Water in gas

[Papa Joe]

I somehow got water in may 50 gal inboard tank and discovered it when the water separator filter became full and shut down the engine. I have since drained the tank and removed the water, refilled with fresh gas 20 gal and added a qt of alcohol to remove any remaining water. I also removed the water in the carb bowl, and replaced the water separator filter. The engine is an inboard V6, 190 HP, 3 years old.<br /><br />Now when I start the engine it runs fine at high rpms but will not idle. Would this have anything to do with the alcohol, or do I need to have the carb rebuilt?

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Water in gas

Dont use alcohal in the gas.Dry gas is not recommended either.There are products that will help this at the marine centers.If you drained the tank and changed the fuel water sep you should be fine.Check carb. Charlie

 

[Don S]

Re: Water in gas

When you had the carb apart to clean it, did you use new gaskets to put it back together????? Did you get all the pieces back in the proper place?

 

[Papa Joe]

Re: Water in gas

I have already put the alcohol in the gas, and yes the gaskets are good. I did not completely rebuild the carb, only removed the top to soak up the water in the bowl and sprayed ports with cleaner. I still wonder if the alcohol in the gas is causing the idle problem.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Water in gas

What kind of alchohol did you use??

 

[Papa Joe]

Re: Water in gas

Isopropyl. I keep the good stuff for myself.

 

[tommays]

Re: Water in gas

i think that the partly rebuilt carb would be the best guess at this point<br /><br />it is rare that a carb gasket will last more than one time<br /><br />what did you do about the carb strainer were the fuel line connects<br /><br />tommays

 

[Papa Joe]

Re: Water in gas

Carb strainer is clean.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Water in gas

A quart for 20 gallons sounds to be a bit much.Though I doubt that is the problem,I would add more gas to what you have.Charlie

 

[KaGee]

Re: Water in gas

Originally posted by Papa Joe:<br /> Isopropyl. I keep the good stuff for myself.

I was gonna say...LOL <br /><br />Seriously, I have looked at the "ingredients" of the "marine" fuel additives, and isoprophyl is usually part of the concoction. I doubt that the alchohol is the problem.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Water in gas

Do you realize that a if you used the Isopropyl that is Rubbing alcohol, that at 70% the other 30% is water? You need to use the good marine stuff, or pharmacy grade isopropyl. I would use MDR Water Zorb...no alcohol<br />BUT...it still won't REMOVE water...just disperse it into tiny droplets so it will run through the motor. You need to do a few more flushes

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Water in gas

I would flush the tank again and add marine addative. Also you may still have some moisture somewhere in the carb causing your problem. It sounds like a minor problem once you find the source. If flushing tank again and running a full tank of treated gas through the boat does not help, go for a complete carb rebuild. You will probably find something in there that did not completely dry out.<br />How much water was in the tank and where did it come from?

 

[Papa Joe]

Re: Water in gas

Thanks for all the input. I think I will put in another 20 gal of gas and run it for a while to see if the problem corrects itself. Probably won't, but I will let you know what happens. I really hate to miss the fall run of fat alberts with a boat in the shop.

 

[Red Fuel]

Re: Water in gas

Put more fuel through it asap. It will remove the possible deposits in the jets of the carb as well as clean out that awful additive.