Full disclosure - I'm an idiot.

I was recently stuck in an area three counties away from home and broke enough that I couldn't afford gas. I am a self employed tree guy, and when a check bounced, and the check's writer disappeared I was f****d.

So that's when the light bulb lit and I thought: "Derp, I guess I'll use five gallons of saw gas mixed at a 50:1 ratio". Well, ever since then the vehicle, which is a 2000 Ford Focus with a 2 liter ZETEC motor has been having problems.

The symptoms are that the vehicle bogs down and 'jumps' on occasion, specifically when the gas level is below a quarter tank. It's to the point that when I try to drive up the mountain (I live at roughly 8,000' elevation) the car simply can't make it. The throttle powers the motor sporadically at best, and the vehicle jerks back and forth as I try to climb the grade.

Thus far I've probably run about 20-30 gallons of 91 Octane Premium fuel through the car, Lucas fuel injector cleaner, octane booster, fuel system conditioner, installed new plugs and done an oil change all to no avail.

Normally I'd immediately assume that I'd plugged the injectors, but that was until a close friend and great mechanic told me that wasn't the problem (he didn't check, but he told me rather definitively).

Either way, any help or advice form you folks would be a blessing.

Cheers in advance,
John.

 

Sometimes something like this will go away when all the contamination is cleaned out. Things like oxygen sensors may require replacement.

 

Weird that it only does it when your below 1/4 tank, but I've seen weirder things. Have you replaced the fuel filter yet and checked/replaced the plugs in case they got any build up from the oil that won't burn off from them?