major gas problem

[rossb]

No this isn't the kind pepto can fix. I've been having rough idle and various other problems recently(like it wouldn't start). Well it has been hesitating when free reving, so I figured there was a fuel problem, and decided to change the fuel filter. When I did, this is what that gas looked liked in the fuel filter. First is after it settled out. The second what it looked like when I found it.

I drained a little bit of gas out of the tank to check it out, and it was as clear as could be(but it could have settled out in the tank). Anyone have any ideas as to what this is or where it came from?

 

[drewvr4]

very possible its water, although i thought that water floats in gas.

Have you added any additives, or anyone that doesn't like you and might have put something in there?

 

[layzie12g]

That would explain why your car wasnt running so good. Could the inside of the gas tank be corroded? I always buy chevrons fuel. Sorry if I didnt help much

 

[zero97tsi]

Well, either your fuel is horribly dirty, or your fuel filter is doing its job. Thats probably the filth that the filter caught, and it came out when you drained it. You may want to check your tank for rust though, because unless youve never changed your fuel filter that IS a ton of gunk.

 

[dsmzoom]

+1 on the fuel filter doing its job/corrosion. I would definitely check the tank for rust. This is why I never trust putting any type of additives in my gas.

 

[rossb]

I got the car back in Nov. and it hasn't seen much driving time(blown turbo and a few other things). But anyways, I have never put any additive in my gas, and it still ran rough after I changed the filter(I let it idle for a while to see if it would start running correctly). So i think the fuel rail and injectors may need a bit of cleaning. I do not think the gas tank is rusted because the gas we drained from tank was clean. Besides rusted tank/dirty fuel(I hope not, I get all my gas from the same place), could it be anything else?

 

[zero97tsi]

You where probably on the right track by thinking when you drained it it was settled. When you drive around it sloshes all that crap into the gas. When the car sits does it sit on a full tank? If the tank is low, sitting is when they usually rust on the exposed area of the inside of the tank.

 

[Cypress_h]

i have a feeling you will be replacing your tank sometime in the near future.... my old mustangs fuel filter looked like that when i replaced it and low and behold about 2 weeks later leaking gas everywhere.... so keep and eye out.

 

[DontStartModdin]

I'd probably check the fuel injectors and fuel rail first, just to rule them out. Then go from there.

 

[rossb]

just an update, we pored some out and let it dry, and the solid in it is definitely a powder of some sort, and not rust(I assume rust would be more in flakes instead of a fine powder).
Tomorrow I'm going to clean my injectors and fuel rail, and replace all the o-rings while I'm at it. What do you guys clean your injectors with(I don't want to use that pour in gas kind)?

 

[zero97tsi]

After what it has been through sitting in the tank, going through a pump, running through lines, swirling around in a filter, rust could easily resemble a powder.

Get the injectors cleaned professionally, they have machines they hook them up to.