Car people, I need help fast! (Phoenix resident)

[blondeatlast]

My car has fuel injection ('93 Infiniti J30). There is no premium to be found. I can't take the bus (would if I could--don't mind it at all), but I have child care issues that make it impossible.

Anyway, if I HAVE to put a lower-grade fuel in (very likely at this point) is there anything I can do to lessen the damage to my fuel injectors? I have already been through that very expensive repair when my dad forgot and filled it with unleaded.

Please, PLEEEEZZZE, don't let this thread die; I really need some advice on this!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Use chevron and get their gas treatment

it should help as a temporary measure since keeping the injectors from getting clogged is the issue.

[Best_man23]

2. Good Suggestion

Another possibility is to pick up a bottle of octane booster from a local auto parts store before you go to fill up. Make sure it doesn't contain tetraethyl lead or you will kill your injectors and catalytic converter.

[Kolesar]

3. I know that high-octane fuel prevents "knocking"

I do not know of any further problems that may come from that. You could always get by with low octane, buy 5 gallons or so, then fill up with that 93 octane as soon as you pass the right gas station.

Maybe someone else knows if low octane fuel causes real permanent problems, but I don't.

[Rick Myers]

4. Using an octane booster

and fuel injector cleaner with a couple gallons on 87 octane will get you by just fine...

edit: I drive a fuel-injected Acura and do it all the time.

[LynneSin]

5. There is stuff you can add to your gas

It's suppose to help clean out your engines from using "crappy gas" and it's only like $2-5 a can. YOu don't need to use it every fill up, but it's a good substitute!

[Atlant]

6. Check your owners manual.

Many high-performance cars that "need" premium will actually
run on lower-grade gasoline but with reduced performance.

They contain a "knock sensor" and using information from that
sensor, the computer will back-off on the ignition timing when
running on lower-octane fuel.

My Audi is like that.

Atlant

[Catshrink]

7. Gov. Napolitano....

What did you think of her speech this evening? I thought she was great.... laid it on the line saying that Kinder-Morgan has a lot to answer for. Kinder-Morgan is the company that runs the pipeline.

I loved her example of leadership -- she actually took live questions from the press! Contrast that with Jr's delayed, anemic response to the power outage in the NE and, well, there just is no comparison.

Janet, baby, you rock!

[blondeatlast]

8. Damn straight--she ain't sitting on her ass and

she's holding the right people accountable AND asking the right questions (where are the tanker trucks?). She's governing like she ran the attorney general's office--very, very proactively and well.

The sad thing is, this has serious economic implications--for one thing, the city of Phoenix (my employer) is suffering with a severe loss of sales tax revenue from the past three years; pretty much the same with Maricopa County. This isn't helping at all.

[Catshrink]

12. I liked how she gave a time line

and detailed the process they have followed in the investigation and how she plans to proceed from here on out.

Better than "we're working on it," she gave times, names, options, etc. She is a great example of leadership.

Even my redneck, Bush and O'Really loving daddy things she's awesome.

(I even pointed out to him what an awesome speech she made -- how it was nice to hear a leader answer questions and have a plan, much better than Jr.'s pathetic performance. He got so pissed -- "What right do you have to criticize him?" I responded something like, well, when have you had a straight answer from him? And on we went. We'll never see eye to eye on this.

[blondeatlast]

9. Are you a Zonie?

From what part, if so? You can PM me if you'd like.

[catmandu57]

10. Get a bottle of injecter cleaner

and use it at the same time that you put gas in everything should be okay.

[blondeatlast]

11. Thank you, thank you, thank you, DU!

I've got enough fuel to last a day or so, but things are looking pretty grim out here. Soon as I get the kid tomorrow I will head for Checker to get the additive.

I knew you guys could come through--thanks again!