Water in a petrol car

motorguy

To cut a long story short. I have managed to put around 1/2 gallon of water into a pretty much otherwise empty tank of a Renault Scenic 1.6. I drove the car a matter of feet before it stopped (unsurprisingly), then churned it trying to restart it, before eventually realising it was water.

So what do i do now to resolve??

Will i be able to get enough water out of the tank by removing the fuel gauge sender unit and syphoning it out, then refilling with petrol? Will there be a (water logged) fuel filter somewhere?

OR, will it need a mechanic to remove the tank and drain?

Keith

How the...?

If it's got to the engine then you have big problems as water doesn't compress

nickyhutch

I have to ask - how?

KonkyWonky

I'd be going to a mechanic ASAP, this aint the kinda thing you should really attempt on your own. As stated water does not compress, their is every chance you are looking at an engine rebuild if the water has got to the engine.

dacouch

No wonder we use petrol if you can only manage a foot or so to a gallon of water

mikey72

It's not full of water, it'll have exactly the same amount of water in it as it would petrol.
Drain the tank, as much as you can. Put in a few gallons of petrol.
Add either Wynns dry fuel or Meths, IPA, or methanol, which will absorb the water that's left, and mix with fuel, change the filter.
If you can disconnect the fuel line and let petrol run though.
Reconnect and hope.
Run a few tanks through, and add another batch to dry out whats left.

forgotmyname

Serious damage could have been caused as mention, Water pumped into the cylinders cannot be burnt
or compress. Damage to conrods, bearings etc.. car still cranks over could be a good sign. Only
time will tell. Flush the fuel lines and make sure there is no water left, Replace the fuel filter.

Then remove the spark plugs and crank the engine over to clear the cylinders.

motorguy

nickyhutch wrote: »

I have to ask - how?

Car was delivered to my house practically empty - not even registering on gauge. I had what i thought was half a can of petrol in the garage which would get the car the length of the petrol station 5 miles away. Checked contents and it seemed to be petrol - i thought it can only be either petrol or diesel and it smelt very strongly of petrol. It subsequently transpired to be water in a petrol can - with a small percentage of petrol remaining in the can, hence the petrol smell.

mikey72

hire car? just the drain and petrol then.

motorguy

mikey72 wrote: »

hire car? just the drain and petrol then.

No, i bought the car from motor trader.

sassy_one

pgilc1 wrote: »

No, i bought the car from motor trader.

When the car cut out you shouldn't have tried turning it over.

As already stated it is possible you have caused engine damage.

If it was only a cup full of water I'd be tempted to fill the tank to the brim and see what happens then charge the filter if all okay, but with the amount you state you've put in. I think you'll have trouble!