If water gets in your gas tank either by accident or on purpose, it is something that can cause a world of problems for your vehicle and you will need to address the issue immediately. You can get water in your tank from condensation or even from severe weather, which is why it is important that you look out for the different symptoms that you may experience. This guide will also help you with taking care of the problem to get your car back to its best state.
Acceleration and Hesitation
The main symptom that you will notice if you have water in the gas tank is if your car has problems accelerating or if there is a hesitation when you try to speed up. If you find that you can’t reach highway speeds, it could be a result of water in the tank. Drivers may also notice a sputtering sound when they change their speed quickly. If your tank is completely full and you accelerate, your fuel may be contaminated with water.
Replacing the Gas
The number one method to getting water out of your gas tank is to replace all of the gas that you currently have in your vehicle. Although this may sound expensive, it is far less expensive than having to deal with repairing your vehicle if any components stop working. Not to mention that it will help your car to last longer than normal.
When you are ready to replace the tank with some gas, you may want to wait for the tank to dry out before you decide to add high octane gas.
Fuel Additives
Another alternative to replacing all of your gas is to add a fuel additive into your tank. These formulas are specially designed to help remove water from your tank. Though if there is more water than gas, the fuel additives won’t work at all. You can find additives from your local car shop or home hardware center with an automotive section.
Seeing a Professional
If you do not have any experience with working on vehicles, it is advised that you take the time to seek counsel from a professional car mechanic. You will be able to pay them to have them diagnose the problem and give you an idea of what the best method of treatment is. If it is not dealt with properly, there could be thousands of dollars of damage done to your vehicle.