When looking to save fuel, many drivers are faced with a silent enemy: adulterated fuel.
Adulterated fuel is a serious problem that can affect your vehicle's performance and cause significant engine damage. This article explores the risks associated with poor fuel quality and how to protect your vehicle.
Below, you will also find in detail the dangers of this practice, providing ideas on how to recognize, prevent and solve problems arising from the use of poor quality fuels.
What is Adulterated Fuel?
Adulterated fuel, also popularly known as baptized fuel, refers to the alteration of the original composition of the fuel by unauthorized substances. This may include diluting the fuel with cheaper products, such as water, solvents or other liquids, compromising its quality and efficiency.
Risks to the Vehicle:
- Reduced Performance: Adulterated fuel may lead to incomplete burning, resulting in reduced engine performance. This translates into loss of power, lower fuel efficiency and increased engine wear.
- Engine Damage: Unauthorized substances in the fuel can cause severe damage to the combustion system, pistons and valves. This damage can result in costly repairs and even the need to replace the engine.
- Increase in Pollutant Emissions: Adulterated fuels tend to burn incompletely, increasing pollutant emissions and contributing to environmental pollution. Furthermore, engines burn more fuel when they are not working efficiently, which directly impacts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
- Problems in the Injection System: Fuel tampering can obstruct the fuel injectors and other components of the injection system, leading to malfunctions, starting problems, the need for constant maintenance and even more serious damage.
- Premature Wear: Unwanted substances present in adulterated fuel can cause premature wear of important components of the combustion system, such as spark plugs, fuel pump and injectors. This can lead to expensive repairs and frequent visits to the repair shop.
How to Protect your Vehicle from contaminated fuels:
- Refuel at Trusted Locations: Choose known and reliable gas stations. Avoid stations with significantly lower prices, as this may indicate lower quality fuel.
- Watch for Signs of Problems: Pay attention to symptoms such as loss of power, increased fuel consumption and smoke emission. These could be signs of adulterated fuel.
- Use Fuel Additives: Quality Fuel Additives They can help keep the combustion system clean and protect the engine from harmful deposits.
- Regular Maintenance: Carry out periodic maintenance, including changing fuel filters and checking the injection system. This helps identify problems before they become serious.
I filled up with bad fuel what to do
- Do not start the engine: If you suspect that you have filled with adulterated fuel, avoid starting the engine. This will minimize damage to the combustion system.
- Call Technical Assistance: Contact technical assistance or a tow truck to remove the contaminated fuel and clean the system. Do not attempt to resolve the issue on your own as this may worsen the damage.
- Register the Incident: Write down all relevant information, such as location, time, gas station and quantity filled. This record can be useful when seeking reparations or compensation.
- Check Vehicle Warranty: In some cases, damage caused by refueling with adulterated fuel may be covered by the vehicle's warranty. Consult your owner's manual or contact your dealer for guidance.
- Choose Trusted Posts: To avoid future problems, choose reputable gas stations and make sure they comply with local regulations. Fuel quality is crucial to vehicle performance and durability.
Protecting Your Vehicle with STK Shield® Additives
Fueling with adulterated or low-quality fuel can result in serious damage to your vehicle, affecting engine performance and requiring expensive repairs. In addition to poor quality gasoline, we can also come across spiked ethanol and adulterated diesel.
A Strike Brasil, committed to offering quality solutions for drivers, presents two essential products to protect your vehicle against the harmful effects of unsuitable fuels: the STK Injector Shield® | Flex and STK Injector Shield® | Diesel.
STK INJECTOR SHIELD® | FLEX – 200ml:
This additive was specially formulated for gasoline vehicles, including those equipped with Flex technology, which can also use ethanol as fuel. Its main objective is to prevent the formation of deposits in valve inlets, thus ensuring a clean fuel supply system. Here's how this product can benefit your vehicle:
- Restores Potency: When acting on the intake valves, the STK INJECTOR SHIELD® | FLEX helps restore engine power, improving fuel burning.
- Versatility of Use: Can be applied to injection or carbureted engines, providing benefits to a wide range of vehicles.
- Easy Application: A 200ml bottle efficiently treats 10 to 60 liters of fuel. Simply add the product to the fuel tank with a minimum of 10 liters and follow the instructions to ensure effective application.
- Preventive maintenance: Recommended every 5.000 kilometers driven, the STK INJECTOR SHIELD® | FLEX can be used at each refueling or after repairs and cleaning of the electronic injection system, contributing to effective preventive maintenance.
STK INJECTOR SHIELD® | DIESEL – 200ml:
Developed specifically for diesel vehicles, this additive acts as a deposit controller, keeping the injector system clean and inhibiting the formation of sludge and residue. See how this product can protect your diesel vehicle:
- Sludge Inhibitor: Acts as an effective inhibitor, preventing the formation of sludge in the diesel fuel injection system.
- Easy Application: Just add a bottle of STK INJECTOR SHIELD® | DIESEL to the fuel tank, topping up with diesel. One bottle treats up to 300 liters of diesel, providing an effective and economical application.
- Preventive maintenance: Recommended at each refueling, this product acts preventively, ensuring the integrity of the fuel injection system. It is also recommended after repairs and cleaning the system, contributing to efficient maintenance.
When choosing STK INJECTOR SHIELD® products from Strike Brasil, you invest in the health of your vehicle, protecting it against the harm of adulterated fuels and ensuring consistent and long-lasting performance. Don't let fuel quality compromise your engine's efficiency – trust the STK INJECTOR SHIELD® line for safer, more peaceful driving.
Adulterated fuel is a real threat to the health of your vehicle. By adopting safe fueling practices and keeping an eye out for signs of trouble, you can protect your vehicle and ensure long-lasting performance. Fuel quality is fundamental to the well-being of your car, invest in protecting your investment.
Consider Electronic Injection Reprogramming:
Taking these precautions when refueling, the remap (electronic injection reprogramming) can optimize engine performance, but it is essential to perform this service in a reliable environment and with high-quality fuel.
A Strike Brasil is the leading reference in electronic injection reprogramming in Latin America, with more than 50 units in several regions, including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Guatemala and the United States. If you are interested in opening a Strike Brasil in your region, click here to contact our expansion team.
The Remap of Strike Brasil not only improves the vehicle's performance by increasing power and torque, but also provides greater safety in maneuvers such as overtaking. Talk to our experts via WhatsApp, schedule reprogramming at Strike Brasil and make the most of your vehicle's potential.
