Best Additive to Remove Water from Gas Tank

What’s The Best Additive to Remove Water from Gas Tank

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In this post, we’ll be picking up the best additive to remove water from gas tank. You’ll be needing such when you find you have too much water in your gas tank.

Yes, too much, as having a few driblets of water in your gas tank is okay. In fact, it’s a common thing.

It might happen while pumping gas into the tank, especially poor quality one, or due to humidity and weather conditions. When the amount of water significantly increases and starts affecting the car’s performance, that’s not okay though.

Maybe you forgot the tank’s cap open and raindrops have been dripping into it, or it might be the fuel’s quality itself that’s not good. Another reason could be the condensation of water vapor in cold weather.

Worry no more. There’s a solution to every problem, and today we’ll be helping you in choosing the best additive to remove water from your gas tank.


In a hurry? The Best One Is…

In this post, we’ll by reviewing the Best Additives to Remove Water from a Car’s Gas Tank that are guaranteed to clean that gas tank! They might appear different, but these water removing formulas are pretty similar with subtle variances. Taking all factors into consideration, we chose ISO-HEET 28202 antifreeze water remover as our top pick.

Thanks to its quick action, ease of use, and economical bottle. All these reasons helped it earn a spot at the top of our list.

Best Additives to Remove Water from Gas Tank – Compared

Image
Editor’s Pick
Heet Iso-HEET Water Remover And Premium Fuel Line...
Runner Up
STP Water Remover, Bottled All Season Fuel Cleaner...
Best Value
Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment - 16 oz. , white
Red Line 60302 Fuel System Water Remover &...
Pros
Pros
  • Has infinite shelf life as long as the seal is closed
  • Can be used with all types of gasoline
  • Protects your tank from rust & corrosion
  • Relatively easy to use
Pros
  • Dries out fuel tanks quickly & efficiently
  • Methanol-free
  • Keeps fuel injectors clean
  • Protects car from freezing fuel all winter
Pros
  • Treats rough idle
  • It has an effect on reducing gas consumption
  • Versatile use
Pros
  • A bottle will last for a long time
  • Results in a smoother fuel pump sound
  • Economic bottle
  • Inexpensive
Cons
Cons
  • Relatively expensive compared to bottle size
Cons
  • 1 bottle only suffices for 1 use
  • Small bottle
Cons
  • If you’ve got ‘too much’ water in your tank, it might not work
Cons
  • It takes some time to take action
Editor’s Pick
Image
Heet Iso-HEET Water Remover And Premium Fuel Line...
Pros
Pros
  • Has infinite shelf life as long as the seal is closed
  • Can be used with all types of gasoline
  • Protects your tank from rust & corrosion
  • Relatively easy to use
Cons
Cons
  • Relatively expensive compared to bottle size
Runner Up
Image
STP Water Remover, Bottled All Season Fuel Cleaner...
Pros
Pros
  • Dries out fuel tanks quickly & efficiently
  • Methanol-free
  • Keeps fuel injectors clean
  • Protects car from freezing fuel all winter
Cons
Cons
  • 1 bottle only suffices for 1 use
  • Small bottle
Best Value
Image
Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment - 16 oz. , white
Pros
Pros
  • Treats rough idle
  • It has an effect on reducing gas consumption
  • Versatile use
Cons
Cons
  • If you’ve got ‘too much’ water in your tank, it might not work
Image
Red Line 60302 Fuel System Water Remover &...
Pros
Pros
  • A bottle will last for a long time
  • Results in a smoother fuel pump sound
  • Economic bottle
  • Inexpensive
Cons
Cons
  • It takes some time to take action

Want more details? Dive right in!


Top 5 Best Water Removers For Gasoline


Heet Iso-HEET Water Remover And Premium Fuel Line...

ISO-HEET 28202 Premium Fuel-line Antifreeze Water Remover – Editor’s Pick

HEET is a reputable brand when it comes to fuel and gasoline treatment formulas, especially the antifreeze line. It has established itself as a producer of premium quality fuel additives, and this product isn’t any different.

True to the claim, ISO-HEET 28202 formula absorbs up to 5 times water more than its counterparts. Thanks to Isopropanolol and the special gas additives in its formula.

Technically speaking, it doesn’t get rid of water, but rather it mixes the fuel with an anti-freeze formula and stays within the gas tank, that helps make it burnable in the engine. Hence, not affecting the performance.

A bottle of ISO-HEET treats 20 gallons of fuel. To use it, all you have to do is twist off the cap & cut the seal open. Then, pour the bottle’s content into the tank, you can do this before or after filling it with fuel, it won’t make a difference.

For regular maintenance, use it once every 5,000 miles to get the anti-freeze effect and to clean the injectors.

What we love about this product is its realistic claims. They don’t fool you into thinking that this is a formula that will drain water out of your gas tank, but rather combine it with an efficient formula that’s ready for combustion.

Besides, it’s perfect for regular use in cold and freezing area, with any type of vehicle.

