murraybob

One day my 92 Vette wouldn't start. The mechanic found several gallons of water in the tank. I have no idea how water got in there, since I use a locking gas cap. I have used a high pressure car wash a couple of times and maybe that's part of the problem. Has anyone else found water in their tank? How can water get in there?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

CorvetteMike2024

check the drain line on the rubber boot under the gas cap. If its plugged, water will sit high enough to enter the tank.

94z07fx3

Yup. And it won't have to be totally blocked off. Even a slow drain could let it build up in there long enough to get in the tank.

In addition to the most likely cause, identified by CorvetteMike, you could also be pumping it into the tank and paying $3/gal for it. Does your gas station move a lot of premium?

Frizlefrak

What Mike and 94z said on both accounts.

Loby 1

After every wash I check gas cap area to see if water is settling there. On occasion I also run a thin coat hanger wire through drain hole to keep it clear.

Just my 2 cents.

WW7

I put a nozzle on my air hose and put it against the hole in the boot and blow it out. You wouldn't believe the junk that shoots out . I do this about once a year and everytime theres junk in there. Like said above, if its not that then get your gas somewhere else....WW

murraybob

Great ideas. Thanks!

I wish I could remember where I last filled it up.


I do try to avoid the crummy stations, but I guess you never know.

onedef92

Pay attention to the drain around the fuel filler neck next time you wash your car. If it's not draining properly, you'll know pretty fast.

murraybob

I just checked the filler drain. It is plugged. It doesn't drain at all. Between a couple of automated car washes and being left outside during several rain storms, it is becoming clear as to what the problem is.

Thanks! You guys have been great help!

onedef92

Yup. A 10" section of pipe cleaner will take care of that problem pronto!

Frizlefrak

And then check it annually thereafter and you should be good.....

Jamesnns

Trust me, big name stations aren't any better all the time.

My local BP is just down the road...I'm a creature of habit.
My DD started bucking and spurttering....a few days ltr, my vette started doing it too.
I went to another BP on a major intersection and the problems went away on both cars.
Stupid me, I forgot the whole thing and put $10 in my DD from the local BP...problems bucking again.
Now I get my gas from the BP at the major intersection 100% of the time. I guess it's cause they get more traffic/volume.
Wierd thing, even the folks working at the local BP are creepy looking too.

pkazsr

Automated car washes?

L82shark

Check the pump also, ethanol will attract water in your tank. I put a new gas tank on my C3 right before I went to Afghanistan for a year and filled it up to cut down on the condensation. Ended up with over a gallon of water collecting in the tank while I was gone. Car was inside a locked garage the whole time. Same thing happened with my new boat.

murraybob

So I need to avoid ethanol. OK, thanks!

murraybob

I knew I would get called on that.

Fact is, my paint job is shot. Oxidized, gravel pits, and peeling. It hardly seems worth it to do hand washing.

However, I now have another reason to go ahead and wash by hand.

Moon86

I'll have to check that drain line. Run a wire down it, then use the compressed air. On another note..... who the heck is still buying BP gas after what they've done to the Gulf?

jnealg

I get BP gas cards as part of my wages. so I do.

do you still buy gas from Exxon?
Or amoco?
Or citgo?

or any other oil provider. (those listed are off the top of my head)

BP only owns 100 of the 900+ stations in the US. so remember that when calling for a boycott.

L82shark

Ethanol is harder and harder to avoid nowadays. Amoco used to have really good gas then they were bought out by BP. They now have ethanol in their gas also, at least at the local stations. I have one Shell station in my area that is the only source of non-ethanol gas that I have found. Chevron/Texaco=ethanol.

Carried my boat to the lake again yesterday after I had drained the water/gas from the tank (30 gals wasted). Took off, ran great a few minutes and died. Running out of fuel. Ended up pulling the fuel lines from the tank, they had collapsed and looked like spaghetti on the inside where they had disintegrated from the ethanol eating away at them. Two year old boat, I still call it new because I wasnt able to use it for a year. Ethanol sux-period.

Moon86

jnealg... Good point about about who owns what gas stations. I burn Sunoco but I don't know who they're owned by. I guess it's getting to be an automatic response to boo BP. But actually for all I know BP could own Sunoco. I'll have to find out. Sorry if I spoke out of turn.

Moon