Need quick advice. Water in fuel.

My bike has sat outside for the past six weeks or so. I parked it with a full tank.

Yesterday I went to take it for a spin. It fired right up and idled for a couple minutes while I put my helmet on.

On the road less than a mile later, it began to sputter and bog down. I pulled into a gas station where I couldn't keep it running. I parked it and walked home.

Today I'm back to get t running. I figured it was fuel related so I ran the fuel pump into a bottle. Here's what came out.



So my question is (and remember I'm sitting outside the gas station) do I need to drain the tank and dispose of the fuel, or can I just add some additive to absorb the water?

What are my options here to get my bike home. I do have a car with me.

Jamie

My .02 says to drain it, start fresh and probably add a little dry gas for good measure.

You cant re-absorb the water . You need to drain. have your buddy bring you a fuel can and take care of it.

Seems I was a little mixed up. That picture clearly shows almost entirely water with a bit of fuel floating on top. Of course there's no way it'll run.

A friend suggested running the fuel pump until I pump most of the water out and then adding Heat.

Jamie

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll have to go buy a gas can and a hose.

Jamie

Honestly, I'm surprised you got that much water in the tank from just sitting outside. I'd be looking into how the water got into the tank once this issue is addressed.

I don't see the problem???

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I had a similar problem once before. I suspect my fuel cap isn't sealing properly. When it rains, it runs into the tank, but I'm just guessing.

Jamie

That's a lot of water. I'd dump it. Drain the tank and "all your fuel lines". I'm guessing since you have an elec fuel pump you're running FI, if by chance you have carbs, drain the float bowls too. If you want to try and salvage the fuel for your lawn mower, dump a bottle of HEET or your favorite flavor gas drier into a clean empty gas can first, then drain the contaminated fuel into the gas can on top of the drier. Slosh around thoroughly to mix the drier with the junk fuel. If you're lucky it may end up good enough for your mower.

Thats a lot of water.

Heet is not going to do anything. you need to drain the gas, I would use a siphon
And fill with fresh gas, expect the bike to run poorly as the water gets pushed out of the fuel rail.

Do you park the bike totally outside? no cover?
I'd pop the cap and look at the well between the top of the tank and where the filler neck is, it's where the gas cap frame is bolted to the tank. Make sure the drain line connected to the hole in the well is clear.
Use some compressed air to make sure it's clear. This hole leads to a pipe through the tank to bung on the bottom and a hose out of that, that runs to the ground.

If this is a 50state bike, with emissions from CA including the charcoal canister, make sure that system is working just fine.
Or if legal in your state remove it.

Are there kids where you park your bike? or anyone who would mess with it?
Do you park it where they water the lawn or landscaping?

I had a buddy who while on vacation parked his bike under his porch at his apartment, where the sprinklers would hit it every day.
It filled up the nooks and crannies with water but it didn't figure it out until he had been back home for a while and was around when the sprinklers went off.

It's draining...



Jamie

Slowly.

1/4 inch tubing. Hahah.

Jamie

Well, I drained all the fuel, filled it up with fresh gas, ran the fuel pump with the line disconnected until clean gas came out.

I figured it wouldn't start right up, it sputtered and popped a few times and idled briefly, and then quit. It did that a handful of times. I expected that since there's still water in some of the fuel lines.

But man... Now it just cranks and cranks. I crank it for ten seconds, give it a 30 second break. Crank, break. Been doing that for 10 minutes or so. Still not firing.

Jamie

Finally started, and now it's idling fine. Whew, must be a lot of fuel like between the pump and the intake.

Jamie

Now WTF do I do with five gallons of contaminated fuel? Especially since I live in an apartment. Big fire?

Jamie

Bring the fuel to autozone. I think they take it.

probably the cheap fuel youre using.

In the future, use a bike cover when you have to let it sit outside.

Wouldn't it be better to fix the problem?

Jamie

Which Yamaha are you considering?