Pros

  • Has infinite shelf life as long as the seal is closed
  • Can be used with all types of gasoline
  • Protects your tank from rust & corrosion
  • Relatively easy to use

Cons

  • Relatively expensive compared to bottle size

Check price at Amazon


STP Water Remover, Bottled All Season Fuel Cleaner...

STP 14259 All Season Water Remover – Runner Up

Here’s another popular product for cleaning fuel tanks, especially when it comes to water cleaning. STP All Season Water Remover has reserved a well-deserved position on this list of the best water removers for gasoline.

One bottle of STP will clean up to 21 gallons of gas and it will effortlessly provide you with year-long prevention of rusting and corrosion.

When you purchase STP, you’re promised an anti-freeze fuel line and a clean fuel injector.

Reviewers on Amazon have been raving about this product to remove water from their gas tanks and prevent freezing, as well.

If you look it up online, you’ll find all kinds of stories about people who accidentally got water and/or humidity into their gas tanks, and they solved the problem by pouring an adequate amount of STP into their tanks.

The bottle might not suffice for the tank, though. There have been some complaints of the bottle quantity being insufficient for a full tank. To be honest, it’s not the most economic deal.

Pros

  • Dries out fuel tanks quickly & efficiently
  • Methanol-free
  • Keeps fuel injectors clean
  • Protects car from freezing fuel all winter

Cons

  • 1 bottle only suffices for 1 use
  • Small bottle

Get it at Amazon here


Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment - 16 oz. , white

Sea Foam Extreme Marine Rv SF-16 Liquid – Best Value

The thing about fuel additives to remove water from gas tank is that they have no clear ‘name’. They’re usually part of formulas that might be called water cleaners, fuel treatments, or antifreeze solutions.

Sea Foam here has none of these titles attached to its name, yet it’s one of the most efficient water removers for gasoline on the market!

Those who are well-acquainted with the nitty-gritty details of automotive probably have heard the name Sea Foam once or twice, this is because of its versatile uses. Perhaps that’s why its name is so generic.

Sea Foam, available on Amazon right here, cleans fuel injectors, valves, cylinders, and pistons. Moreover, it lubricates the tank and dissolves any fuel residue. When it comes to water removal, it performs exceptionally well and disperses moisture efficiently.

It’s a staple in every professional mechanic’s kit. It works as a fuel stabilizer, moist controller, lubrication solution, and oil deposit dissolvent.

You’ll get most results with Sea Form if you pour it into the pump ‘before’ pouring the fuel itself. So, in case of water contaminated fuel, we advise you to empty the tank, pour in Sea Foam, then re-fill the tank and let Sea Foam do its magic!

Pros

  • Treats rough idle
  • It has an effect on reducing gas consumption
  • Versatile use

Cons

  • If you’ve got ‘too much’ water in your tank, it might not work

Buy it at Amazon


Red Line 60302 Fuel System Water Remover &...

Red Line 60302 Fuel System Water Remover & Anti-Freeze – The Underdog

Although they have multiple gas cleaner products, but this particular solution is designed to remove water from gas tanks.

All you need to do is pour in a suitable amount of the solution into your gas tank and run your vehicle for a few kilometers so that it can take action. 1 ounce can treat a 15-gallon gas tank, and the bottle is 12 ounces, which is pretty economical. Needless to say, the product has very good reviews on Amazon from actual users. 

It’s also helpful to prevent water condensation in vehicles that don’t go on the road regularly -these are more prone to water condensation than active ones-.

Another benefit of this product is its anti-freeze property that comes in handy to those who live in cold areas or even for regular places during freezing winter days. You definitely don’t want to encounter a tank with frozen gas!

One of the not-so-obvious merits of this formula is that it helps in the lubrication of diesel and gasoline engines.

Pros

  • A bottle will last for a long time
  • Results in a smoother fuel pump sound
  • Economic bottle
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • It takes some time to take action

Check price at Amazon


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Isopropyl Alcohol > 99.5% – Back to the Basics

Products aside, ask your grandparent how to get water out of your fuel tank and after giving you a hard time for letting water find its wat to your gas tank in the first place, they’ll recommend you use ISA (Isopropyl Alcohol).

The idea of using alcohol to remove moisture is debatable, you don’t want to get into the internet fight about how alcohol can either magically cure your fuel or ruin your gas tank!

The argument is that ‘Ethanol’ is corrosive. So, despite it can disperse water from fuel, it might ruin your tank. Especially with newer fuel formulas. Pure Isopropyl Alcohol won’t do that, though.

Our recommended product here is one of the highest quality alcohol available on the market. It will absorb moisture and won’t phase separate out of gasoline. You can check it right here

The case against using alcohol in cleaning your gas tank isn’t that strong though. Actually, chemically treated additives that we’ve reviewed above like Sea Foam and even HEET, do include a percentage of alcohol in them!

Our advice would be that you shouldn’t make this a frequent occurrence to be safe. Use it only when you need it and in moderation. Look for less potent alternatives if you’re looking for something for regular maintenance and/or antifreeze solutions.

