leaded fuel in s Saab

2368 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by saabman, Apr 7, 2003

gerrys

Discussion Starter · Apr 7, 2003

Hi,

I've just purchased a S/H 1999, 9-5 for my wife.
I'm in the Bahamas and there is no suport here for Saab. I filled the car up on Saturday morning
and I think the pump attendant filled it up with leaded fuel. After travelling about 10 miles i started to get a massive and constant cloud of smoke from the exhaust.

The cooling level is still ok so i assume that it's not a blown gasket. I know that a turbo failure could cause a cloud of white smoke.

Can anyone tell me if this smoke could be a result of leaded fuel? And if so what would be the damage to the car. I'm checking on the fuel thing at the moment i.e. to establish if indeed I have been filled up with leaded.

I'd be glad of any help

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murphwiz

· #2 · Apr 7, 2003

Welcome to saabscene!

This sounds a bit expensive I'm afraid!!
IF its got leaded petrol in it, do not drive any further, you more than likely have already damaged the catalyst...

What colour was the smoke?
Is the check engine light on?

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sgould

· #3 · Apr 7, 2003

Welcome to the board, sorry to hear of your troubles.

As far as I am aware, putting leaded fuel in a car will just kill the catalytic convertor. So you will not be cleaning the exhaust and could fail an annual test. I don't think it will affect anything else.

Unfortunately I think the cat is killed pretty quickly, it's not a progressive thing.

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James

· #4 · Apr 7, 2003

Hi Gerry, and welcome to Saabscene

Been there, done that. Pump attendant filled up my MY00 9-5 Aero with Leaded a while back. So I used my Saab Assist and had the car trailered to the dealership, didn't even start it to get it onto the tow truck.

Anyway, got to the dealership and was told "don't worry, just drive it and fill it with unleaded when it's half-full". So that's what I did, and a year or so later no ill-effects.

Apparently four tanks or so will kill your cat, but it can cope with one. No black smoke or anything with mine, though - you sure you didn't fill up with diesel?

YMMV, of course.

James

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saabman

· #5 · Apr 7, 2003

Yes welcome to Saabscene
Difficult one this! Diesel? possibly but diesel tends to just stop the engine dead as it sinks to the bottom of the tank.unless only a small amount of diesel was put in to a tank with a large amount of petrol already in then I can't see it being diesel.
Unleaded? I don't think this would cause a large amount of smoke,
maybe a very smelly sulphur/rotten egg type smell if it destroyed the catalyst.

The only thing I can think of for white smoke? is maybe fuel contaminated with water? possibly the underground tanks at the pump have been flooded?
If your water and oil level remain stable all I can suggest is re-fill with good fuel and see how it goes.
Hope this helps

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