Bad Gas!

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Conrad AlbertoJr

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Driving home last week I passed by an ARCO that had gas for about 25 cents less per gallon than the normal QT I go to. So to save 5 bucks I filled up there. About 2 days later, the check engine light came on. I had planned to go to autozone to have it read this coming weekend, figuring it was one of the typical ST problems (car was acting fine). Burned through that tank and filled up at QT and low and behold, the CEL went out! I have never had a problem with gas before, but I guess the truck got use to QT gas and ARCO gave her an upset stomach!
 
it's like eating healthy for your entire life and then going to McDonald's for dinner one night - you feel like absolute CRAP after.
 
The station may get gas from different suppliers or play games with the gas, filters or pumps... That company may be good, just the owner is playing games..



Or they just plain suck... LOL



Todd Z
 
Sorry, but I don't think it was bad gas. Early Sport Trac's would get a CEL if you did not properly tighten the gas cap.



I suspect that you filled up at Arco and did not get the gas cap on tight enough. That caused the CEL. Since you did not mention that you checked the gas cap, I assume you did not, and you did not get the CEL error code read. When you stopped at QT to fill the tank again, you got the gas cap on correctly and "Low and behold the CEL went out"



Believe me, I am not laughing at you because I have had exactly the same thing happen to me with my 2001 Sport Trac whil on a long trip. In my case I noticed that the gas cap was screwed on crooked when I went to fill up after getting the CEL and immediately the bell went off in my head and I knew the gas cap had caused the CEL.



Later model Sport Tracs have a separate "Check Gas Cap" indicator light. I think Ford got tired of people coming in with a CEL for a loose gas cap.



...Rich
 
Last edited by a moderator:
KL,

His profile says he has a 2002, but I don't know if the early 2002 had a "Check gas cap" light. I seem to recall that it was added later in the 2002 model year.



Even if the Check gas cap light was there and did not come on, I still suspect that it was a loose gas cap that caused his CEL and perhaps the computer thought it was another evaporative emmission issue?



...Rich
 
I dont have a gas cap light, but it is a 2002. It couldnt have been the cap though because I was riding with my friend, who is a mechanic, when the light came on and thats the first thing he checked when we got out of the car. Thats when we decided to just have the code read and I assumed it was one of the trac issues (i've had a handful before). I filled up the night before on the way home from work and the light came on the next night on the way out to happy hour. :driving:



Its a strange coincidence that this happened the first time I have EVER put in ARCO gas. I never use them because they charge that ATM fee, and I dont usually have cash on me. When I lived in Los Angeles I always used Shell, and here in Arizona now I always use QT(have their gas cards).



Time frame:

Filled up July 12, light came on the 13th. Put gas in July 20, noticed light was gone this morning July 22.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Conrad,

The gas cap can be going bad and cause intermittent CEL's. You may drive a long way before the CEL comes on and then when tightening a loose gas cap, the CEL light may not go out for many miles. Some CELs do not clear until so many start cycles or computer test cycles and that may take several days. The computer does not care how many days it takes to complete the testing before turning on or turning off the CEL. The guy you were riding with may have corrected the loose gas cap condition, but it did not clear the CEL until sometime after your fillup....And it might have turned the light out the same day even if you had not filled up



I just don't think it was bad gas. If the gas was bad enough to cause a CEL, I think you would have noticed some drivabilty issues like a rough idle, a misfilre, or stumbling on acceleration.



...Rich



 
Thank you LaRue. I was getting worried that I almost made it to the last post and no one made a fart joke.
 
Did you ever get the code checked? What was the code?



That will tell you if it was the cap.





Tom
 

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