If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do
Tips for motorists,  Blog,  Machine operation

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

Any car owner goes through the usual procedure - refueling his car. Moreover, some perform it fully automatically. For beginners, a separate instructions on how to do it correctly.

But even the most experienced motorists are not immune from situations when low-quality fuel gets into the fuel tank. What to do in this case, and how to determine that the car was filled with bad gasoline?

What is bad gasoline?

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

If you do not go into the complex details of chemical properties, then good gasoline may have a certain amount of additives that stabilize the engine during the combustion of BTC. These are the parameters for determining good fuel:

  • By octane number. This is the very first thing the driver pays attention to before turning off the car ignition. And that might be the problem. It often happens that there is bad fuel in the tank of a gas station, but with the addition of some additives, its octane number rises, and the owner of such a company can freely claim that he is selling quality products. To learn how to independently check this parameter, read here.
  • Sulfur content. Ideally, this element should not be present in gasoline. Its presence with a combination of factors of high temperature and the appearance of water vapor forms sulfuric acid. And, as everyone knows, this substance, even in small quantities, negatively affects the metal parts of the car (especially the exhaust system).
  • By the presence of water. The content of this substance in gasoline is difficult to control, because both fuel and water have the same state - liquid, and they can partially mix. The higher the moisture content of the fuel, the worse it is for the engine. In the cold, the droplets crystallize, damaging the filter elements.
  • By benzene content. It is a hydrocarbon that is also obtained from oil, so the liquid is highly soluble in gasoline, which makes it difficult to identify. But carbon deposits on pistons and other elements of the cylinder-piston group are provided.
  • By the content of aromatic hydrocarbon additives. Again, these substances are added to the fuel to increase the octane number in order to prevent the formation of knocking due to poor quality fuel.
  • By the content of ethers and alcohols. The addition of these substances is also due to the desire to get more profit or to interest customers in the "attractive" cost of gasoline.

As the saying goes, "the need for invention is cunning," therefore, what is not found in gasoline during sudden checks of dubious gas stations.

The reason for the appearance of bad fuel

The most common reason why bad gasoline appears (and with it diesel and gas) is the greed of people. And this applies not only to the owners of large companies, but also to individuals who sell "foreign" product from their basement.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

If a gas station, even if it sells bad fuel, even though it uses filtration while filling the tank or supplying it to the terminals, then when buying liquid on hand you can not even dream of it. For this reason, using such dubious methods is a big mistake, even if the owners are offering a tempting price for their products.

Another pitfall in buying fuel from hands is the complete discrepancy of the octane number. Those who make a round of the unguarded parking lot at night have no way to check what brand of gasoline a particular motorist uses, and the fuel is stolen into one container. It may contain both 92nd and 98th. It is easy to guess that engine problems will not keep you waiting.

Signs of bad gasoline

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

Here are the signs that can be used to determine that the car is "powered" by the wrong combustible material:

  • The car began to stall for no apparent reason, but after a recent refueling;
  • Misfire is felt - due to the fact that the VTS either lights up, then simply flies out in its pure form into the exhaust manifold;
  • The car began to start badly. This symptom is typical for other malfunctions, but if this began to happen after a recent refueling, most likely the reason is gasoline;
  • Motor error lit up on the tidy. One of the reasons for such a signal is that an oxygen sensor or lambda probe gives a signal about the wrong exhaust (for how it works, read in a separate review);
  • The car lost momentum - it began to twitch strongly, the gas pedal became less responsive;
  • A sharp sound of metal parts hitting each other is heard - one of the signs of detonation;
  • The car has become obscenely gluttonous;
  • The exhaust from the pipe changed from white to a darker color - a clear sign of incomplete gasoline combustion or the formation of soot.

Some experts suggest using a budget check option - take a blank sheet of paper, drip a small amount of fuel on it and let the liquid evaporate. If the result is an oily stain (copious), debris or black specks, then refueling is prohibited. But this method is suitable for the case when there is no line of rushing motorists behind us.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

The same applies to the method of checking gasoline for smell. Sulfur has a strong unpleasant odor, but against the background of "aromatic" vapors from the gas tank, it is difficult to recognize it without special devices.

What happens if you add low-quality fuel?

If you fill up a combat classic with bad fuel, then in some cases it will even go a little better. However, if the machine is modern, the unit can be seriously damaged in this case.

Spark plugs are the first to suffer. Due to the build up of plaque, the ignition system will create a misfire in the fuel mixture. The discharge simply will not occur between the electrodes, and gasoline will fly into the catalyst.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

If the car is warmed up enough, then in the catalytic converter the volume that has not burned out in the cylinder will ignite in its cavity. If it is difficult to imagine what the consequences will be in this case, read a separate article.

