Water in gas tank

WTL · 11-13-09, 07:11 PM

In the past month or so, somehow a decent amount of water got in my portable gas tank. I don't want to screw the motor up, I have got rid of most of the gas, but how do I clean the residue in the tank? Will a good sloshing around of seafoam do?

WaffleJaw · 11-13-09, 07:24 PM

When I use to work on cars,my boss at the time,would use kerosene to clean out old gas tanks of residue and never had a problem..Im dont know anything about using seafoam.

nofearengineer · 11-13-09, 07:37 PM

Can you turn the gas can over so the water "sinks" to the top? And then just pop the cap while it's upside down and see if it flushes out the water?

(Obviously, do this over some sort of container to catch the fuel.)

I would still use a can of seafoam with my next tank, just to be sure.

WTL · 11-13-09, 07:44 PM

I can turn it upside down, but really I've gotten everything but some of the " wet gumminess" out of the bottom. Really I guess I am just trying to cross the Is and dot the Ts and prevent any problems with residue left.

Not sure where I would get kero, but my dad called a few minutes back and suggested sloshing some rubbing alcohol around then dumping that.

flfireman · 11-13-09, 10:37 PM

Rubbing alcohol will work. Ive dumped a bottle in my tank before because of water. it actually worked.

1FASTLASER · 11-14-09, 10:05 AM

PLEASE be sure and get the alcohol out of the tank before running the engine......alcohol aint real good on a 2 stroke motor. Kersosene,white gas ora little real gass with maybe some seafoam should cut the gum out.

Mac2 · 11-15-09, 08:17 AM

I had a water problem in my tank from using methonal-gas. I didn't have much and it was taken care of by adding seafoam and a dryer. Since switching to non methanol gas it's cleared up. The dryer was made by Mercury Marine and as a stabilizer the mechanic said it was better than StaBil. Found it at the marina.

WTL · 11-15-09, 09:48 PM

Thanks to everyone who replied. What I ended up doing was dumping the gas, then I sloshed the tank with rubbing alcohol, dumped that, then put a little more gas in there and sloshed that, then dumped it, then filled it up with fresh gas, seafoam and oil.

Ran maybe even a bit better than normal today. Did cough a little after dark when the air cooled, but it always does that and I think its just one of this motors peculiar gremlems...

Abbeysdad · 11-18-09, 01:01 PM

Sounds like you did well - I hear that every [good] motor has it's idiosyncrasies. My 90HP Mercury 2 stroke runs fantastic....but has a somewhat raspy, slightly rough idle.

11-13-09, 07:11 PM	#1
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Water in gas tank In the past month or so, somehow a decent amount of water got in my portable gas tank. I don't want to screw the motor up, I have got rid of most of the gas, but how do I clean the residue in the tank? Will a good sloshing around of seafoam do?

11-13-09, 07:24 PM	#2
WaffleJaw BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas,TX (DFW) Posts: 2,212	When I use to work on cars,my boss at the time,would use kerosene to clean out old gas tanks of residue and never had a problem..Im dont know anything about using seafoam. __________________ [nelsoncustomrods.com]

11-13-09, 07:37 PM	#3
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Can you turn the gas can over so the water "sinks" to the top? And then just pop the cap while it's upside down and see if it flushes out the water? (Obviously, do this over some sort of container to catch the fuel.) I would still use a can of seafoam with my next tank, just to be sure. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

11-13-09, 10:37 PM	#5
flfireman BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 2,751	Rubbing alcohol will work. Ive dumped a bottle in my tank before because of water. it actually worked. __________________ In the Lord all things are possible.

11-14-09, 10:05 AM	#6
1FASTLASER BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: crossett,arkansas Posts: 2,777	PLEASE be sure and get the alcohol out of the tank before running the engine......alcohol aint real good on a 2 stroke motor. Kersosene,white gas ora little real gass with maybe some seafoam should cut the gum out. __________________ Laser's rule with Merc's doing the pushing..........KEEP THE WETSIDE DOWN AND THE DRY SIDE UP!!!!!!

11-13-09, 07:44 PM	#4
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	I can turn it upside down, but really I've gotten everything but some of the " wet gumminess" out of the bottom. Really I guess I am just trying to cross the Is and dot the Ts and prevent any problems with residue left. Not sure where I would get kero, but my dad called a few minutes back and suggested sloshing some rubbing alcohol around then dumping that.

11-15-09, 08:17 AM	#7
Mac2 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 389	I had a water problem in my tank from using methonal-gas. I didn't have much and it was taken care of by adding seafoam and a dryer. Since switching to non methanol gas it's cleared up. The dryer was made by Mercury Marine and as a stabilizer the mechanic said it was better than StaBil. Found it at the marina.

11-15-09, 09:48 PM	#8
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Thanks to everyone who replied. What I ended up doing was dumping the gas, then I sloshed the tank with rubbing alcohol, dumped that, then put a little more gas in there and sloshed that, then dumped it, then filled it up with fresh gas, seafoam and oil. Ran maybe even a bit better than normal today. Did cough a little after dark when the air cooled, but it always does that and I think its just one of this motors peculiar gremlems...

11-18-09, 01:01 PM	#9
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Sounds like you did well - I hear that every [good] motor has it's idiosyncrasies. My 90HP Mercury 2 stroke runs fantastic....but has a somewhat raspy, slightly rough idle. __________________ Fish now, work later

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