Fine Wine – Bad Gas

Have you ever had a really fine wine, excellent quality that went down so smooth you felt it gave you a boost? How about a funky cheap wine that made you sputter, gag, choke and not work too well?

Well I think putting gas in a car is the same thing. Today I got a bad tank of gas for the truck, which can happen here in Mexico. I could do a whole post about the monopoly that is “PEMEX” the only gas company in Mexico for vehicles but that would become a rant and could take a whole post. So I will stick to topic…

About two miles down the road after a fill up the truck starts sputtering and getting sluggish then dies…no gas! So I get out and take the fuel filter off and clean it along with opening up and cleaning the carburetor (mind you I am not a mechanic so I am guessing at what I am doing) blow through the lines…I think…then I put it all back on and voila…it works. So I jump in the truck and continue merrily along my way.

50 kilometers later…sputter…sputter…OH NO!!! Yup! Six more times I repeat that process on that tank of gas before reaching an auto parts store that had the filter I needed. The last time it happened was two was blocks from the auto part store in a turn lane with 3 lanes of rush hour traffic on both sides. Picture this: me half way lying in the street the other half under the truck practically making love to the tire claiming the keys that I don't get hit by on coming traffic. Who needs coffee with that kind of rush?

So I got the filter (replaced it) and some additive to add to my next tank of gas since I was nearing empty again, get to the gas station and fill up, this time with the Super Duper most expensive octane they had.

And lo and behold the truck ran perfect…so smooth. I thought I was in a completely different vehicle. I just hope the truck doesn’t decide to wake up with a hangover from the expensive stuff…I need it to get me to my kids tomorrow!

The advantage: I can now change the filter in the dark just by touch...