Bloody Injuns watering down the petrol again! I need a water trap...

[Max Preload]

For the second time in just over a year I've been struck by a large dose of water in my petrol tank.

The first time was after filling at Shell Turangi on the way to the Cold Kiwi last year - I got a misfire at anything over very small throttle openings in the first section of Desert Road at about 2130hr on the Friday. It cleared, and didn't return until about 2 weeks after I got back when I spent a bit of time on reserve and it pulled it into the carbs big time and the bike wouldn't do anything but idle.

This time, I filled up at a BP on Friday night (as I usually do because I prefer the 98 Ultimate) and as I was leaving I noticed the tanker was there. That gave me an uneasy feeling.

Then tonight after a trip to Karekare and a mates place out west for dinner & fireworks, on the same tank as I filled on Friday, I felt the familiar symptoms of watery fuel - the same misfire. Luckily I was only a couple of kms from home when this occured, so I nursed it back and stripped it down and pulled the carbs off - my suspicions were confirmed - muchos dihydrogen monoxide - I drained about 150mL from the tank in total with about 10 flushes and decants of fuel to collect the water.

Has anyone seen a water trap system small enough to put on a bike than can be drained without any disassembly? My carb float bowls are completely inaccessible when the carbs are on the bike, so I'd like to fit a water trap before the pump that I can see the contents of and drain as required.

[portokiwi]

Shit which BP. use 98 as well.:(

[98tls]

Smallest one ive ever seen was still about 9 inches tall which is no good to ya.

[98tls]

:doh:These guys claim to make one for bikes/scooters.http://www.commerce.com.tw/modules.php?modules=company&action=company_inside&ID=E0116695

[ElCoyote]

For the second time in just over a year I've been struck by a large dose of water in my petrol tank.

The first time was after filling at Shell Turangi on the way to the Cold Kiwi last year - I got a misfire at anything over very small throttle openings in the first section of Desert Road at about 2130hr on the Friday. It cleared, and didn't return until about 2 weeks after I got back when I spent a bit of time on reserve and it pulled it into the carbs big time and the bike wouldn't do anything but idle.

This time, I filled up at a BP on Friday night (as I usually do because I prefer the 98 Ultimate) and as I was leaving I noticed the tanker was there. That gave me an uneasy feeling.

Then tonight after a trip to Karekare and a mates place out west for dinner & fireworks, on the same tank as I filled on Friday, I felt the familiar symptoms of watery fuel - the same misfire. Luckily I was only a couple of kms from home when this occured, so I nursed it back and stripped it down and pulled the carbs off - my suspicions were confirmed - muchos dihydrogen monoxide - I drained about 150mL from the tank in total with about 10 flushes and decants of fuel to collect the water.

Has anyone seen a water trap system small enough to put on a bike than can be drained without any disassembly? My carb float bowls are completely inaccessible when the carbs are on the bike, so I'd like to fit a water trap before the pump that I can see the contents of and drain as required.


Just chuck some meths in periodically. Not a lot, and what's left over you can drink. Waste not want not.

[Max Preload]

Shit which BP. use 98 as well.:(

Kerrs Road, Manukau.

A guy I work with who used to be an engineer for Shell suggested I send the local BP Head Office a letter of complaint. Being a bit of a letter-writing sort, I think I will. With the amount of time I had to spend fixing the problem, another half hour won't make much difference.

[Warr]

Just chuck some meths in periodically. Not a lot, and what's left over you can drink. Waste not want not.
What he said. Put approx a cup of meths into a full tank before you go on a big ride. The water will dissolve into it and go through your carbs no problem.

Does your bike live outside?? Could be rain water getting into the tank..... just a thought :)

[CookMySock]

Does your bike live outside?? Could be rain water getting into the tank..... just a thought :)Yeah I think so too. It is unlikely there will be water in the fuel from the fuel station.

Steve

[slimjim]

or too are you washing down bike with too high pressure...

[Squiggles]

May also be worth checking that your tanks overflow isnt blocked

[98tls]

May also be worth checking that your tanks overflow isnt blocked Or fractured,any water getting in at the top will end up going straight into the tank with a fractured overflow pipe,fairly common on the TL.

[Max Preload]

Does your bike live outside?? Could be rain water getting into the tank..... just a thought :)

No - I don't commute on it so it never sits in the rain.


or too are you washing down bike with too high pressure...

No - never. Only an idiot uses a water blaster to wash anything but concrete, and I never even use the spray nozzle when I wash it - just the open hose.


May also be worth checking that your tanks overflow isnt blocked

They don't have an overflow - they have an air vent and a drain plenum under the cap surrounding the filler neck so the cap sits flush with the top of the tank. I rodded that clear that last year, and it's still clear.


Or fractured,any water getting in at the top will end up going straight into the tank with a fractured overflow pipe,fairly common on the TL.

I presume you mean the filler neck drain tube that runs through the tank from the aforementioned plenum. Nope - it holds 10 PSI overnight - I checked that too.


Yeah I think so too. It is unlikely there will be water in the fuel from the fuel station.

I'm certain that's where it came from. The absence of rust supports that too.