Possible water in gas tank

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
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I suspect I may have water in my gas tank. I am having performance issues as you may see from some a earlier post. This is a new boat still under warrantee but I am reluctant to take it in as we are in the middle of summer and don't want to be boatless, LOL. So feel free to comment, here's what I am going to go.

1) Change the fuel water separator.

2) pump out some gas and check to see if water is present. I'm going to use my oil pump to see if I can get to the very bottom of the tank

3) put some stuff in the tank that will get rid of the water, note if I see water from step 2 I will completely drain the tank and replace with fresh gas
link to what I was thinking I could use ( http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rislone-water-remover-gas-dryer-177-ml-0388040p.html#.VbDt5KNza70 )

If there is an Iboats product to use I will.
 

alldodge

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I suspect I may have water in my gas tank. I am having performance issues as you may see from some a earlier post. This is a new boat still under warrantee but I am reluctant to take it in as we are in the middle of summer and don't want to be boatless, LOL. So feel free to comment, here's what I am going to go.

1) Change the fuel water separator.

2) pump out some gas and check to see if water is present. I'm going to use my oil pump to see if I can get to the very bottom of the tank

3) put some stuff in the tank that will get rid of the water, note if I see water from step 2 I will completely drain the tank and replace with fresh gas
link to what I was thinking I could use ( http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rislone-water-remover-gas-dryer-177-ml-0388040p.html#.VbDt5KNza70 )

If there is an Iboats product to use I will.

Just do number one, but get a gallon ziplock and dump the contents into it. If there is water in the tank there will be some in the filter.

Gas dryer is just Ethel alcohol (Ethanol) and it comes by a lot of different brand names. The alcohol absorbs water and holds it in suspension so it can be burned.

What are your performance issues your seeing?
 

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
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My new boat and ran at 54 mph, by the GPS. Over the weekend it dropped to 49 and now runs at 47 MPH (all speeds are GPS). Since them I have just used supper gas and ran two tanks through. I am not necessarily a speed daemon but if the boat is capable I will give it a try now and then.

Thanks for the input. Filters are cheep, $12 so I will get two and keep one as a spare. If I find water in the filter should I empty the tank or just drive and check the filter later?
 

Suprathepeg

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 25, 2015
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Put the Ethanol into the tank, fill with premium, change the filter and run it. If you have a built in tank getting the water out can be a difficult task as it like to sit in the lowest part of the tank. The more likely result of water in the tank is a blown head gasket or messing up the valve train, your performance shouldn't be effected by water in the tank without doing some damage to the engine. If the water is suspended it will run through fine, if its sitting and being sucked into the cylinder it will likely hydrolic the engine.
 

roffey

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Hmm, got to keep in mind this is a brand new boat. Not saying that can't happen but I don't run it hard and this machine is meticulously taken care of, but something to keep in the back of my mind. very far back .... in fact trying to to think of it, LOL
 

roffey

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lol ready my response and still trying to figure out what supper gas is or at least how to use it in the boat.
 

alldodge

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used supper gas and ran two tanks............... Thanks for the input. Filters are cheep, $12 so I will get two and keep one as a spare. If I find water in the filter should I empty the tank or just drive and check the filter later?

Running super gas is fine but the boat won't run any better, it will just cost you more. If you find water and there is a lot in the filter then may need to do something else. My guess with the drop in speed just over the weekend is bad gas, or something in the fuel system is the issue. If filter is clean and clear you might ask if the dealer for their opinion before hauling it in
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
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6,761
Do you have any other driveabllity issues now with staring, idling, holeshot, midrange cruising?

I know your engine description says TKS, but still wondering even though it is carbed if there is a rev limiter. If so maybe it was not working at first and now it is. Your previous posts describing 5300 rpm before and then all of a sudden only 4900 rpm with no other driveability issues just seems like a more safe and sane rpm,and big brother is watching out for you. If holeshot is still good, and no midrange issues then maybe the next higher pitch prop would get that few MPH back and still be below insane RPM range.
 

roffey

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I agree all good advice. No drivability issues and motor seem to run fine. Some times at speed, 3200 RPM it feels like its going through weeds and could be as parts of my lake are weedy. I asked a dealer who reports the max RPM is 4800 so I must have been mistaken maybe this is just a break in. I did purchase a spare prop and it made no difference. When I first got the boat the dealer reported the boat was a 55 MPH boat. I did test it with a GPS and it did not hit 55 but was 53 something. I was told by a dealer to run super as the regular gas has to much ethanol and will displace water in the tank (not sure if displace is correct word, separate maybe?). I did run regular gas from August until last month, since then its been super and two tanks full. I'll try the filter and if no change I am just going to leave it until fall when I hall it out and have the dealer to his inspection on it.
 
Last edited:

smokeonthewater

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soooo your drop in speed comes at the same time as you changed fuel???????????????????

if so go back to regular!


are you leaving this boat in the water???? if so it is likely slowing down because you are getting scum n such built up on the bottom... pull it out n wipe it's bottom!


you already HAD a thread on this topic... starting another only confuses people.
 

Texasmark

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Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,946
I suspect I may have water in my gas tank. I am having performance issues as you may see from some a earlier post. This is a new boat still under warrantee but I am reluctant to take it in as we are in the middle of summer and don't want to be boatless, LOL. So feel free to comment, here's what I am going to go.


3) put some stuff in the tank that will get rid of the water, ( http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rislone-water-remover-gas-dryer-177-ml-0388040p.html#.VbDt5KNza70 )

If there is an Iboats product to use I will.

Word of caution on that one. I used a product many years ago that was designed to do that and wound up with a white milky slime that clogged my fuel line and brought me to an abrupt stop in the middle of a lake on a windy day. I don't remember anything about it other than it was supposed to remove water from your tank. Apparently the blob was the chemical and the water that was in my tank. Once I disassembled the fuel line and used the bulb to pump it all out, reassembling it and all, I had no more problems and I didn't worry about water any more....if i had it I had it.
 

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,206
soooo your drop in speed comes at the same time as you changed fuel???????????????????

if so go back to regular!


are you leaving this boat in the water???? if so it is likely slowing down because you are getting scum n such built up on the bottom... pull it out n wipe it's bottom!


you already HAD a thread on this topic... starting another only confuses people.

The other thread was performance problems with the boat. I would agree this is the same issue but started off asking how to detect and remove water from the tank and did not want to change direction of the thread. My issues started while I was using regular fuel and was told by the dealer to run high test through and see if the problem cleared. My boat is on a lift and only is in the water for a couple of days a week and I do clean the bottom of the boat for the exact reasons you mentioned.

Sorry for any confusion, I am willing to let both threads die a natural death as I have a plan of attack now. Change the filter, check for water and if that is a fail i will take it back to the dealer.
 

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
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Texasmark " Word of caution on that one. I used a product many years ago that was designed to do that and wound up with a white milky slime that clogged my fuel line and brought me to an abrupt stop in the middle of a lake on a windy day" this is info I was looking for as I have heard the stuff for removing water can do more harm than good. Thanks for the warning.
 
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