Last week we had to take our '08 Clubman S into the dealer because the check engine/emissions light was illuminated in conjunction with a slight rough idle when the engine was cold (about 25K miles on the odometer). We took it in and they said the code indicated as miss-fire but they had a heck of a time diagnosing the issue. Finally, they just started replacing things including the timing chain & tensioner. They also tested the gas and found that it was within target range for enthenol levels (10% or less). Eventually by Friday the code stopped popping and we got the car back and drove it the 35 miles home with no issues. On Saturday morning we started it up at home and it threw a code again. Back to the shop yesterday. Well, today we get a call that they have determined it's "bad gas". We always use Chevron or occasionally another top tier station if we are out of our area. They said they checked the fuel rail and the fuel line and tank and found lots of sediment (black flaky stuff) that is causing the issue. Now they are quoting us $1,850+ to clean the entire fuel system, replace the filter, pump, high-pressure fuel pump, fuel lines and clean the fuel tank (includes $950 in labor)! Ouch! They even say they found "chunks of debris" in the fuel tank. Of course this will not be covered under warranty.

Anybody have any opinions or information they can share on this. I am certainly not going to drop nearly $2K on this at the drop of the hat. The car runs fine and accelerates fine other than a slight hesistation, not-so-perfectly smooth idle when cold (which it has done for at least a year). Just now the engine light came on. Seems to me that before going through all of the expense of their recommendation it would be smart to run a bunch of fuel injector cleaner through the system and maybe replace the fuel filter and see where that gets me? Also, how the heck could that much crap get through a fuel filter in the first place? Could use some advice on this.

Thanks!

 

Did they pull and replace the fuel filter? What did that look like? I think it would be hard for black flaky stuff to get past the filter.

Rich

 

Went down to the shop and inspected things. They had everything out including the fuel pump and filter as well as gasoline samples from the fuel hose to the fuel rail. Definitely some debris in the fuel. The filter system isn't like your traditional old-school in-line filter but more like you fine in your canister oil filter. Apparently doesn't filter as well as I would have expected. I asked the same thing..shouldn't the filter keep that stuff from moving up stream...apparently not. I'm thinking rather than blow $1,800 right off the bat I should just have them throw it all back together and then install a new filter and start running some fuel cleaner through the system for a few tanks and purge it out of the system. If that doesn't work at least I'm just back where I started. Just amazes me that stuff could make it through the gas station filters, through the car fuel filter and all the way to the fuel rail. What the heck are modern filtration systems supposed to accomplish?!?!

 

Just make sure you do not fill gas when the tanker truck is there. There can be sediment mixed into the gas when the tanker is filling the gas station tanks. Wait at least 15 minutes after the tanker finishes.