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Fuel/ water/ ethanol problems

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:19 pm
by TS1-200
On the way to Belgium last Thursday afternoon, I rode for 3 or 4 hrs in fairly heavy rain, as a result apart from water getting into the open mouth carb and causing running problems a certain amount of water got into the fuel tank, via the drip tray filling up with water through the gap in my snetteton seat, so when I started to run low on fuel it took the water in and died, drained as much water/fuel as I could out limped to a garage and filled up, problem solved, I thought, scoot run fine all the way to Watchbeke apart from being difficult to start, kept fuel level high. Filled up to come back but after a while scoot would not run properly again, fine cruising at 40+
but would not tick over and kept cutting out when slowing down for lights etc. Now the fuel I filled up with had a sign on the pump 10% bio ethanol, I understand that ethanol absorborbs water so would the ethanol in the fuel absorb the remaining water in the tank and so cause running problems, it seemed to clear itself after a couple of fill ups of "normal" petrol. and now after a thorough clean up of the fuel system and carb it seems back to its normal self any one had similar experiences ?

Re: Fuel/ water/ ethanol problems

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:51 pm
by Doom Patrol
Ten percent Ethanol. Coming soon to a petrol station near you. :shock:

Re: Fuel/ water/ ethanol problems

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:30 pm
by mickdale
thought ethanol doesnt absorb more than 2% water so i wouldnt put it down to that

Re: Fuel/ water/ ethanol problems

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:32 pm
by TS1-200
mickdale wrote:thought ethanol doesnt absorb more than 2% water so i wouldnt put it down to that
That wouldn`t be far out as I only put in about 4ltrs fuel to top up, so 2% 4ltrs would be .08 ltr, there wouldn`t have been anymore water in the tank than that, I doubt if it was that much. I can`t think of any other explanation.