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After determining recent rough motor operation was caused by water in gas, I came up with some things that will help get rid of this persistent problem.
1. diagnosing is not that complicated, but you may get fooled because it may take a day or two for the rough motor operation to start. Water is in an emulsion when pumped into your fuel tank and takes awhile to separate out. Also, the large volume of gas in the tank will mask the effect of the water at first. The telltale signs of water in the fuel tank are rougher operation after cold starts and at wide open throttle (but not necessarily higher rpms) and difficulty starting the motor without depressing the gas pedal (the latter is also a symptom of low fuel pressure, but the WOT problem definitely isn't). Surprisingly, the motor will run horribly rough when water is in the fuel without triggering the CEL, I don't know why. Also, I experienced very erratic tachometer operation sometimes.
2. be patient. If there is a significant amount of water in the fuel tank, it is going to take awhile to get rid of it, and it is going to clear up and get worse several times as the tank level goes down. The problem will be worst when you first it start it in the morning. Overnight the water separates out in the tank as well as in the fuel line, especially during cold nights. Yep, it is going to get you when you need the car the most.
3. dry gas is your best friend (ethanol blend gasoline is even better, but is not widely available). It is most effective when used in a near empty tank. Don't dump several bottles in the tank all at once. It will just get burned off before it contacts the water phase. Start with one bottle and go as far as you can before you have to add more.
4. Mix the dry gas into the gasoline in the fuel tank after adding it by driving and though violent use of the brake pedal, preferably somewhere where you won't get rear ended.
5. the best dry gas product out there is isoheat (dry isopropyl alcohol). It absorbs more water than methanol-based dry gas and is not corrosive like methanol. $1.39 a bottle at Autozone.
6. be prepared for the roughest operation when the throttle is wide open. This is because water separates out in the low points of the fuel lines and only gets pushed into the motor when the fuel pressure regulator closes to maintain fuel rail pressure.
7. run the original tank of gas down as low as you can. I mean down to the point you just about run the tank dry. Otherwise some water will remain in the bottom of the tank and come back to haunt you. One bottle of dry gas on a near empty tank is remarkably effective, just finish that old tank of gas off before refilling.
8. don't ever buy gas again at the gas station where you got the water.
posted by 206.148.20...
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