Hello Everyone!

On the 25th (February 2008) I was running out of gas and pulled into a "no name" station as no other options were available. Price you pay for being in the middle of nowhere I guess........

I have a 1999 ML320. I tanked up with 18 gallons of 89 fuel. I drove where I had to go, parked the car and went on with my business. When I returned to my truck and started it, it appeared that it was struggling briefly for a moment to get going, but it started.

During operation, I have not noticed any issues with the engine. No lights have come on. If I'm away from the truck for a brief moment it starts up fine when I return. It appears that during prolonged intervals it's having an issue starting. I'm getting a long struggling sound.

Prior to tanking up, I never had any indication of this problem. It all has started after tanking. Thus far I have driven 121.7 miles and thus the tank is approaching have full.

Does anyone know what my experience may be involving?

Thanks for your help, input and valued suggestions!

 

It's possible that they watered down the gas to cut costs. I know fora fact a lot of stations have been busted doing that. So wait it out and get some name brand gas, then report back

 

AMGMercedes.... What does "wait it out" exactly mean?

Today, I went to Shell and filled up the other half with 93 octane. Then I went to Auto Zone and added some Lucas brand Octane Booster. I must say that I feel lot's of power in my ML320 now. The guy at Auto zone said I should have been using 93 all the time and not 89. Is this true? If so, have I done any damage?

In any case, the truck hesitates before starting, but she does start....... Even after I added new fuel and the octane booster.

Is it possible for things to get better after I fill up once the tank is empty?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

almost all V8 mercedes require 93 or 91 octane, it should say that either on the dashbord or fuel door (it will say premium gas only). usually if you fill up regular gas the car performance is going to be weaker, it wont harm the engine unless you start hearing knocking noise (which might happen with low octane gas at high speed). for the starting problem, it could be the gas but it could also be hundred of other things that are causing the problem (mercedes have alot of electronnics).
my best guess would be to just keep filling up premium and after a couple of tanks the performance should be back to normal again, if you still have the starting problme after that then there most likely is a part that is going bad somewhere (depending on what the problem is exactly)

 

All the Mercedes I have ever owned ONLY took Premium or Diesel.

 

you can try gas-line antifreeze... that will take the water out of your tank if it's in there.

but i think your problem might be a lot of carbon buildup on your injectors from the low octane 89 gas. keep filing with premium93 and get a bottle of techron fuel system cleaner from autozone/etc.