Gasoline question and water seperation

davediehl@hotmail.com · Sep 14, 2015

I have always taken great pride in my great grandfathers original John Deere B that I restored. I have always kept the fuel tank full to the cap. I even go the extra step to draw out about 10 gallons of fuel once a month and pour in fresh just to keep the best as possible. Today I noticed a small amount of water that settled in the sediment bowl when I ran it. Though I do not run "box store" fuel around here, how long does it take to settle out water in regular gas? My fuel can is just for this tractor and sits with it empty in the garage. I'm not using any additives, but there was an obvious "bubble" of water seen today. The unit sits in a climate controlled garage and has never seen rain or even a sprinkle in more than 8 years.

Stephen Newell · Sep 14, 2015

Water can get into gas no matter how hard you try to keep it out. You can even get water right out of the pump regardless of where you buy. If there is any amount of air in the gas tank or the tank in the ground the gas company has condensation forms and settles in the gas.

Bob Bancroft · Sep 14, 2015

It sounds like you're using alcohol free gas, as I assume that little bit of water would have been absorbed by "gasohol"? I don't know why, maybe it's the extra unfiltered step in the process, or container, but it has always seemed to me that handling fuel in a carry around container, as opposed to pumping it straight from storage into a vehicle, results in more contamination.

It also sounds like you're going to extreme measures. Your sediment bowl is doing its job. All gas delivered to my farm has had alcohol in it for years, and it gets used in everything. Small engines, and infrequently used machines get marine grade Sta-bil. I have had zero problems with it.

FBH44 · Sep 14, 2015

Just for your own information and FYI, why not run yourself a little test? Take a small shot glass, fill with gasoline, and put in a eye-dropper of water. See what happens.

Steve@Advance · Sep 14, 2015

If this is happening with ethanol gas, there is a lot of water in there, so much it has overwhelmed the ability of the ethanol to absorb it. You could drain it and run it in with something that gets daily use if mixed with more fuel.

If you are using non ethanol gas, their was probably some water in the fuel when you bought it, and it has now settled to the bottom of the bowl. My concern would be, is this all the water, or is there an 1/8" or so still in the tank that hasn't found it's way to the trap?

Either way, might be a good time to drain it, dry out the tank, and start over with new gas. Or if the tractor is stored and not run, leave it completely empty, drain the carb, blow out the lines, and tie some silica gel packets to a string and drop them in the tank. No more draining and adding gas!

fixerupper · Sep 14, 2015

It's very common to have a small amount of water in gasoline. Like what was mentioned before that is part of the purpose of the sediment bowl. Back in the day when we used regular gas on this farm water in the sediment bowl was very common. Sometimes enough water would gather in the bowl to break the bowl when it froze.

Indiana Ken · Sep 14, 2015

A couple things to consider:

1) Gasoline will absorb and hold approximately 0.02% water at 60 degrees F. Any additional water will not be absorbed and will fall out as free water. The purpose of the sediment bowl is to collect the free water.

2) E-10 gasoline (90% gasoline and 10% ethanol) will absorb and hold approximately 0.5% water at 60 degrees F. Any additional water will not be absorbed and will fall out as a water/ethanol phase (phase separation). The sediment bowl will collect this water/ethanol phase.

3) As the temperature of the fuels are decreased, the ability to hold water is reduced. For example if you purchased 5 gallons gasoline at 60 degrees F and 0.02% water; at 20 degrees F approximately half of the absorbed water (2 CC) would fall out as free water.

4) In conclusion, even if one controls for zero condensation within the gasoline containers and tractor tank the water absorbed within the gasoline can fall out as free water due to temperature changes. For reference; 1 CC is approximately 30 drops.

da.bees · Sep 14, 2015

As Fixxerupper points out,water in gas was a problem years before some idio,,,,ahem,genious decided to add alcohol to gas. Drainning 10 gallons each month seems excessive,unless it's used elsewhere. I would think 1 gallon per month drawn through sediment bowl would be more than ample. That requires a tee and valve between bowl and carb but assures water sitting in tank is extracted. Pulling gas through filler neck leaves collected water in bottom of tank. BTW,good on you for preserving Grandpaw's tractor.

fixerupper · Sep 14, 2015

I didn't want to add to the ethanol debate because people's minds are pretty well set on the subject one way or the other.

Since I started using ethanol thirty years ago I have had no water problems in gasoline. None! Sometimes the fuel in the sediment bowl is cloudy but it burns all the same. I use probably 250 gallons of gasoline a year and have the overhead tank filled twice a year maybe a little less. My location is northwest Iowa where we have a good share of condensation dripping off the tin roofs on occasion.

old · Sep 14, 2015

I have my grandfathers 1935 JD-B I me I keep the gas tank empty unless I plan to run it. The tank looks nice and shiny on the inside and has ever since I can remember it and that is since I played on it as a kid. My grandfather kept it empty when he parked it also

Gasoline question and water seperation

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