# Water In The Gas Tank



## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

I just wanted to know what you all think of this story...

My sister bought her husband a brand new Toyota Prius Hybrid car for Christmas and the other day he called her and said the engine light came on and the car was running funny, so he took it back to the dealer that they bought it from.

The service guy told him at first that he suspected that bad gasoline had been put into the tank and that the car would probably need a new engine. I couldn't believe this and told my sister that there is no way that bad gas should be able to do this.

I then called my own dealer who told me that Costco has bad gasoline and to try to avoid it, but as far as ruining an engine, he thought that was pretty strange. He said he had seen 3 cases like this with the hybrid, but a flush with good quality gasoline should fix the problem.

Then, my sister called me and said that her husband sheepishly remembered that after filling the car with gas, that he ran it through the car wash and forgot to put the gas cap back on.

Now, the latest is that the car needs a new gas tank and probably a carb and other parts that bring fuel to the engine because of water in the tank. My sister said they will have to pay the $500.00 that the insurance company won't cover.

I just thought this was a bizarre story, and can't believe that it would actually need a new gas tank...why wouldn't they just be able to flush it out?


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## s'more (Jun 8, 2005)

Hey there _Skipper_







.........

Is your brother-in-laws' name _Gilligan_, and does he work at an RV plant in Indiana ???


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

The tank might be a somewhat sealed unit other than the filler neck and if it has any baffles, it would be next to impossible to flush out 100 %. Laber also might make it cost effective to just swap.

That is definitly a hard luck story. At least in NJ woth no self service, we can blame someone else.


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

Needs a new carb? Please don't tell me the service dept. told your sister that?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

h2oman said:


> Needs a new carb? Please don't tell me the service dept. told your sister that?


The chances that this car has a carb are so small that it is funny just to think that those words were actually spoken. Lets hope the service guy did not say this.


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## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

Well, first off, a quick peek at toyota.com to verify and the Prius is indeed fuel injected. therefore, it has no Carb on it.
Second place, I find it hard to believe that driving through a car wash would introduce enough water into the fuel tank to cause a check engine light.
The entire story sounds like urban legend to me.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Let me put my work hat on for a moment and ask:

"Now why ISN'T the insurance company paying for it???" Of course after reading your statement again I realize that the insurance company MAY be paying for everything and the $500 is the deductible...

But -- just in case its not --

I have worked claims like this before in my much younger years -- and things haven't changed that much -- but legally -- the only way that the insurance company would not pay is if your Brother in Law was foolish enough to admit to the insurance company that he intentionally poured water in the fuel tank... on purpose .. the car wash thing was still an accident...

even if he admitted that he accidentally left the cap off then it should still be covered...

for example -- my next door neighbors dad -- about 82 -- got confused while he was visiting here and accidentally pumped diesel into his car (it takes gas) .... a certain large insurance company told him sorry but we don't cover that --he told them that he was gong to have to get a lawyer to look into that -- $2273.13 later after the gas tank was cleaned, the fuel pump cleaned, all the fuel injectors cleaned, etc etc his deductible of $100 was all he paid...

Don't let the insurance company roll over him on this one... thatâ€™s why its called INSURANCE -- just in case something happens you're covered...

I agree with earlier statement about cheaper to simply buy a new tank -- labor for cleaning a gas tank is rated at 3.5 hours -- so 75 bucks and hour X 3.5 is $$$$.... cheaper to the DEALERSHIP to smply charge for a new tank and move on...


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

That's a good story but not believable by anyone with any technical knowledge. I doubt that there are any new cars not fuel injected nowadays. The Prius certainly has no carburator. As far as water damaging the fuel tank...more hogwash. If the tank can't be purged of water without removal, water can be eliminated if the tank is removed. Just turn it upside-down.

I doubt that any part of the fuel system, except the filter, would need to be replaced. Fuel tank, lines, injectors, etc wouldn't be damaged by water once it is drained, blown out or otherwise removed from the system. Possibly the spark plugs would also need replacement.

Bill


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Sounds like a Tall tale
Draining the tank of old gas and changing the filter and flushing the system should take care of the problem
Keep us updated

Don


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## Rubrhammer (Nov 27, 2006)

wouldn't hurt the sparkplugs at all. Actually might steam clean them. Remember the water injection rage in the 80s to increase fuel mileage? No plug damage from that either. 
The fuel pump is probably in the tank and the screen on it may need to be replaced if the carwash got soap and _wax_ into the tank. Most tanks are close to the cost of the 3 hours and even if they changed the tank there would still be labor in that. And if they change the pump with the tank you are looking at a*LOT*more than the cost of 3hrs labor to remove and clean.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

CamperAndy said:


> Needs a new carb? Please don't tell me the service dept. told your sister that?


The chances that this car has a carb are so small that it is funny just to think that those words were actually spoken. Lets hope the service guy did not say this.








[/quote]
No, he didn't say that...I was just guessing on the carb part ..my sister had said that they had to replace the tank and 4 other things that were part of the fuel system.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Ghosty said:


> Let me put my work hat on for a moment and ask:
> 
> "Now why ISN'T the insurance company paying for it???" Of course after reading your statement again I realize that the insurance company MAY be paying for everything and the $500 is the deductible...
> 
> ...


Don't ya just LOVE having a lawyer in da' house!


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

I got bad gas, one time, years ago, and STP gas treatment and a couple of tanks later, it was fine!! I would think siphoning the gas/water out, then using the STP gas treatment with a full tank of gas would take care of it!
Just my .02!
Darlene


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Sounds fishy to me, water would not hurt the tank, gas lines and pump. and the engine should be able to handle some water. I would think the only thing that would have problems would be the injectors and filters. I would disconnect the gas line add Alcohol to the tank then pump it out, the alcohol will absorb the water. Then I would change filters and injectors. You might not even have to change the injectors.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

N7OQ said:


> Sounds fishy to me, water would not hurt the tank, gas lines and pump. and the engine should be able to handle some water. I would think the only thing that would have problems would be the injectors and filters. I would disconnect the gas line add Alcohol to the tank then pump it out, the alcohol will absorb the water. Then I would change filters and injectors. You might not even have to change the injectors.


Bill,

A mechanically inclined person may be able to execute something like that...but my Brother-in-law is a lost cause







He would have to practically hire someone to change a lightbulb in his house









I need to get an update on the latest.....


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