10% ethanol gas = oops?? what now?

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

Hi,

(1989 240sx, 160K Km, properly maintained, CAI, Cat-back)

My girlfriend and I were planning on taking a big circle trip from Nanaimo->Prince George->Jasper->Red Deer->Banff->Radium->Summerland->Nanaimo.

I checked the car out before leaving... fluids, hoses, filters, etc., changed fuel filter about 6 days ago. everything fine. Oil level always appears clean & I've never had to put oil in (not counting oil changes). I just put in new plugs and distributor cap a few weeks ago (just a tune up), the wires tested fine. It would need annother oil change when we get back, according to the odometer.

We made it to Quennel (~700km .. 430 miles), and needed gas (under 1/4 tank left). Car was running strong, considering going up and down mountains with a few hundred pounds of camping gear and large format camera equipment.

At Quennel I stopped at the Mohawk station (where all grades are ethanol blended), which turned out to be full serve. I told the attendant to fill up with premium (92 Octane, 10% Ethanol), while I checked the oil, which was full & clean. I think the attendant may have overfilled because it came out to $45 even (it never comes out even for me when I fill it).

Leaving the station, the car ran rough and seemed to lack power. I checked to make sure the gas cap was on properly and all the plug wires were in place before leaving Quennel... They were.

We made it ~60Km (37 miles) with poor power before the car died in Hixon. The engine would re-start, but die within about 15 seconds. It was Late, so I called my parents in Prince George to come get us and our gear. The next day I went back to Hixon and the car wouldn't start at all (it would turn over). I called a tow truck (BCAA is a wonderful thing for older cars). It started after a while with the towtruck driver whacking the fuel tank with an sledge hammer (we had put some injector cleaner in), but ran rough and died whenever I took my foot off the accellerator.

I had it carried into town on the flatbed truck, and dropped off where I'm staying in PG. Due to the long weekend (July 1st is the Canadian equivalent to the 4th of July) ALL of the garages in town are closed today.

I checked all the fuses and fusable links... all OK. I can hear the fuel pump after cranking. I pulled all the sparkplugs and checked for spark... all OK, but there's a LOT of carbon considering how new they are. I held a paper behind the exhaust while cranking... plenty of airflow, but it doesn't smell like anything... no fuel burnt or unburnt.

I have not checked for codes because I can't seem to get the passenger side kick panel off (this does mean the plastic panel beside the passenger's feet on the right, correct?).

What should I do now? Is ther anything I can try without taking it to a mechanic, which are all closed due to the long weekend? Canadian tire (~=autozone + department store) is open so I can get many types of part if I need. I called my bank to cash a bond yesterday, so I can put some money in if I need to.

I have to be back at work 800km away by Tuesday.

(Edited Later:

I got the kickpanel off...

Where are the LEDs on the ECU? I don't see them.Is this Orange tube the fuel line? Why is ther nothing in it? Shouldn't I be able to see Gas?

)

Modified by nanaimostuckprincegeorge at 2:49 PM 7/1/2005
Modified by nanaimostuckprincegeorge at 5:00 PM 7/1/2005

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

Bump.

Please help.

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

Bump

Also, I checked the connections on the MAF and Oxygen sensor, Fuel Pump, Fusebox main connector, etc, all connections fine, no corrosion, good grounds.

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

Added picture.

[KRUZNBY]

At least on the s14, the check engine light has to me lit to have a code.

[InsanityInc]

have you tried simple things like checking the spark plugs?

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

have you tried simple things like checking the spark plugs?

Yes, plenty of carbon but plenty of spark, as I said in my writeup.

At least on the s14, the check engine light has to me lit to have a code.

I've never seen the CEL in this car. There's no light maked check engine, and the two unmarked dash lights never light up (even with the ignition "on" but the engine not started yet).

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

bumpchecked the ECU. Code=55, no malfunction

[InsanityInc]

bumpchecked the ECU. Code=55, no malfunction

It's not any critical engine electronic component then. Have you made sure the car is getting adequate fuel? Maybe you have a kink in the fuel line or your fuel pump is going bad. Check your fuel pressure.

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

It's not any critical engine electronic component then. Have you made sure the car is getting adequate fuel? Maybe you have a kink in the fuel line or your fuel pump is going bad. Check your fuel pressure.

I tried to take out the fuel filter to see if there would be any flow when I turn the key on, but I couldn't get the hoses to budge. Is there some trick to it?

I checked the voltages at the fuel pump connector... There's ~8V between the yellow and black wires, and 12V between the (yellow&blue) and black wires.

[NISTECH]

Since this problem didnt occur till you got gas I am suspecting you have bad fuel. Grab a can of carb clean and shoot it in one of the smaler vaccum lines while some one cranks the car. Use short burst of carb clean,kinda pulse it. If the car starts and runs somewhat while your adding carb clean. It is either lack of fuel or lack of fuel with enough octane to make it fire. Like water contaminated fuel. Go back to the fuel filter if you proved that it will run. You need to get the line off and the easy way to do this is to shoot some carb clean or brake clean where the hose attaches to the fuel filter. the line will then just slide off. It doesnt take much spray to do this. once you have the hose off turn the key to the on position. If it is feeding fuel it will spray out that hose. If you can get a clear container and catch some of that fuel . let it sit for a bit and see if it seperated [ like the mixed drink mud slide does with the vodka.] If it does this you have contaminated fuel. They dont happen to sell deisel at that station do they?

[left channel audio]

diesal.. ive seen that too many times..

[nanaimostuckprincegeorge]

The Fuel filter was completely blocked... with bits of the fuel pump.

Got a new fuel pump put in and now it's running fine.

Actually it's running better because I turned up the idle a bit after I got home... I noticed when I checked for codes that it was turned all the way down, and it had been idling a bit too low.

[NISTECH]

I have seen this happen to cars that get run nearly out of gas too often. The pump gets "dry conditions" and cause excessive wear on the pump. I get after my wife all the time about running the car to low on fuel. Have actually done a pump on the car. The see I told ya so doesnt seam to work though...lol