How Is Water Getting In My Gas Tank?

Discussion in 'Gas Engines' started by Noob2U, Jul 9, 2009.

  1. Luckless
    Joined: Mar 2009
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    Location: PEI, Canada

    Luckless Senior Member

    Chalking is what you get when you write stuff when you're tired and talking to someone about an art project.

    But either way they're options for detecting tampering with equipment. And actually chalk would be another good option to use.
     
  2. FAST FRED
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    Location: Conn in summers , Ortona FL in winter , with big d

    FAST FRED Senior Member

    "And actually chalk would be another good option to use."


    But not as satisfying as razor blades and crazy glue!

    FF
     
  3. Luckless
    Joined: Mar 2009
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    Location: PEI, Canada

    Luckless Senior Member

    I prefer tamper detection devices that don't send me to the ER if I forget about them. Maybe that's just me however.
     
  4. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
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    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    So Noob, what has been happening lately?
     
  5. Robtam
    Joined: Jul 2016
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    Location: Montana

    Robtam New Member

    Water in Gas

    We have a 2004 Reinell that after being stores in heated garage for winter shoes same symptoms. Water in fuel filter. 25% gas and 75% water. We have had it into Reinell dealer they think someone adding water to gas tank. This is NOT a possibility. We were told they drained the tank completely and added 15 gallons fresh gas. We took boat to lake and within 30 seconds had water in Gas separator/ fuel filter. We have NO idea what is causing this. Does anyone have ANY suggestions on whst to do.
     
  6. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Can you post a photo of your fuel vent?
     
  7. Krusty Crab
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: Northern California

    Krusty Crab New Member

    Vent

    Your vent line for your gas tank is plumbed incorrectly. Look up proper installation.
     
  8. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I must have had a lot of boats with wrongly plumbed vent lines, most would accumulate water if the tank was near empty and left unused too long, so what do consider the proper set-up ?
     
  9. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    http://images.boats.com/resize/wp/2/files/2016/05/Attwood-System-Diagram-835px.jpg

    Above is the new requirements that show the new regulations, at least for the USA where the vent line passes through a filter to knock out fuel fumes.

    Two main concerns

    The exterior fitting should not be in a position where water can get in. From
    a) rain b) water moving up the side of the boat in high sea states, or as simple as c) not introducing water into the vent through a high pressure washing system


    The vent line should run from the exterior vent upwards to form an inverted U so any water that might get into the vent has to run uphill to a point, so it is in fact self draining. The higher the better and the longer the better

    As far as the vent providing air to help permit filling, ie no back pressure. The vent line should never have a low spot that can accumulate fuel as if the fuel lays in a low spot it can hinder proper ventilation.

    Robtams comments were a little ambiguous. He said that he has 75% water and 25% fuel in the tank. If the tank was full with fuel at the time. Where did all the fuel go when the water ratio grew to 75%. So I suspect that he means that the fuel filter was 75% water and 25% fuel.

    Not sure how old the boat was, BUT it is unlikely that they DRAINED the tank as there is not supposed to be a drain on a gasoline tank, ABYC rules. But if they just pumped the tank through the pick up line, then they would not get all of the water out of the tank as the fuel pickup will have clearance beneath the draw pipe.
    So if the filter had 75% water in it, then when they did the sea trial the water perhaps moved to the rear of the tank where the draw line could pick up the water and fill the filter.

    Robtam is from Montana, cold in the winter, not a lot of water in the air, ie the relative humidity might be high but the amount of actual water vapor in the air will be low. In order for the vapor to condense out, you will need quite a few, maybe hundreds or more of situations where the vapor hit a dew point, and dropped out of the air into the gas. And there would have to be quite a lot of fresh air moving through the vent regularly to replenish the water vapor in the air and hence the water in the tank.
    Unlikely

    I think the focal point should be is to pump all the fuel out through the fuel fill line. You need a proper fuel pump, ie non sparking etc. dry the tank out, clean the filter bowl and there should not be a problem

    A question to Robtam is how many gallons of water is in your tank? or did you mean only the filter bowl

    If there is a lot in the tank, let me know the size of the tank in gallons, and the amount of fuel that was in it, and if the boat is stored in a heated garage, and I will see if I can calculate the amount of water that might drop out of the air in those conditions
     
  10. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    Robtam asked that question and never returned.
     
  11. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    Actually it was Robtams boat that he introduced on this 2009 original thread.

    So I was just asking about his Reinell

    I am guessing here, but it seemed like he was thinking that storing a boat in a heated garage might cause a condensate issue where a fuel tank could accumulate 75% of the volume as water.
     
  12. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    With over 5 feet of rainfall in Monroe Wa, perhaps this might be possible. haha, could not resist, 5 feet of rain.
    I am thinking breathing through gills and webbed feet
     
  13. Krusty Crab
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: Northern California

    Krusty Crab New Member

    Vent tip

    The vent image shows it to be plumbed with a high point above opening so any water splashed in will fall out of line. Or there are types a vent fittings that prevent water all in one. An article in boat magazine gives tips. www.boatingmag.com/five-boat-vent-tips
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Link wasn't working for me when I tried it, but I do understand the principle of the vent opening needing to be lower. However, the claim was that water had accumulated in his tank over a period when the boat was kept indoors, which means no rain water entering any way.
     

  15. Krusty Crab
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: Northern California

    Krusty Crab New Member

    Could have accumulated pre storage. Just an FYI. Seen water build up in the gallons from bad vent. Draining gas tank for storage best idea.
     
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