Doing 30 on the freeway.

[CaptainTom]

I never knew how fast people actually drove on the freeway until last night.
I left work in North Irving at 9pm and headed my usual trip back to West Ft. Worth. This trip usually takes 45 minutes with no traffic. A little more than halfway home, my car (Mitsubishi SUV) stopped running and acted like it was out of gas. I had filled it up that morning, and the gauge read almost full.
I was able to pull off to the shoulder, and after a couple of minutes it started up and I pulled into traffic. It will only go about 30 mph. I spent the next hour driving down the shoulder of the freeway at 30 mph and several times, it just quit all together. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have a semi going 80mph scream by you just a foot or so away??
I got the thing home, and this morning it will fire up, but not run.
My un-educated guess is that the fuel was contaminated, the filter is plugged, or the fuel pump is kaput.

So here I am waiting for the garage to call and give me the diagnosis. They said they could "probably" get to it this afternoon. I feel completely stuck without wheels. Maybe I'll straighten up my office (nah), or go outside and photograph some butterflies or something (yeah, that's the ticket).

[andyz]

If it was the gas, I hope you kept your receipt. If others have a problem and complain, the seller will often cover repairs IF you prove you bought gas from them. That is how 7-11 handled it in my neck of the woods recently when the truck put the wrong gas in the wrong underground tank.

[CaptainTom]

Thanks for the tip.
I don't get a receipt, but I pay with a CC and the sale should be easy to prove. I got the gas at Rac-Trac.
I'm less frantic now that I am on line, and have decided to get some stuff done around the house.

[srwatters]

It may be in what is referred to as 'limp home mode'. When the electronics in newer cars sense something is 'wrong' (technical term), they revert into this limp home mode as to not damage the engine. I know my BMW has such a mode. Once the mechanic hooks it up to his engine diagnostics computer and sucks out the fault codes, you'll know what's 'wrong'.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by srwatters

It may be in what is referred to as 'limp home mode'. When the electronics in newer cars sense something is 'wrong' (technical term), they revert into this limp home mode as to not damage the engine. I know my BMW has such a mode. Once the mechanic hooks it up to his engine diagnostics computer and sucks out the fault codes, you'll know what's 'wrong'.

Thanks Scott. That sounds pretty reasonable, and it certainly describes how I made it home.....

[picman]

I changed the fuel filter on my wife's car at about 30,000 mile. Being the curious type, I let it dry out a few days then cut it open. The pleats were totally covered in a brownish muck, I was surprised that any fuel got thu it (BTW that situation is really hard on the fuel pump)

I have heard that the ethanol in the gas loosens up the junk from the station and in the car.

If you don't have a check engine light, my first guess would be bad fuel or filter.

Brian

[billbunton]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

pulled into traffic. It will only go about 30 mph. I spent the next hour driving down the shoulder of the freeway at 30 mph and several times, it just quit all together. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have a semi going 80mph scream by you just a foot or so away??

You've already been told about limp-home mode, so I'll answer this question -- YES! One night (a couple hours after sunset) going through Indiana in the rain (turned out to be the worst thunderstorm in the country that day), on a freshly paved road (read _really_ black). Joe and I were doing about 30 in the right lane, just didn't feel any faster was safe on the bikes. The semis were screaming by in the left lane. I know exactly how it feels :-)

[nikondude24]

I had a similar problem in my Jeep. It quit on me in the middle of traffic and it took me forever to get it started. When I did, it wouldn't go higher than about 40 mph. I took it in and the mechanic said it was fuel lines.

[Hanky]

Well I had the inverse experience. That is to say this morning my Jeep ran fine but I was stuck on Loop 12 in the slow lane due to stop and go traffic. Long story short, the bail out artist were flying down the side of the road looking to get out of the mess.
I had to cut one off when my exit came and he went hostile on my tail.
Imagine, road rage from a guy who was breaking the law and me I wound up 1 and a 1/2 minutes late to work even though I left the hacienda 15 minutes early.

[picman]

So, did you get it fixed? If so, what was the problem?

Brian

[Howard Barlow]

Usually, this can be remedied by purchasing a new vehicle. I would not buy gas at that station, though. HTH.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by picman

So, did you get it fixed? If so, what was the problem?

Brian

A fuel modulator was replaced, as well as a fuel filter, and several cans of fuel system stuff (drygas?). I ran the tank down almost dry the day before, and I may have stirred up some crud when I filled it up. Or, the gas sucked.
I ran a complete tank of gas through over last weekend without any trouble.
I guess I got lucky cause it didn't cost a months rent to get fixed.

[Nikolai]

The gas station will most likely attribute it to other reasons, like someone messing with your gas (i.e. sugar or sand), so that's a long shot. If it were my guess, it's electrical, maybe a misfire, making it go into that protection mode.

I know what bad gas does, I was on the third leg of a vette' rally and chitty gas clogged the fuel filter and made it run lean, and over heat. Gas company told me to eat it.

So, good luck, certainly sucks being without wheels.