Is all gas the same?

simple

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
104
Does it matter where someone fills up? I've been hearing that some people say mobil is the best, but does it really matter? What about citgo, kwik trip, and speedway? Does it vary that much from station to station? The reason I'm asking is because I've been hearing reports that some fuel injectors are being sent back to GM due to what mechanics believe is a bad injector, but GM is finding nothing wrong with them. Could it be bad gas? Here in WI we have the reformulated gas which I'm sure doesn't help.<br />I've been having misfire issues with my bonneville, which is going in next week. My mechanic thinks it's an injector problem, but someone I work with says that I should try switching gas stations and see if that helps. I always fill up at Citgo and I always fill the silverado there also. I haven't had a problem with the silverado. What do you all think?<br /><br />The reports about the injectors came from my local paper.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,904
Re: Is all gas the same?

Some of those Bonnies only like hi-test because of the octane level is higher than regular[87 oct]even if you switch to 89 oc it will run a bit better ,that's a mid range between hi and reg ,we have stations in Canada that provide it don't know about your state .so try the hi -test you will diffently notice the difference in the Bonnie for sure '
 

dhud64

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
344
Re: Is all gas the same?

My personal experience is this:<br />I buy Quick Trip gas 99% of the time. My boat does not like Conoco gas, runs like crap...
 

Rick Byers

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 20, 2001
Messages
82
Re: Is all gas the same?

A lot of techs are replacing injectors in 3.8 litre GM motors when they should be replacing Plug wires. We are finding in our shop that 90 percent of the misfires involving the GM 3.8V-6 and the ford 4.0/4.2V-6 are plug wire related, not injectors. Rick Byers ASE Master Technician
 

fixin

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 23, 2004
Messages
775
Re: Is all gas the same?

QT has been running a lot of new commercials here saying they are the only ones with high test gasoline that is recommended by BMW and GM(some others too but I don't remember)I didn't think much of it just thought it was a marketing ploy,but maybe there's something to it
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,904
Re: Is all gas the same?

All the bonnies I've seen hate lo-test gas because of their compression ratio they just run like crap on it they need the octane level higher than lo-test gas provides, the more octane level the better they preform, the cost of owning one
 

simple

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
104
Re: Is all gas the same?

Originally posted by Richard W Byers:<br /> A lot of techs are replacing injectors in 3.8 litre GM motors when they should be replacing Plug wires. We are finding in our shop that 90 percent of the misfires involving the GM 3.8V-6 and the ford 4.0/4.2V-6 are plug wire related, not injectors. Rick Byers ASE Master Technician
I just replaced the wires and the plugs and I still have the problem. My bonneville is a 1997 with the 3.8L. I have 103,000 miles on the car. The car did the same thing with the old parts too. The car will misfire about once every 3 weeks. When I start it up the car will be real sluglish and the check engine light will come on. After driving it for about 3 minutes or so the problem will go away. The problem will also go away if I stomp on the pedal making the rpms higher. I'm thinking that maybe an injector is sticking? Why would it clear up if I rev the engine?
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,904
Re: Is all gas the same?

Dirty oxygen sensor or low voltage to sensor ,cleans up or when voltage increases signal gets better ,a weak battery or undercharged is the weakest link in computer controlled cars
 

PierBridge

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2004
Messages
625
Re: Is all gas the same?

[/quote] and the check engine light will come on. [/QB][/quote] <br /><br /><br />If you could tell us the diagnostic codes it would make it a lot easier to help you.<br /><br />Were the Diagnostic codes left behind retrieved by the GM techs...?
 

McGR

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 19, 2004
Messages
664
Re: Is all gas the same?

Certainly the codes are the first place to start... Nonetheles, your symtoms sound like EGR problems I used to have with a Mercury Cougar 5.0. A coworker with a Blazer/ GM 4.3 had very similar problems. Basically, over time crud in the induction system breaks loose and lodges between the valve and seat in the EGR valve assembly. When this happens the idle/low speed goes to hell and the Check Engine light comes on. Eventually, if the EGR valve opens enough (like when you stomp on the gas), the peice of crud is sucked in and the valve operates normally again, restoring normal vehicle operation. This possibly could be your problem... I hope this helps.
 

dolluper

Captain
Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
3,904
Re: Is all gas the same?

It's an OBD2 system your car has with heated O2 sensors all models that GM make 96 and up have this system can't just ground out to get codes as pre 96's you could ,different pin configuuration There is one thing that comes to mind is if you start up and drive away right away[no warmup time] you are in Open Loop cycle and the[cts]coolant temp sensor is controlling pretty much everything as setting pre-determined at factory but at operating temp your in Closed Loop Cycle computer inputs ,outputs control running
 

Realgun

Commander
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Messages
2,484
Re: Is all gas the same?

Simple to get back to the gas ? All gas is basically the same however, the aditive packages might differ a little bit. When you go to say Citco or Texico or Shell you get their gasoline pkg. Basically the guy buying for the stations calls the refinery. The refinery fills the pipe with the gas he called for say 5000 gallons.<br />The refinery puts this in the pipe in Texas. You are say in New York. Your gas station get the gas the same day. How? Because no matter the station you take what ever gasoline is in the pipe out at NY even though the gas was placed in it in TX. It takes about 10 days for gasoline to travel the pipe. After The guys takes the 5000 gallons out and puts it in a truck for delivery he then puts in the different adatives for his station.
 

pjc

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 29, 2003
Messages
1,856
Re: Is all gas the same?

hey simple. are you burning the 10%cornahol/gas from se wisco area. been a rash of injecter trouble here as of late and the blame is the anti rust and other additives in this reformulated gas crap.<br /><br />Do you add injector cleaner? Some brands of gas are known to, while meeting fed requirements, skimp on the quality of the detergent added to the gas.
 
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