Ok, So I have water in my Engine (its a 4 cylinder). Easiest way to get it out?

Posted by admin on Sep 5th

My car has been sitting on less then 1/4 of a tank and rarely driven over the last 3 months. Its started to stall out on me occasionally, its a 89′ Pontiac Sunbird, Automatic. Fuel-Injected. It will be driving along just fine. Started up fine most of the time. Battery is fine, Sparks are fine. Everyone I have talked to has come to the conclusion i have some good qualtiy H2O in my engine (thats water for the non-chemistry people). They couldnt tell me how to get it out. I asked someone at work. He said take out the spark plugs, crank the engine a few times the pressure from the pistons will shoot anything (gas and water) out of the spark plug holes. Does this sound like it would work, or does anyone else have a better suggestion
Part of the reason water is in there is due to my gas tank. Its been basically not touched in 3 months, and due to the screwy weather we’ve had, suprisingly its allowed condensation to settle in the gas tank (Yes it does happen). So it wasnt a matter of a head gasket or anything, just water that built up in the gastank from sitting there hit the engine when i drove it recently. Heads and everything are perfectly fine
O and the car will not turn over right now due to the amount of water in the engine (theres just enough that the sparks wont ignite the gas)

Filed Under: Water for Gas FAQ
Tagged: cylinder, Easiest, Engine, Water

6 Responses to “Ok, So I have water in my Engine (its a 4 cylinder). Easiest way to get it out?”

Sep 5th at 12:06 am By: Robert

if it will start, just run it at a high idle until it smoothes out on it’s own. If you have to, pretend it’s flooded, and just floor it to force any water out the exhaust. Any water in it will turn to vapor quite quickly, so it should only take a few minutes of high idle. Keep it at around 3000 rpms until it starts to sound better, it may even take up to ten minutes.

Sep 5th at 12:15 am By: gearnofear

What bothers me more is how the water got in there in such large quantities. I would think you have a head gasket leak which should be addressed. You will be able to get the water out once the head is removed for remilling and repair of the head gasket. But if you just want to get the water out pull the plug and use the shop vac. it will draw the water out of the hole.

Sep 5th at 12:52 am By: wtg_ib

yeah what gearnofe said HOW did the water get in there that is more impotent than getting rid of it

Sep 5th at 1:40 am By: fyrfyteremtp

If you have water in the gas, there are commercial products that you can buy to add to the gas that will remove the water. Another alternative would be to drain the gas tank which is a little more invasive. However,if you have water in the oil,this a a different problem all together. You can tell by looking at your dipstick or by opening your oil fill cap. If you notice an off- white substance then you will need to have a mechanic look at your engine immediately as you have a breach in one or more of your manifold or head gaskets.

Sep 5th at 2:07 am By: greg e

try adding half a cup of methylated spirits to your gas tank,it will break any water up to smaller particles that will go through the injectors. next time you fill the gas tank add some more methylated spirits it should clear the tank,and don’t forget to change your fuel filter. also look to see if the seal on the gas cap is not damaged..

Sep 5th at 2:32 am By: Red_LX

Um, if I might chime in here?

If a car has been sitting for 3 months there’s no way that there is THAT much water in the gas. Please, it just wouldn’t happen, unless you had a hole in your gas tank that was letting rainwater it.

In my opinion you’ve got bad gas. I’m assuming you didn’t put any gasoline stabilizer in the car when you parked it.

My suggestion, get a 5 gallon gas can and fill it with fresh gas, and dump it in the tank. And while you’re at it, add some fuel system cleaner (and some gasoline stabilizer if the car is gonna sit for awhile again). If the car still doesn’t run you’ve got some other problem beyond the fuel.

There’s also the possiblity the fuel pump picked up some silty stuff (rust etc) from the bottom of the gas tank and sent it through the injectors and clogged them up.

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Ok, So I have water in my Engine (its a 4 cylinder). Easiest way to get it out?