Water getting in gas tank

[Fingerflicker]

I am not a "fair weather" rider, so this year I started getting water in my gas tank during my commute to/from work. Has anyone else been experiencing this problem? This has never been a problem in the last 4 years since I purchased the bike. I bought a bike cover thinking this would help when it sits outside, but when it started misfiring a few blocks from work I knew it had to be sucking in water during the ride. I can't seem to get the gaskets for the gas cap by themselves, so I had to buy the whole cap assembly hoping this will solve my problem. I recently tried to clear out the gas cap and vent line after the first time it happened, but it did not work. Can anyone else suggest other areas to look at while I wait for the gas cap? Weather man says it will rain in the Bay area next week, and the cap is supposed to be in this Friday.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

With the gas cap open there should be an orifice for draining ( for over filling/water intrusion). There should also be a line connected to this that dumps down to the ground. Its sounds as if your hose is kinked. You should be able to easily blow thru this line with an air compressor. If you overfill with fuel, gas will also come out this hose. Make sure its clear and not kinked.....

 

[fjrchooser]

Could your favorite station be passing along water from their own tanks ? I wouldn't think a few blocks would be enough time for

freshly-leaked-in water to make it through the fuel system and into the combustion chambers.

 

[bob-st]

I have read on this forum that a blocked fuel vent tube will create a vacuum in the fuel tank. But I don't recall of any cases where it sucked in rain water.

You may be the first with this problem. Sometimes it sux to be the leader.

 

[Solo]

I'd also be suspicious of the gas you pumping into your tank. Try using a different gas station and see if that solves the problem

 

[Burnspot]

From my days of truck driving...water can enter the tank via normal condensation also. A partially filled tank, coupled with temp changes, can produce condensation inside the tank. One of a myriad of possibilities...

I'd also question the gas station you're doing fill-ups at. I remember really struggling with a tank of fuel in my old 454 LTD years ago after filling up at one station in Laguna Beach, CA...turns out it had a ton of water in it.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Maybe you should be adding some Sea Foam during the winter cold months? Kinda like putting drygas in your vehicles.

Dave

 

[Aasland]

Is the misfire your only clue that there's water in the tank? How do you REALLY know it's water, and not another problem?

 

[JamesK]

I would think that if your breather hose is blocked you should be hearing hissing sounds from the tank de-pressurizing when opening the gas cap? Also, if you suspect some water in the tank why not eliminate that as an issue by popping the tank off and draining it out, or even flushing it with some good gas while off the bike?

 

[DonRed7]

Not a solution to the water getting in and i havent tried this on the FJR but did with my 03' YZf600 with suprising results one bored winter weekend during storage while thinking about condensation in the tank. I used a large syringe with a 16 inch bit of flexible air tubing, got it together and rooted it to where i thought it was at the bottom left corner of the tank (very gently/slowly of course). I was quite amazed at the amount of moisture and bits of dirt that 3 or 4 extractions of the plunger were able to remove. I will be trying this with the FJR this spring as 3 yrs of fueling up must have a lot of crap in there. Just ask Howie..

Don

 

[Fingerflicker]

With the gas cap open there should be an orifice for draining ( for over filling/water intrusion). There should also be a line connected to this that dumps down to the ground. Its sounds as if your hose is kinked. You should be able to easily blow thru this line with an air compressor. If you overfill with fuel, gas will also come out this hose. Make sure its clear and not kinked.....

I blew out the line with an air hose, but did not check to see if it was kinked. I will look into that this weekend. Thanks.

 

[Fingerflicker]

Could your favorite station be passing along water from their own tanks ? I wouldn't think a few blocks would be enough time forfreshly-leaked-in water to make it through the fuel system and into the combustion chambers.

I have not had a bad experience in the past from the station I use, but there is always a first time. The misfire didn't start until the end of my 60 mile commute, which is why I think it was my gas cap leaking. The weather has been good this week and there has been no mis-firing engine. Looking forward to the new cap so I can test it next week in the rain.

 

[Fingerflicker]

I would think that if your breather hose is blocked you should be hearing hissing sounds from the tank de-pressurizing when opening the gas cap? Also, if you suspect some water in the tank why not eliminate that as an issue by popping the tank off and draining it out, or even flushing it with some good gas while off the bike?

I didn't hear any hissing sounds when I opened the cap. I tried draining the tank, but was in a hurry and couldn't figure it out soon enough before running out of time for family events. I eventually just bought some Heet gas treatment and running the gas out on my way to work the next work day. Ran fine after that until the next rainy day.

 

[Fingerflicker]

Not a solution to the water getting in and i havent tried this on the FJR but did with my 03' YZf600 with suprising results one bored winter weekend during storage while thinking about condensation in the tank. I used a large syringe with a 16 inch bit of flexible air tubing, got it together and rooted it to where i thought it was at the bottom left corner of the tank (very gently/slowly of course). I was quite amazed at the amount of moisture and bits of dirt that 3 or 4 extractions of the plunger were able to remove. I will be trying this with the FJR this spring as 3 yrs of fueling up must have a lot of crap in there. Just ask Howie..
Don

Reading your post reminded me that I have a gas hand pump somewhere in the garage, I hadn't used it in years and forgot all about it. I'll have to find it and have it ready for next time! Thanks everyone for all your input. I'll repost after I install the gas cap and ride in the rain again. My next problem just started today: a vibration on the front end that feels like a chunk of my front tire is missing. Everything on the front end is tight and the tires look good. I think it's a front wheel bearing going bad. When it rains, it pours....

 

[Zorlac]

"I eventually just bought some Heet gas treatment"

Supposedly the red containers (ISO Heet) in high concentration in the tank are better than the yellow ones for emulsifying the water.

 

[S76]

Is the gas you are using contain MTBE? The gas pump should say so. That is a bad additive that is like a moisture sponge. Keeping the tank full will help some.

Just guessing, but if your cap gasket is leaking water in, wouldn't it also leak gas out when full and bouncing down the road?

Gas station tanks always have a few inches of water in the bottom. If they don't pump them out on occasion it will get high enough to be sucked up by the pumps. That would be my fist suspect.

 

[UHOH]

I'd try filling up at a station with the ethanol gas mixture.

ethanol blends with water, which pure gas won't of course.

Up here (WA) these stations all have the 'contains ethanol' label on the pump.

 

[Fingerflicker]

Is the gas you are using contain MTBE? The gas pump should say so. That is a bad additive that is like a moisture sponge. Keeping the tank full will help some.
Just guessing, but if your cap gasket is leaking water in, wouldn't it also leak gas out when full and bouncing down the road?

Gas station tanks always have a few inches of water in the bottom. If they don't pump them out on occasion it will get high enough to be sucked up by the pumps. That would be my fist suspect.

I haven't seen any MTBE gas here in CA for a while, they phased it out due to the cancer causing properties collecting in our underground water wells. I have watched the cap after I fill up and during my ride, but have not seen any gas leak out of the cap. I usually fill up on my way home from work so I have one less thing to do to get ready to go to work. If the new cap doesn't fix my problem than that would be $130 for nothing.

 

[Bounce]

Add a fuel filler PM to your annual maint schedule.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/ff/ff.html