In the same way gasoline and its octane rating supply energy to an engine, food and its calories do the same for living things. And just as eating low-calorie foods will not allow us to maintain our physical activity levels, contaminated petrol will not allow an engine to run properly.
You may take a sample from the tank and test it for faulty fuel. It must be clear and bright in color and smell strongly of gasoline. You may safely fire a tiny quantity poured onto the pavement to see how it responds. Furthermore, look for water and debris buildup in the fuel filter.
Nowadays, filling up with subpar gas is quite unusual, particularly if you are pumping at a reliable gas station. Having petrol stay longer than six months, whether in a tank or a container, is significantly more probable.
Since gasoline’s power dissipates with time, old and stale gasoline will not generate the energy required for the engine to cycle correctly.
Testing Gasoline
To be clear, testing petrol correctly and scientifically is only possible by spending disproportionate money on the necessary equipment. I will provide my recommendations if you consider launching a petrol station dispute.
Most of the time, engines can digest petrol that has some water or staleness in it. But, the most basic checks will be sufficient to tell whether the petrol is okay once you encounter performance-related problems. Let us run them down:
Float the Tank
Only after the automobile has remained idle for at least a year is it necessary to check the petrol tank’s contents. You do not want to start the engine and draw all that stuff through into the fuel pump and the injectors because you need to know what is in the petrol tank and how good it is.
Here, a simple petrol siphon pump will work; place one end in the tank and the other in a container. Only enough fuel must be pulled to do a visual inspection.
Once you have decided the petrol is bad, you should at least siphon it all out before properly discarding it. I suggest cleaning the petrol tank with a professional to eliminate any deposits that have built up on the bottom.
Check the fuel filter
The major purpose of the fuel filter is to capture debris and keep it from clogging up and harming the fuel injectors, but it may also be used to collect water that has gotten into the gasoline.
You must unplug the filter and empty the contents before removing the water. It will be a good idea to replace them if you have not done so in a while since they are now dirt cheap and will benefit the engine.
Does the lighter test described in the preceding approach, as well as a scent test, see whether or not you can verify if there is water in it? Compared to when it is fresh and undiluted, petrol that has been watered down will smell very faintly.
Inspect the Fuel Pump
The gasoline pump on my father’s vehicle has had a good amount of dirty diesel, which often led to water building up to the point of collapse. I don’t know whether the same holds true for a petrol fuel pump, but it is something to consider if your car has major performance difficulties, stalls, or difficulty starting.
Why Is Gasoline Dangerous?
Gasoline is generally maintained at a high level, much like drinking water and clean air. It eliminates everything except the following common justifications for why a product might be poor:
Water in Fuel
Every liquid may be made larger by diluting it with water, almost for free. Due to the vast amount of fuel supplied daily, if a small petrol station or a clerk chooses to add only 1% water to petrol, they might benefit greatly.
Although the engine can digest some water, it collects in the fuel filter or pump. Sadly, there is nothing that can be done.
Stale Fuel
Since petrol stations move so much fuel, it seldom has a chance to rest for extended periods, making it practically difficult to fill up stale fuel.
The true cause of stale gasoline is not using it quickly enough; examples include keeping it in a jerry can in the garage, the petrol tank of a summer automobile, or inside a lawn mower throughout the winter.
The ideal solution to this issue is to consume the existing petrol and keep a fresh batch in storage for a few months. Alternatively, you may apply a fuel additive that extends the fuel’s shelf life.
Combining Diesel and Gas
People fueling their automobiles with the incorrect gasoline type is something that occurs far more often than it should.
Much worse than adding gasoline to a diesel vehicle is putting diesel to a gasoline vehicle. These two fuels should never be blended since they do not mix.
Bad Gas Symptoms
Poor petrol may and will affect the vehicle in several ways, mostly in performance and fuel delivery.
1. Fuel filter damage
The cheap fuel filter is designed to malfunction when clogged to protect the costly injectors from harm. It will break down more rapidly if you use poor gasoline for an extended time and retain fuel in reserve.
2. Fuel Pump Damage
Bad gasoline may cause the fuel pump to malfunction, particularly if it contains water. The fuel pump’s condition quickly deteriorates when the fuel level is kept at the absolute lowest because it is forced to suck in all the deposits from the tank’s bottom.
3. Beginning and stalling issues
Poor fuel will either not provide enough energy for the engine to function correctly or affect the fuel supply. In any case, it will show up as stalling and starting issues, particularly while the engine is idling.
4. Lack of acceleration and power
High-performance vehicles need high-octane gasoline to extract all of their available power. While not essential, using high-octane gasoline in a conventional automobile will not injure or improve performance.
Your automobile’s engine will need more power to generate enough power, particularly when you attempt to accelerate since poor gasoline is worse than fuel in terms of power.
5. Increasing Fuel Use
Bad gasoline will increase fuel consumption since the engine will naturally need more to operate at the same power level. The engine will operate worse than normal and use more gasoline.
6. Stuttering
Unreliable gasoline supply results in stuttering or hiccuping, another issue that may be set on by poor fuel. Bad gasoline may lead to this issue by blocking the fuel delivery system and injectors.
Conclusion
Nowadays, bad fuel is an uncommon issue, and it is typically brought on by storing the petrol in the car’s petrol tank or can for an excessively extended time.
If you have equipment or cars that are only utilized during certain times of the year, think about emptying their tanks or putting Sta-Bil or a similar product in them to extend the life of the petrol.
In addition to being stale, petrol may need improvement when diluted or combined with diesel. These problems should not arise if you pay attention to the nozzle you are using and only fill up at reputable petrol stations.