Bad Gas I should of known better!

[J-Rooster]

I just got back from a 2 week vacation in Southern Oregon! As some of you know I've had health problems! Two years ago the RV was packed and ready to go to Lake Havasu City, AZ. I filled the tanks up the day before we were going to leave. Anyway, I was sick most of the Winter and the following Spring and Summer! Fall came and we were ready to head out to Lake Havasu City again! Debbie's Mom fell ill just before we were going to leave. Debbie's Mom was in bad shape and sick thru the Fall, Winter and died this Spring (a month ago). Itching to get out we decided to take a trip to Southern Oregon for 2 weeks ago. So I headed out! I drove from Port Orchard, Washington State to Coberg, Oregon my first fuel stop. My coach a gas powered (Chevy 8.1) top of the line 04 Winnebago ran fine at highway speeds and a little rough between 35-45 MPH. I only had a 1/4 tank of bad gas left in the gas tank when I fueled up with new gas. I was going down I-5 about 5 miles South of Coberg when a orange fuel light appeared on the dashboard. I pulled off of I-5 safely and got my trouble shooting Winnebago manuel out and I read what the orange engine light means. The manuel said it was a emissions problem and that I could still run the coach but watch the exhaust and the orange engine light. The manuel said if the orange engine on the dash starts blinking/flashing to pull over and shut the coach engine off to prevent engine damage. I had 76 miles to go to get to the RV Park so I started out again. I was nervous one time I-5 was down to a single lane for several miles (road construction) and if that orange light started flashing I had all of Southbound I-5 blocked. We made it to the RV Park with no problems. The next morning Debbie wanted me to call a RV repair shop (Workhorse) so I called Guaranty RV in Junction City, Oregon. The Workhorse mechanic told me that he thought it was a burned out OT sensor (emissions) and it would be a simple fix on my way back home to call ahead and stop by. I didn't think about the engine again until the day we left! When it was time to head home I started the coach up and the orange engine light did not come on? I went to the nearest fuel station bought 3 cans of Sea Foam (that treats 50 gallons of gas) and filled the tanks with 92 octane of gas (I usually run 87 octane). My coach ran like a top all the way home! I'm going to have the fuel filter changed and new spark plugs put in next week. I love big block Chevy engines and I'm rethinking my position about fueling up the day I leave instead of the day before!

[happy-2]

NOTE___________ If when you get back home and fuel up before parking you rig for however, add a large bottle of Satbil in the gas tank, Start your generator,let it run till you get home,then park it. Now the Stabil has run through the gas and the generator and will keep the gas ready till the next trip. don't forget to run the gen once a mounth and top off the batteries once a mounth.

[midnightsadie]

yep thats a good smell sea foam at work.

[rgatijnet1]

J-Rooster wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
I'm sorry to hear about the health issues but it just goes to show how situations can change at any point in time. You didn't mention if you used any fuel stabilizer when you first parked your coach. Like you, I love the GM 8.1L engine and after 90,000 miles I find it a pretty bullet proof engine with minimal amount of care necessary. The fact that the engine ran at all with two year old gas is pretty impressive. Glad everything worked out OK with running a few cans of Seafoam through the system. I also would forget about the spark plugs if it is running smooth.
Be sure to check all over the coach for any possible rodent damage that may have occurred during the time it was setting. It's good to hear that you are back on the road.

Ronnie after the first year sitting I put a bottle of Marine Stay-bil in. And thanks for your good wishes I'm battling Blood cancer I was giving 2 to 7 years to live two years ago. I just don't give it any power! I know I have to die someday of something so I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and onward I travel.

The Marine Sta-bil would have stopped any further degradation of the fuel which is why it did run and eventually smoothed out after adding some fresh fuel. How is the generator doing? Take care of yourself and, as you say, just keep moving forward. 🙂

[J-Rooster]

mike brez wrote:
My old 1994 PaceArrow with a tbi 454 sat for almost two years as life got busy. When time came to take it out not one problem.

Good report Mike it gives me hope and I think I lucked out! Next trip fuel filter change and another round of Sea Foam. Sea Foam worked, I just didn't like the smell of it coming out of the exhaust smelled like rotten eggs.

[J-Rooster]

enblethen wrote:
Doubt if new plugs will do much.
More likely the fuel filter.
You said bad gas, is this just from sitting or do you think you pumped some into the rig.
Yellow light, is it the engine check light? If so stop by an O'Reilly's or Auto-zone and have them read the code.

I'll take your advice on the plugs and thanks for the info on Auto Zone and O'Reilly's that they did that.

[J-Rooster]

midnightsadie wrote:
forget the plugs if its running smooth, I,d put sea foam in a few more times, that stuff will clean up everything. and consider yourself one lucky guy ,it could have ruined all fuel systems .I carry a can all the time.

Thanks for the suggestion I'll do it!

[J-Rooster]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
I'm sorry to hear about the health issues but it just goes to show how situations can change at any point in time. You didn't mention if you used any fuel stabilizer when you first parked your coach. Like you, I love the GM 8.1L engine and after 90,000 miles I find it a pretty bullet proof engine with minimal amount of care necessary. The fact that the engine ran at all with two year old gas is pretty impressive. Glad everything worked out OK with running a few cans of Seafoam through the system. I also would forget about the spark plugs if it is running smooth.
Be sure to check all over the coach for any possible rodent damage that may have occurred during the time it was setting. It's good to hear that you are back on the road.

Ronnie after the first year sitting I put a bottle of Marine Stay-bil in. And thanks for your good wishes I'm battling Blood cancer I was giving 2 to 7 years to live two years ago. I just don't give it any power! I know I have to die someday of something so I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and onward I travel.

[mike_brez]

My old 1994 PaceArrow with a tbi 454 sat for almost two years as life got busy. When time came to take it out not one problem.

[enblethen]

Doubt if new plugs will do much.
More likely the fuel filter.
You said bad gas, is this just from sitting or do you think you pumped some into the rig.
Yellow light, is it the engine check light? If so stop by an O'Reilly's or Auto-zone and have them read the code.

[rgatijnet1]

I'm sorry to hear about the health issues but it just goes to show how situations can change at any point in time. You didn't mention if you used any fuel stabilizer when you first parked your coach. Like you, I love the GM 8.1L engine and after 90,000 miles I find it a pretty bullet proof engine with minimal amount of care necessary. The fact that the engine ran at all with two year old gas is pretty impressive. Glad everything worked out OK with running a few cans of Seafoam through the system. I also would forget about the spark plugs if it is running smooth.
Be sure to check all over the coach for any possible rodent damage that may have occurred during the time it was setting. It's good to hear that you are back on the road.

[midnightsadie]

forget the plugs if its running smooth, I,d put sea foam in a few more times, that stuff will clean up everything. and consider yourself one lucky guy ,it could have ruined all fuel systems .I carry a can all the time.