Gasolia or Kolor Kut water detecting paste.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Tundra 2014

If it is running fine, put a couple of bottles of “Heat” in it and drive the gas up. I used to sale and service power equipment. The ethanol in gas breaks down and absorbs moisture. The small power tool engines today designed for better emissions, will not handle this. Car engines are not as critical.

In years past when gasoline was 100% gasoline adding HEET was probably necessary. Today, unless buying the expensive No Ethanol gas, it's not.

Most gasoline contains up to 10% Ethanol which does the same as HEET. Mixes with the water and then in turn mixes with the gasoline which then is consumed. Water used to collect on the bottom of the fuel tank and HEET (or other Alcohol additive) was needed to prevent the separation.

In reality todays gasoline contains more alcohol than you could put into a tank back in the day by adding HEET.

If anyone is worried about water contamination just pull the fuel filter and drain it's contents into a clear container. Let it settle and you'll see if any water is in the fuel. Used to watch my dad do something similar with his Stinson Voyager plane. Drew some gasoline out of the tank with a valve on the bottom into a glass container to check for water as part of his pre-flight inspection.

As stated earlier, if the engine runs good and doesn't "stumble" water is not an issue.

[Nomore9-5]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

In years past when gasoline was 100% gasoline adding HEET was probably necessary. Today, unless buying the expensive No Ethanol gas, it's not.



Most gasoline contains up to 10% Ethanol which does the same as HEET. Mixes with the water and then in turn mixes with the gasoline which then is consumed. Water used to collect on the bottom of the fuel tank and HEET (or other Alcohol additive) was needed to prevent the separation.



In reality todays gasoline contains more alcohol than you could put into a tank back in the day by adding HEET.



If anyone is worried about water contamination just pull the fuel filter and drain it's contents into a clear container. Let it settle and you'll see if any water is in the fuel. Used to watch my dad do something similar with his Stinson Voyager plane. Drew some gasoline out of the tank with a valve on the bottom into a glass container to check for water as part of his pre-flight inspection.



As stated earlier, if the engine runs good and doesn't "stumble" water is not an issue.

Talk about a great kiss ( keep it simple stupid) idea . I've got a Ford stripped chassis workshop manual so I'll have a look at replacing the fuel filter. ( might also post on FRF )

Man I love this forum - all of you guy's have been great!!

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Nomore9-5

Talk about a great kiss ( keep it simple stupid) idea . I've got a Ford stripped chassis workshop manual so I'll have a look at replacing the fuel filter. ( might also post on FRF )

Man I love this forum - all of you guy's have been great!!

That's not quite the same. On the airplane Mike's writing about (I remember the Stinsons), the drain tap and filter were at the absolute BOTTOM of the tank, where the water collected. If you drew out a jigger of liquid, and it was water-free, you could be sure there was none in the tank.

On an automobile, truck, or motorhome, the fuel is often drawn from the TOP of the tank. The older vehicles had the fuel pickup on a float which was connected to a mechanical arm. As fuel was drawn, the pickup would drop with the level. It never got all the way to the bottom, so water could collect there. Heet (actually just methanol--wood alcohol) caused it to mix.

Some newer vehicles with fuel injection have the fuel pump mounted within the tank. The pickup probably is fixed near the bottom. But your fuel filter likely does not have a glass filter bowl like Mike describes. And there's no guarantee that water will collect in it like the one Mike describes.

[aircommuter]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

That's not quite the same. On the airplane Mike's writing about (I remember the Stinsons), the drain tap and filter were at the absolute BOTTOM of the tank, where the water collected. If you drew out a jigger of liquid, and it was water-free, you could be sure there was none in the tank.

On an automobile, truck, or motorhome, the fuel is often drawn from the TOP of the tank. The older vehicles had the fuel pickup on a float which was connected to a mechanical arm. As fuel was drawn, the pickup would drop with the level. It never got all the way to the bottom, so water could collect there. Heet (actually just methanol--wood alcohol) caused it to mix.

Some newer vehicles with fuel injection have the fuel pump mounted within the tank. The pickup probably is fixed near the bottom. But your fuel filter likely does not have a glass filter bowl like Mike describes. And there's no guarantee that water will collect in it like the one Mike describes.

Even in an airplane getting all the water out can be challenging, it gets stuck around baffles in the wing and can take shaking the wings and sitting on the elevator while taking multiple samples. One is not supposed to put additives in avgas .That is considered putting a foreign fuel into the engine which requires engine disassembly and inspection.
Chevron found that out the hard way back in 1994 because someone allowed some jet A to get in the 100LL lines and it was delivered to several CA airports. It also happened to be the airshow was going on with many warbirds B-17s and so on. It also included my R-182. Sixty million dollars later all was well.

[Nomore9-5]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

That's not quite the same. On the airplane Mike's writing about (I remember the Stinsons), the drain tap and filter were at the absolute BOTTOM of the tank, where the water collected. If you drew out a jigger of liquid, and it was water-free, you could be sure there was none in the tank.



On an automobile, truck, or motorhome, the fuel is often drawn from the TOP of the tank. The older vehicles had the fuel pickup on a float which was connected to a mechanical arm. As fuel was drawn, the pickup would drop with the level. It never got all the way to the bottom, so water could collect there. Heet (actually just methanol--wood alcohol) caused it to mix.



Some newer vehicles with fuel injection have the fuel pump mounted within the tank. The pickup probably is fixed near the bottom. But your fuel filter likely does not have a glass filter bowl like Mike describes. And there's no guarantee that water will collect in it like the one Mike describes.

Looks like I can't do that anyway .Had a look in the service manual and the filter's, like you said , part of the tank.
Looking at everone's posts it looks like I've got the following options to consider
- leave things the way are because I'm maybe overthinking this
- add de icer or something that removes water from the fuel
- drain ( siphon / run generator ) all or part of the fuel and add fresh gas
- add more ( make up for amount that I initialy spilt ) stabilizer at this point to prevent any further possible spoilage

Not sure I'm the only one to run into this dilema (sp?) but I intend on updating everyone when spring finally gets here and I can get over to the mh and look after things . Thanks to everyone