I have a 96 with the 1FZ 4.5 L6 and got contaminated fuel. I’ve since drained the fuel, bled out fuel in the lines at the fuel filter. Are there any lockout concerns from the injectors or overall etc? Haven’t been able to get her fired back up.
Contaminated Fuel
- Thread starter Arsenal1
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Malleus
Far west of Siegen
Contaminated from what? If it's water, it'll flush itself out. If it's particulate matter, like dirt, you need to change the filters too; the one in the tank and the one under the intake.
Was the engine under water?
Was the engine under water?
- Thread starter
- #3
Water, a lot of water
ppc
M Go Blue
Not very helpful.
Exactly how high, halfway on the tire, over the fender?
Was this driving through water or flooded when parked?
Did the interior of take on any water?
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
If the water moved any particulates from the fuel filter into the fuel rail, you may have to remove it and the injectors and run clean gasoline through them to clean them. Unfortunately (as if that wasn't bad enough) if your injector O-rings aren't new, the chances they will be reusable are very slim. There are three per injector. The injectors can be cleaned efficiently using gasoline in a half pint jar. And don't forget the fuel pressure regulator, if you have to go that far.
- Thread starter
- #7
Oh boy this is what I needed to know.
Malleus
Far west of Siegen
No guarantees. If it was just water, it would eventually run itself out. You might kill the battery doing it, but it should start, eventually.
jjdeneen918
SILVER Star
If you’re going to go to the effort of removing injectors, might as well send them in for cleaning.
I did this back in 2019. No noticeable observations to do it, was just baselining prior to turbo install.
As you can see in my print out, it made a huge difference comparing pre & post cleaning numbers.
Besides injector #2, all needed some love.
I did this back in 2019. No noticeable observations to do it, was just baselining prior to turbo install.
As you can see in my print out, it made a huge difference comparing pre & post cleaning numbers.
Besides injector #2, all needed some love.
- Thread starter
- #10
Ok well I don’t have all the time in the world to do every piece of maintenance that can stem from resolving the issue at hand. Glad it worked out for you and thanks for suggestion.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
Water is not gonna magically move particles through your fuel filter that gasoline would not. Not gonna move it any where to any degree greater than gasoline really.
I'd change the filter since you have to go to the trouble of disconnecting/removing it to drain any water out of it anyway. I'd drain the fuel line from the filter and the fuel rail too. I would not go to the effort to pull the pump to access the pickup sock. Nor would I feel a need to do anything to the injectors just because of an incident of water in the fuel.
Small amounts of water will get pushed through the system (unlike in a carbed motor where water will block the fuel passages in the carb). The rig may run like crap if these trace amounts are more than just trace, but it will run and it will push them through and purge them pretty quickly if you have eliminated the water in the tank and lines.
Add some alcohol to the gas tank to absorb any water that might still be in there. Water in the tank may not pass easily through the fuel pickup sock/filter. Water will not mix with gas. It will mix with alcohol. Once it does, that will mix with the gas and it will all pass through any filters and all the way through the system to burn and be gone.
Drug store rubbing alcohol works just as well as Heet or any other brand name stuff and is a hell of a lot cheaper. The higher the concentration the better (91% opposed to 70%)
Water in the fuel tank is a constant concern in my off roading world due to lots of creek and river crossings and refueling from various cans and drums. Even if you don't ever get in too deep and "drown" a rig. The large summer/winter temp swings can be a bit of a concern too due to condensation with rigs that may sit for a bit. I always keep a quart or two of isopropyl alcohol in the rig above and beyond what may be in the first aid kit (which of course can be used in a pinch too).
Mark...
I'd change the filter since you have to go to the trouble of disconnecting/removing it to drain any water out of it anyway. I'd drain the fuel line from the filter and the fuel rail too. I would not go to the effort to pull the pump to access the pickup sock. Nor would I feel a need to do anything to the injectors just because of an incident of water in the fuel.
Small amounts of water will get pushed through the system (unlike in a carbed motor where water will block the fuel passages in the carb). The rig may run like crap if these trace amounts are more than just trace, but it will run and it will push them through and purge them pretty quickly if you have eliminated the water in the tank and lines.
Add some alcohol to the gas tank to absorb any water that might still be in there. Water in the tank may not pass easily through the fuel pickup sock/filter. Water will not mix with gas. It will mix with alcohol. Once it does, that will mix with the gas and it will all pass through any filters and all the way through the system to burn and be gone.
Drug store rubbing alcohol works just as well as Heet or any other brand name stuff and is a hell of a lot cheaper. The higher the concentration the better (91% opposed to 70%)
Water in the fuel tank is a constant concern in my off roading world due to lots of creek and river crossings and refueling from various cans and drums. Even if you don't ever get in too deep and "drown" a rig. The large summer/winter temp swings can be a bit of a concern too due to condensation with rigs that may sit for a bit. I always keep a quart or two of isopropyl alcohol in the rig above and beyond what may be in the first aid kit (which of course can be used in a pinch too).
Mark...
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