!996 Grand AM Won't Start After Filling Gas Tank

[rombo]

Hello. My car has recently not been able to start. At first, I thought it was my starter since the car would start after I let my car cool. It was later diagnosed that I needed a new alternator. Two days after receiving the alternator, it wouldn't start again. I was then told that my baterry was bad, so I replaced the battery. The next day I had the same problem. Every voltmeter test that was performed on my car indicated that the alternator, battery and starter was fine. I still believe that I need a starter (or at least a solenoid) since the car still needs to cool off before it will start. Well, now it seems to have another problem starting. Yesterday, I filled my gas tank with Citgo gas. I then drove a few miles and parked my car. After letting it cool, I tried to start it again. It seemed like it was trying to start, but would not turn over. It sounded like a car that had ran out of gas. I believed it was bad gas since it started after about twenty-five tries. When it started, it was a bit shaky, but eventually drove smoothly. This morning, I could not start it again. It still sounds like it wants to start but acts like it doesn't have any gas. Will changing my fuel filter make the difference, or is this something more serious like a fuel pump or map sensor. Where do I begin?

Please help!!!

[Ridenour]

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you did, in fact, get a bad batch of gas. I would run some dry gas, and then change your fuel filter. Run some fuel system cleaner as well.

[rombo]

Thanks. But, what do you mean by "run dry gas?"

[Ridenour]

Dry gas. It's a product you can find at a place like autozone. It's a gas stabilizer ( i think it absorbs water - hydroscopic ) something like that. It'll help if you ran some bad gas.

[ericn1300]

gas drying additatives are usually methanol or other alcohol based products. the alcohol binds with the water and helps pass it thru the combustion process, thereby eliminating it

as far as the previous starting problem, one of the symptoms of a starter going bad is failing to crank the engine when hot, but working fine when cool. the principle is that heat creates greater resitance in electrical circuits and puts more demand on the battery from a starter going bad.

[xeroinfinity]

rombo , check all your grounds on the engine and the battery/starter. Sometimes these contacts get loose and road grime and engine oil shorts out the contacts when they get hot. Gas dryer like HEAT works well for watery fuel.

[vamc]

If you run dry gas then run some stp fuel injector cleaner with 94 octatine(sp) the cil will heat up more and burn out all CO. Just a thought.