The Dirt
Polluted air, scarce water, dumping, sprawl. In The Dirt, reporter Stacey Shepard examines the numerous environmental problems facing Bakersfield and Kern County.

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TheDirt - > The Dirt -> Cars damaged by tainted gas sold at 25 local stations
Cars damaged by tainted gas sold at 25 local stations

At least 50 cars have reportedly been damaged by a bad batch of  gas produced at a local refinery and delivered to 25 Kern County gas stations in late March.

The county Department of Agriculture and Measurements says the gas contained a sediment that's plugging fuel filters and damaging fuel pumps. Anyone experiencing those problems should contact the department at 868-6300.

John Jacobsen of John's Independent Honda & Acura repair shop in Bakersfield said a woman  brought in a 1991 Acura Integra Monday afternoon affected by the tainted fuel.

"Basically, the car doesn't want to run,"  said Jacobsen, who's  draining the gas tank and  pulling out the car's fuel system to survey the damage today.

In newer model cars with fuel injection systems, the sediment may plug the injectors, he said.

Kern Oil & Refining Company, a small refinery southeast of Bakersfield, supplied the gasoline and is reimbursing affected car owners for the repairs. The gas was believed to have been tainted when the refinery's filtration system unknowingly malfunctioned, according to county officials.

In addition to the affected Kern fueling stations, another 15 stations in six other counties also received the tainted gas.

Has anyone been affected by this?

Posted in the Business & Finance interest group.
Topics: environment
posted by TheDirt on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 11:32 AM
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7 comments from 7 users

1

posted by rubylin02 on May 15, 2008 at 10:40 AM

My van is having problems like those mention. It hesitates to run. I was puting gas in the gas station on H street and White lane. What can I do about it?

posted by Roysan on May 15, 2008 at 02:10 AM

I purchased gas at the Fastrip on White Lane.  I noticed that when I started my 1991 Accord, the engine would die.  This was internittant, and stopped when I re-filled the tank at AmPm.  The car is running fine so I guess my fuel pump is ok, right?

posted by TheDirt on May 14, 2008 at 12:19 PM

Yes, the gas was delivered on March 24, according to the county, but may have been sold through April 2.

Also, it appears not everyone who filled up with the gas had car trouble. Several gas stations I contacted said they had no customer reports of problems.

posted by NancyII on May 14, 2008 at 12:17 PM

I heard about this last week and it was a while back according to the news.  A lot of people may not have reached that part of the gas tank but the people who check this stuff out said it should be long gone by now.  Who of us hasn't run at least a tank of gas through by now?  They're supposed to have a red sticker on the pumps that aren't cleared.

 

posted by gube on May 14, 2008 at 12:14 PM

4 bucks a gallon for mud...hahaha

posted by OldBlue56 on May 14, 2008 at 12:10 PM

Has anyone been affected by this?

According to the above information, I would say the people who own the "at least 50 cars" have been affected.

posted by blognroll on May 14, 2008 at 11:48 AM

Somebody needs a good, swift kick in the gas. 

1

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