But before the burned gasoline spoils these elements, it will work with the fuel supply system. The fuel pump and fine filter will fail very quickly. If you do not pay attention to this in time, the gas pump will fly into the trash can even before it is time to change the oil in the car.

Engine knock is another problem, the consequences of which are extremely difficult to fix. Since modern powertrains operate with greater compression, they require gasoline with a higher octane rating than conventional internal combustion engines.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

Most of the other consequences will appear much later, but in many cases, failed parts will not be repairable. They will just need to be replaced with new ones. And in a situation with cars of the latest generations, this is an expensive pleasure.

What are the consequences

So, if you systematically refuel with fuel that does not meet the standards, then the consequences will be as follows:

  • Accelerated clogging of the fuel filter;
  • The fuel system will clog up due to the formation of water crystals during winter;
  • Clogged fuel injectors;
  • Broken catalyst;
  • Detonation of the motor, due to which the parts of the crank mechanism quickly come out;
  • Plaque formation on the electrodes of the candles;
  • Breakdown of the fuel pump;
  • Failure of the ignition coil due to the fact that it does not discharge when the spark plug is flooded, and the voltage continues to flow to its windings.

What to do if you fill in low-quality fuel?

Of course, if you fill the tank with bad fuel, the car will not immediately crumble. Nevertheless, it is necessary in the near future to carry out a number of procedures that will maximally remove low-quality gasoline from the car system.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

In this case, some motorists simply go to another gas station and fill up with fuel, the octane number of which is much higher than that on which the car usually drives. So they dilute the liquid, making it less dangerous for the unit. But even in this case, it would not hurt to flush the fuel system. For this, special substances are used - sprays or additives in gasoline.

However, if the "palenka" was filled, it must be completely drained from the tank, even if you feel sorry for the money. Otherwise, you will have to spend a lot more money on car repairs.

If there are serious consequences of poor filling, and neither the flushing nor the additive to increase the RON helped, it is better to visit the service center immediately.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

The saddest scenario when refueling with substandard is a terrible detonation. We turn off the engine, start, but the effect does not disappear, then there is no need to destroy the unit, but you should call a tow truck and go directly to the service station.

How to avoid refueling with bad fuel?

The most efficient method is to simply choose a decent gas station. You should not be tempted by good deals written with a marker on a plate near a rusty car without wheels. There is a hidden meaning in this picture - as if a look into the future of a car that is constantly refueled in this way.

None of such proposals will help to recoup the subsequent expensive repair of piston, cylinders, replacement of injectors, etc.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

If you are planning a long trip, it is better to fill the tank full at a proven gas station, even if its gasoline price is slightly higher than at other stations. But the nerves and funds will be saved.

How to claim compensation from a gas station?

In many cases, it is difficult for the client to prove his case. For example, the company's management may deny its involvement in a car malfunction, convincing the regulatory authorities that the driver cannot prove that his car was in good working order before.

The Consumer Rights Service has a XNUMX-hour hotline. The car owner can at any time clarify how to get compensation from the gas station for the sale of low-quality fuel.

Before making a claim, the driver must have a check in hand. As soon as he found a malfunction, in no case should you try to fix everything yourself. In such a situation, you must contact a specialized service station, which will also provide a check.

If you filled in bad gasoline - what to do

Service station specialists must first carry out diagnostics, as a result of which it should be indicated that the breakdown occurred precisely because of the use of inappropriate gasoline.

Having a receipt after refueling and the conclusion of an independent examination is a guarantee of receiving compensation from the gas station. But even in this case, there are great chances of getting caught by unjust people. For this reason, it is better to play it safe and refuel at proven gas stations.

In conclusion, a couple of tips from an experienced motorist:

5 SIGNS OF POOR GASOLINE

Questions and answers:

How does the car behave with poor gasoline? In the process of acceleration, the car will twitch, the operation of the motor will be accompanied by knocks and other extraneous noises. The consumption will increase, the color and smell of the exhaust gases will change.

What happens if you fill up with bad gasoline? Poor gasoline will adversely affect the quality of your engine oil. The reason is that it may contain methanol, which reacts with additives in the oil.

What to do after bad gasoline? It is better to drain the fuel into a container and refuel with good gasoline (you should always have 5-10 liters of good fuel in stock - it should be enough until the next refueling).

How to tell good from bad gasoline? The drop on the glass is ignited. After combustion, white streaks remain - good gasoline. Yellow or brown stains are a sign of the presence of different resins and impurities.

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