Pros

  • Gets the job done
  • Versatile uses
  • Cheap

Cons

  • Can’t be used regularly

Buy it now at Amazon


How to Detect Water in Your Gas Tank – The Symptoms

It all starts with a sudden, but noticeable change in the performance of your vehicle. You start encountering symptoms like rough acceleration, where you step on the gas pedal, but nothing happens.

What’s even worse is that your car might start stuttering and increasing and/or decreasing speed randomly, which can be really dangerous.


Engine Won’t Start

engine start Water in Gas TankThis is a classic symptom of getting water into your gas tank. In fact, it indicates that you’ve got too much water in there.

If your engine isn’t starting, it means that there’s too much water that won’t combust like normal fuel. Even worse, it might mean that water has gotten into the cylinder and thus it’s hindering the piston’s movement when you try to start the engine.


Misfires & Rough Idle

Misfires indicate a failure in one of the cylinder’s compression and exhaustion of gas. It’s quite obvious why having water in the mix might lead to such an occurrence.

Another symptom of a clogged fuel pump is what we call a Rough Idle, in which you’ll encounter a bumpy rough movement and an idle below the vehicle’s expected regular speed.

The main reason why this is dangerous is that water doesn’t undergo combustion the same way gasoline does. Thus, when you push the pedal, you might be not pushing gasoline.

Moreover, some water will convert into steam. This results in the combustion chamber being congested and water slugging into the fuel injectors.

But now let’s focus on the solutions instead.


How to Remove Water from a Gas Tank – Proven Methods

The damage is now done and preventive measures didn’t work. How to solve this recurring problem?


Do it the Classic Way

Emptying the gas tank, cleaning the fuel system, then refilling it with clean fuel. Before refilling, leave the tank open to dry out for a bit. Be wary of water getting back into it then!

You gotta drive your car a few miles to exhaust that fuel. This should work well in mild cases with small amounts of water.


Use Octane

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Another clever trick that’s proven effective is using high octane fuel, or what they call Octane boosters.

Fuel Additives Water Removers
@askoldsb via Twenty20

The science behind this is that octane is highly stable and can neutralize water. It’ll absorb the water and exhaust the fuel safely. This works best if the water amount isn’t much.

One of the most remarkable products on the market is Torco F500010TE Unleaded Fuel Accelerator. It’s a premium quality fuel accelerator that can raise the fuel’s octane level to 102.

You don’t necessarily need to use it on its own. Actually, it’d be a pretty smart move to blend it with other fuel additives to treat your tank. Use them separately, though.


Add Fuel Additives (Water Removers)

If you managed to get too much water into your gas tank, then you might address the root cause. There’s no better way to do it than using a fuel additive to remove water from the tank.

You can use this additive on its own or coupled with other methods (like refilling the tank and adding Octane boosters).

If you decide to go this way – that we recommend – you can choose one of the products we’ve reviewed before. They’re all tried out and their efficiency is guaranteed in such situations.


Last Resort – Change Filters

If the damage has gone too far in your car’s system, we recommend you change the filter. That should grant your clean and efficient fuel combustion.


Before You Buy Fuel Additive To Remove Water

Make sure to take the following considerations into account before using fuel additives to remove water:

    • Don’t Mix Fuel Additives

      Not all additives are the same, don’t be fooled by the similar packaging and analogous functionality.

      Mixing fuel additives with each other or with lubricants is neither recommended nor necessary. In some cases, it might do more harm than good.

    • Pour on an Empty Tank

      While most products claim that there’s no difference between adding the product to a currently filled tank or an empty one. We recommend you add the product to an empty tank, it’ll work faster this way.

      Of course, you can add it to existing fuel, but you’ll have to wait for some time and drive the vehicle for some miles for the formula to take action.

    • Follow the Instructions

      No one knows how to use a product better than its manufacturers. For best results, follow their instructions religiously, especially when it comes to how much product should you use.

      Too much product can have a corrosive effect on the tank. Besides, it’s not the most economical option.


Where to Buy the Best Water Remover for Gasoline?

Well, there’s plenty of places to get such products. Your local gas station’s market is an intuitive answer.

Yet, the most convenient place to get such formulas is Amazon. This is because of plenty of reasons.

For starters, prompt and -sometimes- free delivery. Isn’t that something to die for?

You can get pretty much anything off Amazon delivered to your doorstep in a couple of days. Furthermore, you can even get it on the same day through their ‘Same Day Delivery’ service. Especially on Amazon Prime.

Also, they have free shipping offer almost all-year-round. So, paying for the shipment shouldn’t be a problem, especially we’re talking about lightweight products like fuel additives.



Best Additive To Remove Water From Gas Tank – Wrap Up

Getting water into your gas tank isn’t as scary as it sounds, but it’s definitely something that’s worthy of your attention and needs to be treated seriously.

As we’ve mentioned before, in our opinion, ISO HEET is the best additive to remove water from a gas tank. This is due to a bunch of reasons. It has an instant effect, easy to use, and rust & corrosion resistant, to mention a few.

Finally, don’t forget to check your product of choice compatibility with your vehicle. Stay safe!


Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


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