Getting water out of gas tank?

[--@++.--]

Recently my boat got pounded pretty good from behind by a bunch of wind produced
waves. After that it didn't want to run because water got in the breather for
the gas tank. I ran a line from a can of good gas and ran the engine and it
cleared up and began running normally again. I got an electric fuel pump and
attached it to the tank's fuel line and pumped out into portable cans. To me, at
first it appeared to pump clean water, then it looked milky for a while, then it
looked like clean gas. I pumped about 2 more gallons out of the 14+/- gallon
tank after it began looking like good gas, and it still looked good so I stopped
pumping. Is it safe to think the remaining gas is okay?

[Drifter]

It's safe to think anything you want. Just be careful what you say.

Put a water separating filter in your fuel line.

[X ` Man]

If I were you, and I could, I'd pump the remaining gas out of the boat's
tank and use the fuel in something else where getting stuck in the
middle of a large body of water isn't a possibility.

You could also install a water separating fuel filter between your
boat's fuel tank and the engine. You should have one of those anyway.

[Tim]

I wouldn't assume much of anything positive concerning tainted fuel.
It would be best to do as others have said and install a water trap
filter, AND get as much fuel out as you can. Then refil with fresh
stuff. You might want to add a bottle of HEET or some other quality
water dispensation treatment. It will help to evaporate what is left
in the tank.

[Bruce]

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:58:03 -0400, WaIIy <WaIIy@(nft).invalid> wrote:

>Since the gas is on top of the water, you might want to drain the tank
>all ther way.

As Wally said you may want to drain, or suction out, whatever is in
the bottom of the engine but adding alcohol to the gasoline you will
create a mix that the engine will burn.

Back in the day, this was a standard practice in the fall or early
winter in many northern states. I can remember small bottles of
alcohol labeled "Dry Gas" being marketed in nearly every gas station
during the fall and winter in New Hampshire.

--

Cheers,

Bruce

[JustWait]

The water will be on the bottom of the tank...

[Wayne.B]

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:18:31 -0700, --@++.-- wrote:

Others here have given you good advice:

1. Best to empty and discard as much of the tank as possible (most of
the water will be on the bottom and will slosh around when under way
and get remixed with fuel).

2. Racor makes a really excellent bulkhead mounted fuel filter. It
is more expensive than the Sierra but worth it in my opinion. The
Racor has a drain tap on the bottom so you can see if water is
accumulating in the filter bowl and get rid rid of it.

[Bruce]

The diesel engine pickups here all have a water catcher installed.
They consist of a clear plastic cylinder body about the size of an oil
filter. There is a float inside that will float in water but not
diesel and a magnetic switch that is triggered by the float to actuate
a warning alarm - buzzer, siren, etc. Piped into the diesel system
before the first filter it catches any water and shouts a warning.

After polluting the entire fuel system with water when refueling in
Malaysia some years ago I installed one in the sail boat. It would
catch about a quarter of a cup of water( probably 1/8th of the filter
capacity) before tripping the alarm. when the alarm fired it was only
a matter of shutting down the engine and opening the drain valve on
the bottom of the water catcher, pump a stroke or two on the built in
pump to flush the water out and close the valve. Re-Start the engine
and Bob 's your uncle..

The old fashioned Racor 500's will do the same thing and I believe
that there is a sensor that can be fitted to trigger a warning device
when the bowl gets water in it.

--

Cheers,

Bruce

[Drifter]

Do they make glass bowl filters for inboard gas engines?

[Tim]

Sure! most of the older farm tractors had them, but they screwed into
the base of the tank. I have seen some mountable in-line glass bowl
units, though

[Drifter]

Should have been more specific and said boat inboard gas engine.

[Wayne.B]

===

As I understand it, boats with enclosed bilges, which includes
virtually all inboard engines, are not allowed to use glass or plastic
filter bowls, only metal. That said, my Racor 1000s on the trawler
have plastic bowls but that's a diesel boat. Some Racor 1000s are
offered with a metal shield around the bowl, not sure about their
smaller filters.

[Bruce]

I haven't seen one and all the gasoline engine cars I've seen use the
little inline filters. Whether the diesel water catchers would work
would, I believe, depend on whether the float floats in gasoline or
not.
--

Cheers,

Bruce

[Bruce]

Aren't the Racors legal if they have that catch bowl installed on
them? I think I remember seeing them sold as an add-on from Racor.

--

Cheers,

Bruce

[Boats]

I would drain the tank completely to be sure, it would be worth the
extra efforts.





Tim;899270 Wrote:
> On Oct 25, 6:39*am, Drifter B...@work.com wrote:-

> On 10/24/2011 11:29 PM, Wayne.B wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> -
> On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:18:31 -0700, -...@++.-- wrote:-
> --

> Recently my boat got pounded pretty good from behind by a bunch of
> wind produced
> waves. After that it didn't want to run because water got in the
> breather for
> the gas tank. I ran a line from a can of good gas and ran the engine
> and it
> cleared up and began running normally again. I got an electric fuel
> pump and
> attached it to the tank's fuel line and pumped out into portable cans.
> To me, at
> first it appeared to pump clean water, then it looked milky for a
> while, then it
> looked like clean gas. I pumped about 2 more gallons out of the 14+/-
> gallon
> tank after it began looking like good gas, and it still looked good so
> I stopped

> pumping. Is it safe to think the remaining gas is okay?--
> -
> Others here have given you good advice:-
> -
> 1. *Best to empty and discard as much of the tank as possible (most

> of
> the water will be on the bottom and will slosh around when under way

> and get remixed with fuel).-
> -
> 2. *Racor makes a really excellent bulkhead mounted fuel filter. * It
> is more expensive than the Sierra but worth it in my opinion. * The

> Racor has a drain tap on the bottom so you can see if water is

> accumulating in the filter bowl and get rid rid of it.-
>
> Do they make glass bowl filters for inboard gas engines?-

>
> Sure! most of the older farm tractors had them, but they screwed into
> the base of the tank. I have seen some mountable in-line glass bowl
> units, though

--
Boats

[Bruce]

On Mon, 7 Nov 2011 18:20:46 +0000, Boats
<Boats....@boatbanter.com> wrote:

>
>I would drain the tank completely to be sure, it would be worth the
>extra efforts.
>

Water being heavier then gasoline will be in the bottom of the tank.
The easiest method to remove it is the one you describe If you are
still worried add some alcohol to the gas tank. It will mix with the
water to make a combustible mixture that will burn in your engine with
no problems. Google "dry gas".

Cheers,

Bruce