Water in gas, specific fix?, Bike ran like crap this morn Options

[Brando]

I start up the bike to ride to work this morning. Starts fine, idles fine, runs great.

I go to a local Chevron station and fill up, premium.

About 2 minutes after I leave, merging into traffic, the bike starts sputtering and running really rough. I decide not to risk it and it starts running worse yet. I stall about twice coming from a stop on my way back home (to get the teener), had to idel at 2k to keep it from dying.

I think I might have gotten some bad gas, maybe too much water blended in? I know I'm going to have to drain the tank, but what else can I do to clean the water out? Hopefully there's no damage to anything. I've never had this problem before... What kind of recourse can I get from the station? Are there specific products for getting water out of the fuel system?

[messix]

a bottle or 2 of "heat" absorbs water in gas.

[purple]

I had a similar problem in my mini, also from a chevron station. I ended up putting shell in and that got rid of the CEL.

drain the tank?

[Allan]

There should be a drain plug at the bottom of the float bowl(s). You can loosen them and drain them into a clear container to look for water.

It's heavier than gas. I had the same problem and ended up draining the tank. I put the old fuel into my car and re-filled the bike.

[Brando]

Float bowl, wha? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Bike is motronic...

Tank is getting drained regardless. I just dont know if the water will plug the little filters in the tops of the injectors or ... anything else. Maybe I could drain the tank, pour a bottle of Isopropyl alcohol in there, slosh it around and let it evaporate out too...

My main concern is not having more to fix...

[Allan]

Float bowl, wha? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Bike is motronic...

Oops, old skool here... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Cap'n Krusty]

In CA it's pretty unlikely you have water in the fuel, 'cause the tanks are equipped with water alarms that shut down the pumps. We had a similar incident recently, and I think the end cause was diesel in the gasoline tank at the station. Keep us posted, I'd like to know what actually happened. The Cap'n

[Brando]

Diesel causes the same symptoms Cap'n? Never ran diesel in a petrol engine before so i wouldn't know.

In CA it's pretty unlikely you have water in the fuel, 'cause the tanks are equipped with water alarms that shut down the pumps. We had a similar incident recently, and I think the end cause was diesel in the gasoline tank at the station. Keep us posted, I'd like to know what actually happened. The Cap'n

[Cap'n Krusty]

As far as a gasoline engine is concerned, diesel might as well be water, or beer, or soda. It's not likely to ignite. The Cap'n

[toon1]

As far as a gasoline engine is concerned, diesel might as well be water, or beer, or soda. It's not likely to ignite. The Cap'n

MMMMMM BEEEEER (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Brando]

So, I worked on the bike this morning.

Started the bike up again... Paid more attention to the noise it was making. 2 cylinders working, 1 sometimes kicking in.

Basic check time... Air, fuel, spark...

I got air, brand new filter.

Smell the exhaust gas and WOAH rich...

I start pulling plugs to see which hole is dead... #1 in the front. Under all the faring. Hardest to get to without taking the plastic off. I pull the connector for the injector and it runs on 2 cylinders, smells fine.

I pull spark plug connectors and find #1 as well, no difference.

Take all the plugs out, clean 'em, regap 'em, put 'em back in... Runs great. Noticed quite a bit of oil fouling on the plugs so... no more parking on the side-stand.

Gasoline is just fine.

Durf :\

[Joe Bob]

Water alarms? Not inside the tanks....the alarms are for the plenum (open space between the two tank walls). They sound off if water or fuel migrates from inside or outside the plenum.

Water in gas is not common, there are filters and knock out pots. But if the operator is low maintenance those can be overwhelmed and water can pumped into the tank of your car. Especially if the gas level in the underground tank is low or there was a recent fuel drop.

I got a load of bad gas about 3 years ago in my 911. I pulled and replaced my filter, and drained my tank. I kept the fuel and called the local Agricultural Commisioner/Weights and Measures Department. They pulled a tank sample and also tested my sample.

It had entrained water and they made them pump the tank and clean it. I made the mistake of purchasing a mid grade that day. I was in a hurry and the station had older style pumps that had either 87/89 or 87/91 octane....I didn't realize that I was pumping mid grade until I was 3/4 full.

They also were a station that didn't have a blend valve. Most places only have two tanks or just 87 and 91...they "make" the midgrade on site by combing the two.....anyways, this one didn't and the gas had been sitting a while and was low in the tank....I sucked up the dregs.

Afterwards they put in blend valves. They also bought me a new filter and a full tank of gas....

[Bartlett 914]

Whenever I see a tanker filling the station I drive on to the next station for gas. I have heard that the tanker filling the below ground tanks causes any sediments to get mixed up. This stuff may find it into your tank. It has happened to me.

[Joe Bob]

Whenever I see a tanker filling the station I drive on to the next station for gas. I have heard that the tanker filling the below ground tanks causes any sediments to get mixed up. This stuff may find it into your tank. It has happened to me.

Good idea....even with a submerged fill tube which allows for a smoother fuel transfer as a opposed to splash fill, the fuel drop can cause internal pressures to increase because of gas turning into vapor. This is due to differences in temperature of the fuel being dropped and the fuel in the tanker. The system is pressure tight...or is supposed to be....but when I test the tanks, we wait at least a 1/2 hour so that it gets equalized. BTW...the pressure relief valve is only set at 3 inches of water column....look THAT up in yer Funk and Wagnall's.....

Newer vapor recovery systems will trap more vapor and computer monitoring systems will get better at the quality of dispensed fuel...but there is STILL a chance of getting some crap....

Like I mentioned before...there is a water trap and filter in the dispenser but if not changed out they are worthless junk. Slow fuel delivery is another indicator. Normally at WOT the gas should be delivered at 6-8 gpm.

[Cap'n Krusty]

My mistake. I misunderstood the function of the water alarm. I yield to your more informed reasoning. The Cap'n

[Joe Bob]

No problem....the damn things have more alarms than you can shake a stick at. They even have an overfill alarm. You would think that with a computer monitoring the inventory that they can figure out how much can fit in the stoopid tank...

The BIGGEST problem is having two different agencies regulating the same systems with a division of parts and controls that has overlaps.

I once had a dork from another agency require a contractor to disassemble a vapor recovery pipe system that I had JUST pressure checked one hour before so that he could check to see if a ball float valve was still in place. What a freaking idiot....he didn't see the problem.....one of the MANY reasons I'm looking forward to retirement.