Water in my gas?

[JackFish]

Is it possible for a fuel filter to get enough water in it to freeze and prevent flow into the carb? Or for a needle to get stuck closed due to icing?
It's been very humid and freezing here, and I haven't run the car much, let the gas get kind of low in the tank. So I suspect water in the system is causing my stall and subsequent no-start condition. Sat in rush-hour traffic for an hour today waiting for a tow truck.
I put a bottle of gas line anti-freeze in when I got home and let it sit for a while. Later I poured some in the carb and attempted starting again for a while. I was able to get the engine to idle long enough to get out and start pouring some anti-freeze in the carb and keep it idling on the stuff. I poured with my left hand and lightly revved the motor with my right. I could not get the revs up without stalling the car. Went through three or four bottles and ran out. I verified there was gas at the pump side of the filter, but can't say that I was getting anything on the accelerator pump stoke, didn't seem like it. I tried to flood it, basically. Got too late to continue, will get a new filter in the morning and some more a-f.
This led me to think of my questions at the top.

 

[addo]

D'you think the puel fump diaphragm might have frozen, then torn? Sounds cold enough to be feasible (freezable?)... What about fitting an inline pressure gauge after the pump and filter, before the carb?

 

[mustang6]

I'm sure your weather is much colder than ours, but here's how a verified icing condition would manifest itself in a car I used to own. If it got below about 30 degrees F (-1 C?) the car would start and run fine (initally), after about 1 or 2 miles driving it would start to lose power and stumble, eventually it would stall and die. It would not restart until it sat for 10-15 minutes, then it would start and do the same thing over and over with the thawing period becoming shorter and shorter as the engine warmed up and it thawed out faster. At some point it would quit freezing up altogether.

When it was frozen, I could look down the carb throat and pump the gas and nothing would come out. I solved the problem by adapting an air pre-heating tube off another car on it so it pulled intake air over the exhaust manifold.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a clogged filter. Iceing as stated usually will not happen on a warmed up vehicle when it's not moving as the engine compartment will be warm enough to keep it thawed out. Going down the road will blow the warm air out from under the hood. also add wind chill effect.
Old geezer trick--gas line de-icer= rubbing alcohol.
de-icer$4-$5 bottle
rubbing alc.=.99 bottle
sitting for a long time with the tank near empty may have gotten enough water and trash into the fuel filter to clog it with ice.

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Jackfish and All:

Pouring gasline antifreeze down the carb will not get it to where it needs to be. Pour several bottles into the gas tank, then fill the tank with gas- Gasahol preferrably. Over the course of time it will clear the water out of the system.

If your filter is iced it may need to be removed to thaw or to be replaced. If the pump is iced it may be thawed by placing a lite 100w light bulb near it. It is possible to damage the diaphram by freezing.

If your hot air choke stove is function, you would not likely experience carb icing during the choke time. Hot air is drawn into the automatic choke housing from the exhaust manifold and then through the carb.

It is a good idea to keep your gas tank full during cold weather to minimize condensation accumulation of water in the tank. It is also a good idea to regularly use a bottle or two of gasline antifreeze. Cheap insurance against freeze up.

Another good idea is to head for Arizona for a couple of months. that's what I'm doing.

Adios, David

 

[JackFish]

the car would start and run fine (initally), after about 1 or 2 miles driving it would start to lose power and stumble, eventually it would stall and die. It would not restart until it sat for 10-15 minutes, then it would start and do the same thing over and over

Yup, that's it.
At this point it could be combination of everyones suggestions and thanks to all for them.
I will start this morning by leaving a trouble light by the fuel filter and carb while going out to get some supplies.
TTYL

 

[JackFish]

vroom, vroom
A few squirts of "quick-start", half a bottle of stp water remover and I 'm good to go! Started up on about the fourth or fifth try.
Filled 'er up and took a nice long drive out on the highway, so all is well. Fuel pump, and filter would seem to be AOk!
Thanks for the input fellas!

 

[ludwig]

If, after all this, it goes fine for 15 minutes and then sputters out, you probably have some contamination in the tank that is plugging up the tank filter. This settles back down when there is no suction and then cakes up the filter once more when the engine is running again.

 

[JackFish]

Thanks, I'll watch for that. Last summer I found a place to replace the fuel line and rebuild the sending unit. so I'm confident with their services should the tank need flushing or something.

 

[Anonymous]

One last thought, guys: in December, 2005, the EPA dictated a change in gasoline chemistry for all of us. This new change includes 2%-4% methanol minimum in warm weather and up to 15% in cold weather. The result is going to be LOTS of water condensation in our gas tanks, and accumulations of it in our (mechanical) fuel pumps. Keep that water-remover handy.

Also, consider switching to an electric fuel pump, which I will do this summer (when I can lay on the ground again...). These pumps tend to suck the water out of the tanks better than the mechanical types, because the pump must be located closer to the tank (they don't suck like the mechanical ones do). They then tend to push the water up the line to the engine, which helps keep the tank "swept".

Now, I just have to find a GOOD one, not a CHEAP one...