BajaNomad - Filtering Pemex Gasoline?

Filtering Pemex Gasoline?

sancho - 6-16-2008 at 11:32 AM

I've driven many miles in Mex, had 1
bad tank of gas, assume it was water,
is there an easy way, or is it
advisable/common to filter the gas at
the nozzle before it enters
the vehicle tank?
Have heard of the old
chamois filtering,
but was hunting for a
simpler method
thanks for your time

Sharksbaja - 6-16-2008 at 11:57 AM

Haven't had a problem since 1972. Back then we filtered all the gas. Today however I think it's pretty rare to get contaminated fuel. There was a diesel fuel prob mentioned a couple years back. There are filter/separators available but imho, totally unnecessary.

If you try to filter it before it enter the tank you will have a potentially dangerous situation. Cone filters etc. cannot pass gas thru as fast as a pump can deliver it!

Cypress - 6-16-2008 at 12:06 PM

sancho, Many miles and only one bad tankfull? Maybe just old filters clogged with what they're supposed to filter out?

bajalou - 6-16-2008 at 01:40 PM

Try not to get gas within a hour or so from the time a station receives a delivery. Right after delivery, when the bottom of the tank is all stirred up is when you are liable to get water and dirt in the gas.

Bob and Susan - 6-16-2008 at 02:34 PM

not any more...

the pumps actually have filters that work now...go figure

Sharksbaja - 6-16-2008 at 02:44 PM

Home Depot? :lol:

tripledigitken - 6-16-2008 at 02:47 PM

Good idea to add spare fuel filter to your pre-flight check list, just in case. Mine is getting pretty beat up just sitting under the back seat for the last ten years.

Ken

thebajarunner - 6-16-2008 at 05:35 PM

Yeah, we got bad gas in Tecate.....
I think it was 1958 and the Old Man cursed the old Suburban all the way to Bakersfield.

Of course, we got bad gas in Gringoland in those days as well.

I supposed in 200+ fillups over the past 30 years I would have gotten bad gas- guess I was just not lucky and never got any...

Sharksbaja - 6-16-2008 at 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
I supposed in 200+ fillups over the past 30 years I would have gotten bad gas- guess I was just not lucky and never got any...

So now,.............................you want to get some??? :lol:

David K - 6-16-2008 at 07:48 PM

You know how long I have been driving in Baja (since 1974), and with my parents since 1965! Never bad gas from Pemex pumps... but in the 'old days' along the main transpeninsular trail, gas was sold by the ranchos as a side business to raising cattle. Then is was siphoned out of 55 gallon drums into jerry cans... and then poured into your Jeep/ Scout/ Bronco...

My dad put a chamois in the funnel to screen out the bits of rust, water, whatever before it got into our Wagoneer... I remember him showing me... Not sure if it was at San Agustin, Laguna Chapala or Punta Prieta... but those were the days!

Sharksbaja - 6-16-2008 at 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
... and then poured into your Jeep/ Scout/ Bronco..............and Dodge Power Wagons

Yep, I remember some funny lookimg green stuff. We did use paint filters back then.

Pescador - 6-16-2008 at 08:27 PM

I use a lot of fuel in my boat and with the new injected engine I have had some challenges that are directly related to fuel. Almost all boats have a water separator but most boat fuel filters are only 10 micron which is not small enough to keep little things from causing a problem with the injectors. Since I went to a 2 micron filter, I have taken care of 95% of the problem. Before the current boat, I used a carburated model and never had a problem. So if this translates into auto usage and you are worried about dust and dirt in your fuel which might cause an injector plugging down the road, it is a simple thing to fix with a smaller micron fuel filter and then just change it a little more frequently.
Back in the old days we used to chamois fuel before we put it in our airplanes but that was because we did not want to have an unexpected and unplanned visit with the baja desert. Sometimes in the backcountry we would use the chamois to filter our auto fuel because it had been sitting in rusty barrels for a long time.

bajabound2005 - 6-16-2008 at 08:57 PM

We only buy our gas in Baja. Diesel, too. Still here, cars still running...years later.

We callled Chapala "Ripoff Junction"

thebajarunner - 6-16-2008 at 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
You know how long I have been driving in Baja (since 1974), and with my parents since 1965! Never bad gas from Pemex pumps... but in the 'old days' along the main transpeninsular trail, gas was sold by the ranchos as a side business to raising cattle. Then is was siphoned out of 55 gallon drums into jerry cans... and then poured into your Jeep/ Scout/ Bronco...

My dad put a chamois in the funnel to screen out the bits of rust, water, whatever before it got into our Wagoneer... I remember him showing me... Not sure if it was at San Agustin, Laguna Chapala or Punta Prieta... but those were the days!

Those dudes always poured out of five gallon cans, and they kicked the sides of the cans in until you were lucky to get 3 gallons.
And we always strained it through something, even a red rag, just to make sure we got the crud outta the fuel.