburse you for, then u take ur truck and fix it urself

 

[metalmacguyver]

If it happened to you, it happened to other people and someone will be paying for it. Make sure you get paid for it and fix it yourself. Then go buy something for your girlfriend.

 

[Ranger44]

Wow, an escort pulling a Ranger. I'd have paid to see that! I'd definately get a hold of that gas station and let them know what's up. If you get something out of it, like metal said, if you have extra, get something for the girl.

 

[flyingbrick]

Sludge, man sorry to here that, but good luck with fighting the gas company.

Wow, an escort pulling a Ranger. I'd have paid to
see that!

I think i can beat that, when some punks pored pop in the motor of my Jeep, and my insurer found out they wanted to look at it so whatever, a week later i go to get it back and pulled it home with my buddies FESTIVA, by the way my Jeep was lifted 6'' and we had to pull it clear across town, that got us odd looks.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

i do have a locking gas cap and the filler neck has not been tampered with. the truck was driving fine until i filled it up with gas yesterday...i had about 15 miles on the full tank before the truck quit.

i contacted safeway today and the manager seemed pretty willing to work with me. hes getting the ball rolling (contacting the head office and such) and says he'll be back in contact with me. they will owe me a tank of fuel at the very least...and possibly a fuel pump and set of injectors if niether can be salvaged.

i didnt get a chance to drop the tank today..but i siphoned it down to about 1/3 tank (to make it easier to drop), and i popped the fuel filter off and took a sample. it sure looks like seawater...complete with sand. you could barely blow through the filter.

you know, on the bus ride home i mentioned to mary that we should grab the camera cause i knew you guys would want pics..but it was getting late and we left in a rush.

 

[metalmacguyver]

they will owe me a tank of fuel at the very least...and possibly a fuel pump and set of injectors if niether can be salvaged.

If there is any doubt about it you should get them replaced. Any doubt at all is grounds for decreased reliability and need for replacement.


I am just saying to be carefull and dont let yourself get screwed by something that takes a little longer to fail.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

your right, i would love to throw all new injectors and a pump in..but i worry about spending the money up front and then not getting reimbursed from safeway.

 

[metalmacguyver]

This might be borderline fraudulant, but you could buy the parts and not install till you have been reimbursed.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

ya but for that matter i could just let the truck sit until i see how much i can get out of them. the whole point was to get the truck going again. injectors arent a big deal to do at a later date, but if it needs a pump id really like to only pull the tank one time.

 

[LearjetMinako]

My friend is in the same boat. Me and him believe that his Lincoln might have been filled up with bad gas from 7-Eleven. It was running good when he filled up. Then a few miles down the road, it started to skip and cough out. He claims he has to give it gas to keep it alive.