[Farmall] Water (or something) in gasoline

Sun Aug 14 18:28:01 PDT 2011

Yes, I've completely drained my tank, several times, to a completely dry
state.  Whatever is happening is either coming in with the gas, or is the
result of some reaction or something else.  Once I thought it was
condensation, so I filled the tank completely full to the top and kept it
full.  The problem still occurred.  I keep coming back to the presence of
ethanol in the gas.  It seems to me that something is going on involving the
ethanol in some way.

On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 7:16 PM, Tommy Wilson <t17wilson at comcast.net> wrote:

> As someone who works in the fuel supply industry, you generally only
> find issues with water at the time that either the station or the
> piece of equipment is converted to ethanol blended gas. Stations go
> to great lengths to be sure their tanks are water free and change
> their type of pump filters at the time of conversion. What you are
> describing sounds like it could be that you had water in your tractor
> tank that the ethanol has attached to and small bits or it are coming
> through at different times. Have you drained your tank completely?
> Switching to a premium grade should make no difference so don't waste
> your money since your tractor does not need the extra octane.
>
> Tommy
>
> At 10:46 AM 8/14/2011, you wrote:
> >Tim, several of us have had problems such as you describe in our old
> >tractors and in our small equipment engines.  We figure that we've
> >been dealing with ethanol problems.   Our solution, and it has
> >worked so far, is to use gas without ethanol in it.  Some places
> >here in Georgia sell it and sometimes we have to get marine
> >fuel.  You can find places that sell ethanol free gas by going to
> >http://pure-gas.org/  .
> >
> >There are also some additives for use with ethanol gas.  Not sure
> >how well they work.  Stabil & Star Tron both make additives for
> >ethanol gas.  The problems we had were milky/cloudy clumps that
> >clogged up filters and carbs after fuel sat for a while in the
> >tanks.  Have read several theories that indicate ethanol attracts
> >water and after sitting a while (?) the ethanol begins to separate
> >from the gas & forms those cloudy clogs.
> >
> >Anyway, we have resolved out problems by using ethanol free gas and
> >treating it with stabil like we used to do.
> >
> >Good luck, H. Fry
> >
> >
> >On Aug 14, 2011, at 10:01 AM, Tim Savelle wrote:
> >
> > > The tractor has to stay outside because I don't have a shed large
> > enough for
> > > it, but I do keep a custom-fitted cover over it.  I purchase most of my
> gas
> > > from a local Texaco/Chevron convenience store.  I also purchase some
> from a
> > > Shell station, again a local convenience store.  All of this gas
> contains
> > > 10% ethanol.
> > >
> > > I have tried draining off the bottom of the tank.  It works for a few
> > > minutes, and then water again shows up on the bottom of the bowl.
>  Once, I
> > > disconnected the fuel line at the carburetor, put a hose on it, opened
> the
> > > pitcock, and drained the gas into a bucket.  I wanted to see what the
> gas
> > > looked like flowing into the bowl.  I was cloudy at first, then cleared
> up,
> > > but then I watched it for a few minutes.  It would run clear, and then
> a
> > > "puff" of cloudy liquid would appear, and then clear again.  If I
> > turned off
> > > the pitcock and let it sit, the water layer would reappear at the
> bottom of
> > > the bowl.  This is after I had drained out a couple of gallons of gas,
> and
> > > it continued until the gas tank was empty.  Twice I've had to
> completely
> > > drain the tank, and push a towel into the tank to soak up the remaining
> > > water in the depression at the bottom of the tank where the fuel
> valve/bowl
> > > assembly attached.  This is a replacement gas tank that I got and had
> > > painted by an auto body shop.  There aren't any cracks in the top where
> > > water could get in.  I ordered and use one of the tall vented gas caps
> to
> > > replace the original for safety reasons.
> > >
> > > Nobody is adding water to the tank.
> > >
> > > Could the gas I purchase have water in it like this?  Could throwing
> Stabil
> > > into the gas/ethanol mix cause problems like this?
> > >
> > > This has gotten to be such a pain that when I run the tractor weekly, I
> put
> > > just a little gas in the tank, drive it around enough to get it hot,
> and
> > > then drain the tank and fuel line.  I'm at a loss to know what's
> causing
> > > this and what to do about it.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the reply, Barney.  Any additional thoughts or questions?
> > > Anyone?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 8:49 AM, Barney Van De Weert
> > <bbvande at yahoo.com>wrote:
> > >
> > >> Do you keep the tractor inside or outside? Where do you buy your gas?
> That
> > >> is a lot of water to be showing up from condensation or even if
> > your tractor
> > >> sits outside. Ethanol draws moisture but also absorbs it so it should
> help
> > >> your problem not compound it. You should be able to let the
> > tractor sit and
> > >> drain the bottom of the tank off- you shouldn't have to dispose
> > of your gas.
> > >> Water and Gas do not mix and will separate when left alone for a
> while.
> > >>
> > >> Also is there any way someone could be adding water to it when you are
> not
> > >> around? Kids Grandkids etc?
> > >>
> > >> Barney Van De Weert
> > >>
> > >> From: Tim Savelle <tim.savelle at gmail.com>
> > >> To: Farmall/IHC mailing list <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> > >> Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2011 9:45 PM
> > >> Subject: [Farmall] Water (or something) in gasoline
> > >>
> > >> I've got a 1949 H.  I'm having a perpetual problem with what appears
> to be
> > >> water in my gas.  I've tried keeping the gas tank full at all times,
> and
> > >> also tried Stabil.  Nothing seems to help.  After about 3 or 4 weeks
> > >> following a fresh tank of gas I notice a water layer collecting at the
> > >> bottom of the fuel bowl after I start it.  Twice I've had to drain the
> > >> entire gas tank and dispose of the gas.  Here in my part of
> > Georgia all the
> > >> gasoline is 10% ethanol.  Could this be an ethanol-related issue?  I
> can't
> > >> imagine that much condensation inside the tank when I keep the gas
> tank
> > >> full
> > >> to the top.  It just seems like the gasoline "goes bad".  Is
> > that possible?
> > >> Anyone got any insight or suggestions?  Thanks, Tim
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> Tommy Wilson
> Warrenton, VA
> 1948 IH Cub
> 1950 IH H
> 1950 JD AR
> 1951 Ford 8N
> 1951 JD B
> 1952 IH SC
>
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