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Wed 2 Jun, 2004 05:43 am
Quote:TAMPA - Auto repair shops on Tuesday reported a flood of customers claiming their fuel gauges had been damaged by high-sulfur gasoline sold at area gas stations last week.
A spokesman for Houston- based Motiva Enterprises, which shipped the tainted gas to the Port of Tampa, said the gas may have been sold at several locations other than Shell and Texaco stations in the Tampa Bay area.
Link to Gas Gauge Story
I find this all rather curious. I had never heard of anything like this happening before. Have you? What do you think? Company error, or something more sinister????
There was a big problem with this in the Toronto area about 8 - 10 months ago. It was specific to a couple of large distributors - had to do with an additive. I'll try to find some info for you later. I recall (from industry scuttlebutt) that their insurers were furious.
Sinister? No - stupidity on the part of the distributors who already knew there was a problem, and just tried to distribute the product in another area.
http://www.wjettv.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=4290
Quote:Apparent Cause Found In Gas Gauge Failures
A cause has apparently been found for the rash of faulty gas gauges turning up across the region. Drivers in the Toronto, Ontario area reported identical problems with GM produced cars last summer, and the Louisville, Kentucky area has likewise reported hundreds of drivers experiencing the same faulty gas gauges as Erie drivers.
On Thursday a General Motors fuel specialist told Action News 24 the problem is not necessarily the fault of the fuel pump, but is reaction of a corrosive sulfur compound in the gasoline with the electrical contacts on the fuel gauge unit. The sulfur compound is present in such small quantities that it still meets federal testing standards, but is still sufficient to cause problems with the GM fuel sensors.
In Canada, GM agreed to fix the faulty gauges free of charge. In the US, GM officials say they will repair gauges that are still under warranty, but the company has not decided whether it will repair out-of-warranty vehicles free of charge.
Faulty gauges? Idiots. They damaged them. Idiots. Another reason to boycott Shell.
It was very strange. I usually buy my gas at a station that was affected. Last week, I bought my gas at a RaceTrac station. I have never bought there before, and I never wanted to buy there. I have always been leery of anything but major gasoline brands.
Aha! Now I realize why the gas was so damned expensive (2.23 gal). The other station probably wasn't pumping!
Exasperating Coincidence Department
I read the story in the morning and muttered, "'Tsk, 'tsk, 'tsk."
Late in the afternoon Mr. Noddy hiked up the driveway with the news that the car had died--probably a problem in the fuel system.
The Poconos is far from sulpher sightings in Toronto and Florida. Lexington is a good distance away and even Erie is a seven hour drive.
The car's troubles are probably a manifestation of contrary fate...but the timing....
If I were a paranoid person....
It's still making me mad. They've known for some time about the problems with the additive. They were threatened with court action here, as there was a more than even chance that running out of gas unexpectedly could cause accidents. The buggers kept on distributing it. It's raising my hackles and making me think of the whole Firestone tire mess.
Better horror story--and true:
Long after lead was implicated in environmental pollution and human suffering lead was an additive in gasoline. Remember, "no knock"?
Are you trying to keep me riled up, Noddy?
ehBeth--
Would you rather be riled up or set free?
darn - my punishment for you isn't working
a little treat from an abuzz friend
ehBeth--
You play for keeps!
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