Who whizzed in my fuel tank?

I used the fuel pressure tester to get a fuel sample--much better idea than the Rube Goldberg contraption I was imagining--lo and behold somebody done whizzed in my tank. ****-yellow colored gas to be accurate...

Joking. Though I have on my kitchen table a couple cups of what appears to be a urine sample in an old pasta sauce jar, what I indeed have is some kind of fuel contamination. Not convinced this would cause 'random' running issues, as opposed to just poor all the time running.

Hmmmm, hmmmm. Doesn't smell too good either. Like old, old gas.

Just started snowing like crazy again--forecast is for a few days worth of heavy wet snow, so no road test with the pressure tester for awhile...

What makes gasoline yellow? Other than poor choices in personal relief.

Thanks,
Geoff

 

Gasoline is supposed to be a tan to yellow color depending on the surround light color.

 

I pulled some gas from my snow blower and lawn mower, both were clearish with a blue cast. Picked up some more fuel and it was clearish with a red cast. Both smell much better than the fuel in the B's tank. Both are mostly clear, just a hint of color. The yellow fuel is very yellow. Regardless I doubt it's the cause of my random running issue. There hasn't been any separation/layering of the sample.
Still keeping my money on alloro's fuel pump diagnosis.

Thanks,
Geoff

Update--checked gas in neighbor's snow blower. Small sample in a clear glass jar appears clearish with yellowish tint. He 'always' uses premium gas in all his engines. I never do.

 

Howdy,

Had time to test drive the beast today with the fuel pressure tester hooked up. After a few minutes driving the misfire/backfire started up--gauge showed 50 psi. Shut it off, restarted and all was fine for a few miles. This doesn't let me know flow rate, but I would have guessed I'd see a drop in pressure if the pump was the culprit. Still not setting a MIL.

I'm going to run it tonight with the doghouse off to see if there is any arching from the plug wires...doubt it though. Followed the TSB wiring route when I installed the new wires.

Geoff

 

If you have steady 50 PSI when driving then the fuel pump is fine.

 

Good news--one less item to ponder then!

Point of interest. With the DH off, and starting the engine from cold, after it idles in park for about 10 minutes there is a loud 'rush' sound from engine, could be the back of the engine, but can't pin point it, but the rushing of air sound starts just as the rough idle mis/stumble starts. No codes.
Thermostat opening make that much noise? I know its at the front of the engine--coolant flowing? I'd put the sound near the IAC, but can't be sure.

Could EVAP malfunction cause intake backfire under load?

Thanks,
Geoff

 

That could just be the radiator fan clutch locking up and increasing the air flow.

 

Gas stalls to break down around 30 says, sounds like there might be rust in your tank maybe ? Also check what your fuel presure is after you turn off your eng and as it sits, should hola presure till it cools down, if not your check valve it bad. Most would change fuel pump, But there is a $38 fix for this ! Its a brass inline check valve. I cant find the website yet to order this right now, I have installed a couple for friends and saved them some money till fuel pump wont.
Also check where your spark plug wires are, on some years theres a TSB about this to where crossing the wires over each other will cause some of the same stuff you have going on, plus the coil wire to. I always use Lucas fuel cleaner, you can use it everyday if you need to, I called them and talked to there Techs about this, plus I always use Lucas trans conditioner when I change the fluid and filter , it helps the clutch packs and seals. I notice better shifting after about 100 miles, been using the Lucas brand now for almost 7 years and no problems and better fuel milage , cleaner fuel injectors , better trans shifting with no seal leáks. Plus I alway use synthetic fluids on everything for my 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 CONVERSION van with 135k and for my 2000 Dodge Durango 5.2 2wd 5.2 with only 71k on it and both bought new.
I hope some of my info helps you ?

 

Still at it...

Some more information. With a helper using a mechanics stethescope, listening to the engine while I drive, has pinpointed the air sucking noise that occurs as the power loss, bad idle issue happens, to originate from the back upper area of the plenum, right around the IAC. Shut off the engine, restart and it will be fine for awhile.

My code reader has live data display, when the problem starts I'm seeing timing at 40 btdc at idle. Still no codes.

TPS% is 13.3 at idle, can't find good values for it though.

Thoughts...

Thanks,
Geoff

 

I've done about 73 miles since replacing the downstream O2 sensor (never went more than 5 miles before without the issue showing up)--so far she runs great. No rough idle (well, it is a 5.9 so not kitten smooth) no hesitation and no intake backfire, no loud rushing sound from the IAC area...

It wasn't throwing any codes before replacing the rear sensor, but from my understanding it was 'over volting'. Maybe volatge from the heater circuit bleeding into the signal circuit? On live data I watched the rear sensor report as high as 1.5 volts--the computer read this as rich (anything over .45 is seen as rich), and kept cutting out fuel (short term fuel trim was very negative, long term as well). When trim was running -20 to -30 (IIRC) the PCM started to command the IAC to add more air to try to bring the A/F ratio into range (this was the 'sucking' noise from the IAC area) and this would lean things out even more.

Based on working on other cars I wasn't used to Dodges bias voltage of 1V--the cars I have worked on have had either no bias voltage at all, or it would be .45 V. (2000 and newer Dodges run a 5V bias on the O2 sensors). And although I am used to other cars just using the rear sensor to report catalyst efficiency, it would seem the rear sensor here does play a roll in A/F ratio adjusting. http://dodgeram.org/tech/gas/Trouble/O2_sensor.htm goes a bit into the rear sensor roll ( at bottom of page--how the rear sensor can change the front sensor goal voltage), and I came across a Google Books section of an early 2000's classroom study guide on vehicle emissions systems (the Dodge system seems to be different in may ways than the Ford/GM/VW/BMW systems of data collection and handling) that goes into some detail about how the PCM uses the O2 sensor input.

In researching my problem I came across many other posts on Dodge/Jeep forums describing the same issue--none had a solution. Hope this helps somebody...

Geoff