Repair 7

Blockages in your fuel system can be exacerbated by old gasoline, but are rarely caused by old fuel alone. If your vehicle has a blockage in its fuel system, you may have to replace or repair several different components, including the fuel pump, fuel lines or the fuel tank to completely remedy the problem. In newer vehicles, your fuel injectors may also be damaged by a combination of bad gas and blockages.

Old Gasoline

Gasoline separates over time, especially gasoline that contains ethanol. The more ethanol the fuel contains, the more likely it is to separate. While separated gas can cause its own unique blend of problems, mostly due to water and ethanol going through the fuel system without the gasoline component of the mixture due to fuel separation, old gasoline in and of itself does not have anything in it that can create a blockage in your fuel system. Old gasoline can, however, contribute to blockages in your fuel system.

Fuel System Blockage

Blockages in your fuel system are caused by particles of dirt, dust and miscellaneous debris mixing with your gasoline and traveling through your fuel system. These particles will eventually come to an area of your fuel system where they can no longer flow through and will either create a blockage on their own or they can build up and collect over time to create a blockage.

Bad Fuel and Blockages

When fuel sits in your gas tank for long periods of time, dirt and debris that are in the fuel itself will mix with existing dirt, rust and debris in the gas tank. The older your vehicle is, the more likely it is to have contaminants built up in the fuel tank. When gas sits in the tank for several weeks or months, these substances will sink to the bottom of the tank. When you attempt to drive the vehicle, this layer of trash will get sucked up into your fuel pump and create blockages in your fuel system. The longer gasoline sits, the more likely your vehicle is to experience a blockage when you attempt to start it.

Preventing Blockages

If you know your vehicle is going to be sitting for any length of time, try to drive it so that there is very, very little gas left in the tank before you park it for the long term. When you go to drive a vehicle that has had gas sitting in the tank, put a bottle of fuel stabilizer in and add as much new gas as possible to minimize the amount of bad, separated gasoline that reaches your engine. If your vehicle has been sitting for several months or longer with a lot of bad gas in the tank, you may want to have your mechanic remove the bad gas from the tank manually by either dropping the tank or siphoning the fuel out.

Fuel tanks have built-in mechanisms to control the flow of gas and gas vapors into the engine. One such assembly is the fuel module assembly, which helps prevent vapors from escaping into the atmosphere as well as pumping fuel where it belongs.

Fuel System

The gas tank module assembly aids in the hard acceleration of vehicles and filters out junk that can clog up the carburetor. In the book "Classroom Manual for Automotive Fuels and Emissions," author Barry Hollembeak writes, "The fuel pump module assembly incorporates the fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel gauge sending unit, and fuel temperature sensor (if used) in a single assembly."

Gas Tank Pickup Tube

The fuel tank pickup tube isnt always a part of the module assembly. When it is, it is attached by a fuel line. Its job is to pick up dirt, grime, rust and water before they clog up the fuel tank filter, causing the car to sputter along.

Liquid Vapor Separator

Inside of the tank are liquid vapor separators that also stop liquid fuel from invading the engine crankcase. It also stops liquid fuel from entering the area in which fuel vapors are stored. Fuel vapors are ignited, causing the combustion that actually powers the car.

The popular Harley-Davidson Softail model has a durable gas tank, but exposure to extreme weather conditions can cause leaks or other malfunctions. If you notice your fuel level falling too fast while driving, you need to replace the gas tank. Rather than taking your Softail to the shop to have a new tank installed, you can do the job yourself right at home. You can purchase a new Softail tank at your local Harley dealer or an auto parts store.

Instructions

1

Disconnect your Softails battery by removing the cable from the battery terminal. Locate the fuel valve and switch it to the "Off" position.

2

Locate the carburetor and the fuel line that runs from it to the fuel tank. Disconnect the fuel line from the fuel tank, but leave it attached to the carburetor to prevent any contamination.

3

Remove all the bolts that secure the seat to your Softail. Make sure to remove the main seat bolt that is located under the front of the seat. After you have removed all of the seat-mounting bolts, pull the seat off the motorcycle to give you access to the gas tank.

4

Remove the bolts that secure the gas tank to the body of the bike. These bolts run all along the perimeter of the tank. Carefully lift the tank out to avoid spilling any fuel.

5

Install the new tank in place of the old one and secure it with bolts along its perimeter. Reattach the seat to the Softail and secure it with the mounting bolts.

6

Connect the fuel line to the new tank. Turn the fuel valve back to the "On" position and reconnect the battery cable.

Depending on the amount, pouring a soft drink into a cars gas tank can cause a significant amount of engine damage. Car manufacturers design modern day engines to deal with only gasoline in the fuel tank. The water and sugar are foreign substances, and the engine cannot process a large amount of either.

Significance

A pint or less of soft drink in the engine will not cause substantial damage. There may be strange sounds or small "hiccoughs" while the engine runs. However, a liter or more of soft drink is too much for the engine to process. According to "Car Talk," the car will run poorly and may not start at all.

Types of Damage

Water in the soft drink will do the most damage. Too much water in the engine will get into the fuel pump and fuel line. Water can not power an engine when it evaporates, therefore the valves will not work.

The sugar in the soft drink may cause you to replace your fuel filters, because the sugar will melt onto the filter when the car runs. Your car will still run, but will not work optimally with clogged filters.

Solutions

Ask a mechanic to drain your gas tank and your engine of water if you have too much soft drink in the system. He will also change the fuel filter at this time, especially if you tell him a beverage is running through your engine.

If you have expansive knowledge of car engines, you could detach the fuel line yourself and drain the engine. However, gasoline will also be in the tank. The fumes and high flammability are extremely dangerous to deal with at home as opposed to in an auto garage.

There are two types of water tanks installed on RVs. The gray water tank refers to the holding tank that catches water that runs from your RVs sinks and shower. The black water tank catches waste water that is ejected from your RVs toilet. RVs have tank sensors which monitor the amount of waste water inside your black water storage tank. This sensors let you know when it is time to empty the tank. These sensors do wear out and fail sometimes. If this happens, they should be replaced.

Instructions

1

Drive your RV to a designated waste disposal center and empty out your black water tank.

2

Park your RV on a flat surface and turn on the emergency brake.

3

Locate the sensor attached to your black water tank. It is mounted to the side of the tank.

4

Push in on the two tabs on the side of the old tank sensors electric wiring harness. As you depress these two tabs, pull the sensor wire plug out of the back of the old sensor.

5

Place your wrench over the bolt built onto your old tank sensor. Turn it counter-clockwise, or to the left, to loosen, then remove it.

6

Use an old rag to wipe down the area where your new tank sensor will be installed. Clean off the end of the electric wiring harness by wiping it with the rag. Thread the new sensor into the hold. You can do this by hand to get it started. Slip your wrench over the bolt part of the sensor and turn it to the right to tighten it firmly. Once it is tight, plug the electric wiring harness into the new sensor.