Citgo gas contamination: How to tell if you got diesel fuel in your gas tank

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·5 min read
2

If you bought gas along Florida's Gulf Coast over the weekend, you may have gotten diesel fuel in your gas tank by mistake.

Florida officials warned Sunday that any fuel purchased after 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26 at stations supplied by Citgo from the Port of Tampa has a strong likelihood of being contaminated with diesel fuel. And that's really not good for your car. Not the best thing to have happen when there is a potentially major hurricane heading your direction in the next couple of days.

Here's what you need to know.

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How did the gas in Florida get contaminated?

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said it identified a potentially widespread fuel contamination caused by human error at the Port of Tampa.

What gas stations were affected by the Citgo gas contamination?

The FDACS said that the Port of Tampa serves gas stations in the greater Tampa region north to Chiefland, and on the west side of Florida south to Naples. The agency said Citgo had released the following list of stations affected:

  • Big Dan's Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs

  • 7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday

  • 7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia

  • 7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres

  • 7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers

  • 7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland

  • 7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral

  • 7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral

  • 7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville

  • 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres

  • 7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City

  • 7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral

  • 7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills

  • 7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral

  • BJ's Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral

  • BJ's Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers

  • BJ's Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes

  • Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva

  • Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres

  • Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte

  • Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson

  • JHW #310 - DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon

  • AL Prime - Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach

  • Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota

  • Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota

  • Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa

  • Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla

  • 2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa

  • Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa

Citgo self-reports this list and may update it, FDACS officials said. DACS will also update this list as necessary as of result of increased fuel testing in the impacted areas. Impacted gas stations have been asked to stop selling gas until the contaminated fuel is replaced and the tanks have been cleaned.

You can follow @FDACS on X, formerly known as Twitter, for updates on the stop sales.

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What does diesel in a gas tank do to the vehicle?

Diesel fuel is much denser than regular gasoline with a lower octane and lower flashpoint, meaning it supplies more power but ignites at lower temperatures, according to Bell Performance in Longwood. If you get diesel fuel in your gasoline any or all of the following can happen:

  • The new fuel mix can ignite too quickly, which throws off your fuel system and may cause damage to pistons and rods.

  • Diesel is heavier than gas and can sink to the bottom of the tank, "resulting in the injection of both gas and diesel into the intake manifold or the cylinder," Bell said.

  • Partially burned diesel fuel leaves "bigtime" deposits on pistons, valves and spark plugs.

  • Diesel fuel in the cylinder can lead to a blown head gasket, cracked cylinder head or other major problems.

  • Unburned diesel fuel in the exhaust system can ignite in the catalytic converter and destroy it.

How can I tell if there is diesel in my gas tank?

It may not start at all, or it may smoke. According to FuelDoctor, your vehicle may start jumping, your vehicle may start smoking heavily, or you may hear misfires.

What do I do if I get diesel in my gas tank?

Stop the vehicle immediately. Don't try to drive it.

Contact your insurance company and report the problem to see what requirements it may have for you to file a comprehensive claim before you have any work done. Some contracts may require that an insurance representative examine the vehicle first.

Then get it towed to a mechanic to have the tank and fuel system drained and flushed.

Can I be reimbursed for buying contaminated fuel?

FDACS issued the following statement from Citgo:

"Please be advised that CITGO is working with the locations to remove contaminated product from these locations. In the meantime, thank you for patience and understanding as we work to return these locations to normal operations. If, however, you have purchased fuel from one of these locations on or after Aug. 26, and are concerned your vehicle may be impacted, you can initiate a claim through the CITGO Good Gas Guarantee program https://www.citgo.com/contact-us."

You also can file a complaint with the FDACS consumer hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA or online at www.fdacs.gov.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: As Idalia nears: Some Citgo gas was contaminated, here's how to tell