Fuel troubles

Lately, I have been receiving calls from my customers about hesitation, low power, and the engine running roughly at times and not at other times.  This type of call sometimes easily leads me to think, "O, well, I might have to look at that."  True, sometimes it does take a mechanic to trouble shoot that sort of problem because it could be anything number of things.

But, as of several years ago I keep close watch on the weather and this type of problem.  Because more often than not it is just as simple as water in the fuel.  When storms move through moisture is condensed in the underground tanks at convenience stores.  If the store managers do not sump out the accumulated water when they should, it gets pumped up into your fuel tank.

A good thing to do if your engine is running roughly several days after a storm or series of storms moves through your area, put two bottles of gas-line antifreeze in the fuel tank.  This should move the water through the system, and in less than 20 miles your problem should go away.

Or, for preventative maintenance, put a bottle of gas-line antifreeze in your tank every month to keep the moisture that gets in there, out.

I know this sounds like, "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning."  But it works so much of the time it is worth trying before you decide you need to take it to your mechanic.