water in tank

[rprothero]

anyone run into issues with water getting into their gas tank after cleaning their bike...Water pooled in the grooves around my gas cap and as such drained into the tank when I went to fill up..I used a little STP to try and remove but would like thoughts on
1. How to clear the drain plugs so it doesnt happen again
2. if I need to be concerned with the water or using STP

Havent had any issues and put about 10 miles on it since filling...

[Dr. Strangelove]

I would think that a little water might not be a real problem, though I certainly defer to someone who knows more. But SeaFoam is pretty good at that problem. NOt sure about STP, though it's probably similar.


Re the vent hoses--pipe cleaner? compressed air?

There was a message within the past year, I think, from someone who had the same issue.

[towerworker]

Same has happened to me more times than I can count over many years. It's never caused any problems and I haven't run Seafoam on a regular basis.

[TicTac50]

On my last trip, after riding in the heavy rain, I opened the gas cap and found plenty of water pouring down in to the gas tank. The ring on the top of the gas tank has a drain hole. Mine was clogged and the water was just sitting there until I opened the cap. I was looking at some 2-3oz of water or maybe more running into the gas tank. I found a thick fishing line and pushed it down the drain. It took about 7-10 inches and the water accumulated on the top of the ring started to go down the venting hose. I am sure that the SeaFoam will work fine, but somebody recommended another product, sold at the Autozone. It was specifically designed to get the moisture out of the gas. I don't remember what it was, but the gentleman at the campsite poured some into my gas tank. Also a small plastic tubing can be used to suck some gas from the low sides of the gas tank. I did it a few times on my old bike and sure enough, a little of water from the bottom of the tank did show up in the tubing.
Good Luck.

[MIXR]

A trick my old man taught me, that may still work. Do an experiment first.

Add a couple of splashes of metholated spirits to the next tank of gas. The metho absorbs the water, and the metho then 'dissolves' in the fuel. It all just burns out. I did test this once in Mum's kitchen when I was a young fella. Had a glass of petrol and added a spoonful of water. Then added the same quantity of metho and gave it a stir. It seemed to break up in the fuel.

However, I have noticed that current metho (here in Aus) seems to have a very 'greasy' look and feel to it compared to the stuff we had in my youth. Maybe I'll try it at home tonight and see what happens. One of the changes I know we have had here was to stop some of the locals from drinking the stuff (literally) as a cheap substitute for alcohol. They used to mix it with orange juice. The content was modified many years ago to make it less-palatable.

I'll let you know how the experiment goes. Or try it yourself and post the results. By the way, my Mum was not impressed that I had petrol in her kitchen, so do this outside or in your shed!

[MIXR]

Did an experiment tonight and can confirm that a bit of metho helps.

It turns the water sitting at the bottom of the jar into a volatile emulsion. It also seems to have a mix of fuel in it, but the two layers of fuel and water/metho remain very distinct, but both go a bit cloudy. I guess the metho allows the water to be 'used' in a volatile mixture of metho and fuel rather than pass into the system as straight water.

My old man used to say that you got rid of water by adding a cup of metho to a tank of gas every now and then, but that was with old tech engines. He was a mechanic by trade. Any chemists out there who can explain the workings of this? I'm not up to speed anymore on hydrocarbon chains.

[Buckster]

I believe there is a product called Heat or Heet that is supposed to remove water from gas. I have never used it. I do use Seafoam....not sure if it removes water from gas though.
I have used this as of this year. Seems to work just as good or better than Seafoam. Does not claim to remove water from fuel.
http://mystarbrite.com/startron//conten ... 3/lang,en/

[NoRRmad]

I see that ethanol is miscible with water...I wonder if that 10% in our gas is as good as a cup of Heet?

[MIXR]

I see that ethanol is miscible with water...I wonder if that 10% in our gas is as good as a cup of Heet?

Yes it is. Did some research and it has been suggested that a 10% mix of ethanol fuel (two litres or half a gallon in rough terms) will do the same job. I have run up to 3/4 of a tank of E10 in my R, and it ran fine. Wouldn't do it too often though.

As for my experiment - The fuel had settled out this morning and was back to being 'pure' petrol sitting on a mix of metho and water still in an emulsion. Further research and internet searching suggests that a couple of capfulls of metho every now and then with a reasonably full fuel tank is a good way to 'burn-out' water if you live in a water-prone area (constant wet weather or many temp changes that cause condensation in the tank).

Which reminds me - I'd better get the jar of fuel out of the house and away from the toaster!

[eduardobelmonte]

Instead of the fishing nylon proposed here to clean the drain hole I found the
"WEED EATER Round trimmer Line" sold in Walmart to be a much better "Sized" lien diameter wise.
It's UPC code is 0 2476102021 3
It costs less than 3 bucks, diameter = 0.080" length 80'

Of course you'll need two feet at the most.... But is works like a charm.

It's color is light green.

[Sunbeemer]

Any chemists out there who can explain the workings of this?

Metho (methyl alcohol or methanol, aka grain alcohol, etc) has a "polar" end (Oxygen + Hydrogen) and a "nonpolar" end (Carbon + Hydrogen) and will get between molecules of water (a "polar" solvent) and gasoline (a "non-polar" solvent) to make the water miscible in gasoline ("like dissolves like"), like the way soap helps grease dissolve in water.

Ethanol (which is methanol with an additional carbon atom) will also do it. Most of our gas here in the US has some ethanol in it which absorbs water from humid air and then can separate out when saturated.

[duegi]

Bicycle derailleur or brake cable works pretty well, you'll have to solder the end of the cable if it didn't come that way.

[DaveF]

How about a blast from a air compressor?