Petrol car owners warned their fuel tank may be destroyed from one water drop

Petrol owners could face damaged tanks and if moisture gets into their petrol due to corrosion, according to a fuel expert. The expert warns it doesn’t matter what type of fuel petrol owners use, with millions of owners possibly affected through the simple issue. 

Paul Ireland, researcher and author of Classic Engines: Modern Fuel, said getting a single drop of rainwater into the system could be enough to cause damage.

Mr Ireland also confirmed additives “do not help” to lower the impacts of the issue despite being used by many vehicle owners. 

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Ireland said: “If you get any liquid water in ethanol petrol and – this is E5 or E10 or E1 it doesn’t matter what the concentration of ethanol is – if you get a droplet of water it will sink to the bottom of the tank or the carburetor and it becomes highly acidic. 

“It means if you are using ethanol blended petrol you do not get water in and that is the biggest, biggest biggest thing.”

READ MORE: Classic car owners warn vital parts could ‘perish’ under E10 fuel

They warn cars could consistently hesitate to get up to speed when drivers are trying to accelerate away. 

Common signs water is in the tank will also include cars which are struggling to get up to quicker speeds on the motorway. 

But Mr Ireland warns additives would not help reduce the amount of damage as they did not dissolve in water. 

He told Express.co.uk: “If it’s the petrol tank you’re probably looking at £800 – 900 and you’re probably looking at £500-600 for replacements in your carburetor float bowls. 

“Now the real problem with the water is the additives do not help that at all because the additives only dissolve in petrol, they do not dissolve in water.”

Mr Ireland revealed there were simple ways drivers could avoid damage to their cars. 

Although stopping water getting into a tank would be ideal, this can be difficult to maintain over long periods of time. 

He revealed how one simple household tip could prevent the water from escaping into metals at all which would stop key parts from corroding. 

He said: “There are two ways you can avoid that, one is don’t get water in your petrol tank and the other way to avoid it is to washcoat your petrol tank. 

“[You should] paint the inside of it. The water can’t get in the metal. 

“Maybe every couple of years just drain the tank and let it dry out.”

However, Mr Ireland confirmed the problem would not be made worse by the upcoming E10 fuel changes set to be implemented next year. 

He told Express.co.uk: “[These issues are] with any petrol. That’s with current petrol or E10 or whatever. E10 is no worse or no better than anything else.”

source: express.co.uk