Major Horsepower Prob

[ds13240]

Hello...This is a problem that has to get fixed fast....

I recently added some Chevron w/ techron fuel system cleaner to my car. That same day about 3 hours later i drove it and noticed right away that my car wasn't accelerating at all. It feels like i have 50 horsepower and takes forever to get up to speed. I'm almost sure that it is a fuel supply problem, because i checked the entire airway and electrical. Also, the exhaust doesn't have that exhaust/gas smell.

I was thinking that it might be due to the fact that the fuel system cleaner broke down some sediment in my gas tank and that is cloging my fuel pump (I'm not sure?).

Any answers or Help is greatly appreciated.

Dennis

[adey]

could you have lost a cylinder (or three)? Are you sure all the plugs are getting a spark?
Were there any pre-limp-mode symptoms? Any funny sounds or smells or anything?  .... innnnnteresting.  
...
Are you sure you didn't fill up with diesel by mistake? &nbsp; <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>

[Jeff240sx]

*most* pumps you cannot fill an unleaded hole with a diesel nozzle. They are much larger than the unleaded nozzles.
Anyway, it sounds like you have never gotten gas from that station, and it might have been contaminated with water. It is a fairly common problem, and has happened to me once with Shell gas, and a few times with cheaper (citgo and others) stations.
The only way to find out for sure is to replace the fuel filter. When you remove the filter, shake it over a pan, and look / smell it. If there is water in it, it won't smell strongly like gas, and will look more clear than yellow, not to mention it will have that rainbow look, like when there is oil in the water. &nbsp;It will shimmer in the light, like the gas is floating on something. &nbsp;Is so, you've definatly got water. If you do have water in your gastank... get it out fast. You can dump a couple bottle of water remover down the tank, or siphon out the gas, and fill with new gas.
All of this involves replacing the filter, becuase you have to.
The filter is on the passenger side, on the fenderwell. You'll need to pull the fuel pump fuse, and turn the car over untill it won't turn anymore, then unscrew the gas cap. Get a screwdriver, and loosen the hose clamp connecting the filter, and twist off.
And either way... starting with the fuel filter is the best, cheapest way to go, becuase it may just be clogged. &nbsp;But i doubt that, becuase gasoline never has that much cleaning power.
-Jeff

[/etc/shadow]

He *could* mean that he added actual Chevron Techron. It's a black bottle and is nothing but the actual techron fuel system cleaner.

That said, I've used it before, and it worked wonders.

[GamblerZ]

I agree with Jeff. &nbsp;Check the fuel filter first before you panic. &nbsp;It could be as simple as something being clogged in there.

Meanwhile, it is not uncommon to get water in the tank from a pump if their tanks were running low. &nbsp;You can always go to AutoZone(or similar) and buy some additive that eliminates water in your tank.

Try those easy fixes before you start cracking into the major stuff.

[ds13240]

Yeah,

It was the chevron w/ techron fuel system clearner in the black bottle. &nbsp;I already did change the fuel filter and that wasn't it. &nbsp;I don't think it's water because i recently got low on gas and filled it up again from a different gas station and the problem has not gotten better, in fact it's gotten worse. Now the car will not even accelerate over about 30mph. &nbsp;It just doesn't have the horsepower.

Another question: &nbsp;Is Changing a fuel pump on an 89 240 a hard job. &nbsp;I've changed radiator hoses and clutch fan blades and shrouds. &nbsp;And i've changed struts, but is it a pretty straight forward job or should it be left for the professionals.

Thank you for your help
Dennis

[KEIVmx]

Check out your ignition system.

I had the same problem when some idiot (at C&N Motorsports) shorted out my distributor...not just the cap & rotor but the entire $400 assembly.

I would test out the circuits on your distributor to see if it's working.

[ds13240]

How do you check the circuits for the distributor

Dennis

[GamblerZ]

I would pull each plug wire separately to determine whether you are getting a spark first.