Dirty fuel?

Submitted: Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:38
ThreadID: 80581 Views:2829 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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I have a 2001 nm Pajero with a problem. i have just returned from a trip to Alice Springs from Adelaide, since then the Paj chugs a bit when i take off or when i put my foot down to overtake, it idle's fine and cruses ok. i have heard the fuel from some of these servo's along the stuart highway can be a bit sus, could the fuel filter need replacing or is it much worse?
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Reply By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:55

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:55
Start with the simple things like fuel filter.
AnswerID: 426544

Follow Up By: miandering fiander - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:03

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:03
The filter is an easy thing to fix first, but I would wait till you had nearly no fuel left and refuel after fitting the new filter.
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FollowupID: 697113

Reply By: miandering fiander - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:59

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:59
I run a dual fuel filter system in the Prado.
I run through a CAV filter first then into the Toyota one.
The CAV filter has a clear glass bottom so you can see if you have a problem and I carry a spare just incase.
They only cost about $7.00 for the filter after the initial set up of aprox $100.00
AnswerID: 426545

Reply By: Eric Experience - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:14

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:14
Andy.
The symptoms you describe are not consistent with bad fuel, the most likely thing is a crack in the plastic insulator around a spark plug, if you pull out the leads one at a time and look very closely at the sides of the insulator you will find a black mark where the spark is breaking through. Eric.
AnswerID: 426546

Follow Up By: dbish - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:32

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:32
Asuming its a V6 petrol Pajero I would go with Erics advice, its a common fault with engines with sparkpugs in the center of the cylinder head. V6 mazdas have simillar problems & will slowly get worse untill it misses at idle, & the spark punch through will be just a pinprick size black dot on the insulator boot. Daryl
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FollowupID: 697115

Follow Up By: andyq - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:43

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:43
Yes i forgot to mention, it is a V6 petrol engine
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FollowupID: 697117

Reply By: Joe Grace Doomadgee - Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 22:42

Saturday, Aug 07, 2010 at 22:42
a note on dirty fuel.............
If when you pull up at a servo and there truck is there filling the tanks, drive on to the next one, it stirs up all the dirt and water ect in the bottom and you get a tank full of cruds....
AnswerID: 426562

Reply By: Member - Bucky - Sunday, Aug 08, 2010 at 05:00

Sunday, Aug 08, 2010 at 05:00
andyq

Dirty fuel can be picked up anywhere.
One thing you can do with petrol engines, or should I say, used to be able to do to them, is to put in 2 or 3 lts of Metho. Apparently it can soak up to 3-4 times its own weight of water contaminates

I also like the fact that someone has said to run your vehicle almost out of fuel before you top it up again , and change the filters.

If you are slightly mechanical, or have a couple of mates that are, another thing you may well consider is dropping oout the fuel tank, and give it a good clean out.
Put it all back together, with new filters.

An inspection point is to remove the sender unit/inspection port from the tank, and have a look inside ( with a torch, and a mirror ) to see if the tank has crud on the bottom.

Hope this helps
Cheers
Bucky
AnswerID: 426578

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