Fuel quality to blame for car cutting out?

uphillstruggler

Hi everyone,

Just brought my car back from a service. Automatic, year 2000. I've been having problems with it starting and cutting out. The garage said poor fuel quality from a particular supermarket chain could be to blame - any truth in that?

Would welcome your thoughts.

Thank you,
US

closed

mechanics will tell you anything

whichever supermarket it is, will be supplying fuel to millions of cars, which are all running happily

poppasmurf_bewdley

Run your fuel tank to almost empty and then fill up with fuel from an alternative source. If the problem goes, your problem is solved. If the problem remains, get a new mechanic.

spacey2012

Make of car ?
Might know a fix.

Iceweasel

Petrol?
Diesel?
And would the supermarket in question be Morrisons?

colino

You really have to find a new garage if that one serviced it and have shrugged their shoulders at a problem. Very, very unlikely to be fuel that is to blame.

uphillstruggler

Thanks. Peugeot, petrol, auto, Mr T.

ikolpdog_2

Have you been using the Momentum 99 from Tesco? High octane fuels are not suitable for all cars, it does cause the symptoms you describe as it is harder to ignite.

uphillstruggler

ikolpdog wrote: »

Have you been using the Momentum 99 from Tesco? High octane fuels are not suitable for all cars, it does cause the symptoms you describe as it is harder to ignite.

I've been using the cheapest unleaded from Mr T. I think the Momentum is the next one up? No, I haven't used anything except the cheapest.

AdrianC

ikolpdog wrote: »

Have you been using the Momentum 99 from Tesco? High octane fuels are not suitable for all cars, it does cause the symptoms you describe as it is harder to ignite.

The only difference using higher octane fuel is that it's more resistant to _pre-ignition_ or pinking, where the fuel charge is ignited either by the compression (like a diesel) or hot spots in the cylinder before the spark plug fires.

There is a very, very, very, very remote chance that that resistance to pre-ignition might make a difference to a car intended for lower octane, but it really would require an ignition system in such poor condition that it'd be a miracle the car ran at all.

In short, nope. Not happening.

spacey2012

First things are a damned good clean of the air system and throttle body area with carb cleaner and clean the engine breathers or renew and filters in the breathers.
Get the engine breathing properly as this is one of the main causes of low tickover.