Water in fuel

[R.Smith]

Any of you guys ever had water in your gas line? If so, what are the signs?

[fordman]

rust. and clogged fuel systems. bubbly looking gas. not air bubbles.

[R.Smith]

I think I got ahold of some bad gas. Everything on the truck is working...fuel pump, ignition ect, but the truck is running terrible. It even stranded me 2 miles from home day before yesterday. It started with a stutter and then, after a block or 2 started stumbling and then cut off completely. This came out of nowhere. I pulled the carb on the side of the road and emptied it, pulled the bowls and they look fine. No dirt, no water. I put it back together, put in a bottle of Sea Foam and it started right up. I made it about 3 miles before it did it all over. I walked home, got the other truck, came back and tried it. Started right up and made it home. I pumped some of the gas into a clear bottle and held it up to the light and it looks "greasy"...almost like a vinegar and oil salad dressing...same carmel color too.

Like I said, everything else checks out. Vaccum is good, carb appears clean, spark and timing are good, fuel pump is good. I guess tonite I get to drain the tank. Is there a petcock on it or do I have to do it the old fashioned way...with my mouth?

[fordman]

since you said vinegar. that gives me an idea how to better describe water in the gas. it will look like vinegar and oil salad dressing with the water bubbles floating in the gas. also maybe something got in the gas tank and is floating around blocking the pickup tube too. only then coming back off after it has died.

[george worley]

That sure sounds like water in the gas. Take a clear container and put some good gas in it and add a little water and see if looks like what you drained out of your tank.

[cdeal28078]

Let the gas sit for a while. Water and gas will seperate and the water will be in the bottom looking like bubbles.
Sounds a lot like water or a clogging fuel filter
clint

[fastEdsel]

Siphon or drain out as much fuel as you can. Change your fuel filter on the fuel pump, if there is one screwed onto the bottom of the pump, and change the in-line filter on top of the engine. If it is a clear plastic in line filter, THROW IT AWAY, and install an all metal filter. Plastic melts and burns if there ever is a fire under your hood. Next, fill your tank with fresh fuel and pour in no more than two bottles of gas line antifreeze. It will bond with whatever water is left in the tank and the engine will burn it up. I had the same thing happen and this worked alright for me.

[R.Smith]

I emptied the tank, pulled the carb and cleaned it, blew out the line and cleaned out the pump and filter. I put in 5 gallons of fresh gas, started it and it purred like a kitten at idle for 10 minutes. I got in and took it for a drive around the neighborhood and after about 2 miles it started fartin and chokin and died again. I got it running after cranking it for 5 minutes and it purred like a kitten again. I drove it home and just as I was turning into the drive it started fartin and chokin again.

I'm starting to think that it might be the fuel pump. It seems to run fine until you put a load on it and, even then, it will run fine for a short distance and then die, as if the engine is drinking faster than the pump is refilling the bowl. While in the yard I opened the throttle and let it run for a few minutes at about 2000rpm. It did fine but I also noticed the vaccum was around 21 so, it wasn't really sucking much gas without the load of pulling the truck.

I think this evening I'll invest in a fuel pressure guage and new pump.

[R.Smith]

Well, replacing the fuel pump did the trick. Not that the old pump was bad, but because the Ford Gods determined that I spend $30 on a pump I didn't need before releasing the truck back among the mortals.

I put the new pump on and fired her up. She ran fine for about 5 minutes and then started fartin again. This time it wasn't so bad though so I just sat in the driveway for about 45 minutes letting it idle and nursing the gas pedal when she started running rough. After a while she stopped coughin and pootin and is now running good again. I put about 10 miles on her around the neighborhood.

[cdeal28078]

Might be something floating around in the tank and partially blocking the pick up tube. YOu can carefully remove the fuel sender unit and shine a flashlight down in the tank and see what you find.
Might also be in the ignition system. Coil going bad maybe or if electronic ignition I have had a module go bad in a way that it ran real crappy off and on for a day or two before it died totally
clint

[R.Smith]

I've replaced the coil and even the points and condensor, which were only a few months old. I took it for a 30 mile trip on the highway yesterday and she ran fine...until I got back to my neighborhood and she had another poot attack. It's not nearly as bad now though. Before she'd gag and cut off. Now it's more like socially acceptable girl farts. This leads me to believe that it is, in fact, water and the dryer I put in the tank is helping it pass thru. Nothing I've done mechanically or electrically has had any effect.