One of the things that can ruin your engine is when water gets into the gas tank. Although no one would want to put water in a gas tank deliberately, it does happen sometimes. The engine may suffer a variety of problems as a result. Worse, water can get into your engine without you knowing.

So, it is vital to realize what takes place if you put water in a gas tank. In this article, we will be discussing to what degree water in a gas tank will ruin the engine.

One of the common ways water can seep into your car is through underground fuel storage tanks. When water seeps into the underground fuel storage tanks, it can then easily make its way into the gas tank when you are refueling your vehicle.

Although this situation isn’t common, it does happen from time to time. Some of the major problems that it can cause are stalling and the rough running of the engine. Let’s get a closer look at it.

How can water get into a gas tank?

You most likely won’t be pouring water down your car’s gas tank since there comes a hefty mechanic repair bill with it. And, you don’t need to worry about someone else doing it to your car since the fuel door release button is located inside the cabin. But, one of the most common ways water can get into your gas tank is through refueling with contaminated fuel.

There does not need to be an open hole in an underwater gas tank to be contaminated with water.

It can happen in a number of unexpected ways. Some equilibrium processes such as condensation and seepage may cause water to go into the underwater gas tank in certain conditions. For example, it can happen when there is too much moisture in the soil underground or when there is a major difference between the temperature of the gas tank and the surrounding soil.

What happens when you put water in a gas tank?

One of the major concerns that you will be facing if you have contaminated gasoline or just water in your gas tank is the engine performance. Engine performance will be considerably low since the fuel it will be operating on is contaminated.

Some major engine performance concerns include stalling and rough running. So, if there is any chance that your gas tank may be contaminated with water, reduce the use as much as possible.

When the engine is continuously operating on contaminated fuel, the whole fuel system may become damaged. The fuel system repairs are costly and have complex procedures that can cause other problems with the system as well. If the engine does not stop working on contaminated fuel, the whole fuel system may start corroding rapidly. This will cause the car to fail since the engine will stop working eventually.

How can you tell if your gas tank has water in it?

Because of all the harmful effects it causes, it is important that you keep an eye on your gas tank and detect whenever there is a considerable amount of water in it.

One of the major signs is that after refueling, your engine may run rough. This can happen because water is a non-flammable liquid that enters the fuel structure and causes the engine to go wrong. Secondly, if your vehicle starts and stalls shortly after you refuel it, it may be a sign of water in your gas tank and fuel system.

Stalling doesn’t occur in a normal engine with gasoline since the fuel is combusted. However, in the case of water, the non-combustible nature of water causes stalling of the vehicle. Moreover, if you see that the check engine light has turned on shortly after refueling your vehicle, it may mean that there is water in your fuel system.

How to avoid water from getting into the gas tank?

Sure, when you refuel from a gallon, you can clearly see if there is water in the gasoline. The situation is different when you refuel from a petrol station. So, what you can do to avoid water-contaminated fuel in the gas tank is to use petrol stations that have a high turnover rate. Most drivers have one or two preferred filling stations that have good fuel quality.

Moreover, you should avoid refueling your vehicle when the fuel tanker is refilling the underground fuel storage tanks. Because there is a lesser amount of fuel in the storage tanks at that time, there is a higher amount of water, if any, to come into your car when you refuel it.

Additionally, you should also get receipts from the fueling station when you refuel your car. This makes sure that you have a go-to if you come across water-contaminated fuel.

Conclusion

An engine needs high-quality fuel in order to work without complications. When there is water present either directly in the gas tank or through the gasoline, there may be serious risks of potentially damaging your engine for good. So, it is always better to have an appropriate idea about the type of fuel you use for your engine and the serious harm that water contamination brings with it.