Anybody ever get a load of bad gas?

[99 R/T 10]

I did, and not sure what to do. About 2 miles from the gas station, the car was knocking/detonating bad under a light load. I drove the car back to the station and filed a claim and had my car flat bedded back home where I drained the tank(16 gallons) put in a couple of bottles of octane booster and when to the nearest chevron and filled up with the good stuff. When I was making the claim, I got an offer of $200 for lost time and troubles, but they would not pay for any unfound damage. My questions:

1. Do any of you think there might be with the minimal detonation I experienced?
2. Shouldn't my time be worth more than $200? It took near 5 hours of my afternoon away.
3. How do I go about getting the gas I have saved analyzed?

Thanks for any advise

 

[Fast Freddy]

wow! that is sum story you got there. yes you can get fuel analyzed by the same people who analyze oils i believe. make sure you replace your fuel filter too. you might have indeed gotten premium fuel but its possible that it was so dirty that it clogged up your fuel pump and filter and your fuel injectors and so this could be what was causing the detonation rather than low grade octane fuel. gas pumps filters have been known to be source of problems when they go bad for lack of changing them on a regular basis. i never by gas from old gas stations with ancient equipment for this reason.

 

[DrDJ]

Did a recent gas delivery occur? Sediment at the bottom of the storage tank can get stirred up when a delivery is made.

Take the $200. You'll spend too much time and effort trying to recoup more than what it is worth.

DrDJ

 

[Wild Bill]

"Anybody ever get a load of bad gas?"

Well there was this time in a elevator......

Bill

 

[99 R/T 10]

The gas is suspected to be regular and not premium. The main tanks were about 2/3rds full. The gas I pulled out of the tank was very clean, no sign of dirt or sediment, but what I'm worried about is any long term damage to the engine, not so much my day that was killed.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Sorry I'm late.

DOT transport regulations get difficult once the flash point is below 140F. Oil, fuel additive, etc can be shipped UPS, but gasoline is hugely restricted.

There's no home test for octane. Getting an octane measurement isn't out of reach, but shipping gasoline nearly is. You need to be certified, it has to be packaged properly, can only go by certain types of carriers, etc. A simple citizen won't be able to send it.

I think your best bet is to contact the local government weights and measures agency and have them take a sample. It's far less likely, but worth asking, if you can give them your sample. Treating it like a minor news story and getting your friends to try it and complain is a little nasty, but the "jury of peers" system would help decide if the fuel is really "bad." Actually, that is how the value of the octane for each grade was derived - by what percent of the population is satisfied.

There is a screen in the tank that should prevent rust and chunks from getting throught the pump. Knock at light load means it can't really be restricting flow and running lean. Also, knock at light load isn't damaging - there used to be TV ads saying light knock was the sound of fuel economy. $200 doesn't sound too bad.