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I have a Siera brand water separator on my 1974 Sport with a 40hp Tohatsu. I was advised by a friend to check the bowl and release any water from it. I did that for the first time yesterday and tons of green liquid (that smelled like gasoline) came pouring out. I wasn't sure I should have done that, so I stopped. There is still a lot of liquid in the separator bowl. Is this normal? Shouldn't it be just clear water? Should I empty it all the way and see if it improves? Is my fuel filter shot?

Thanks all.

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Hi, change the fuel filter to a new one. Check the internals on your fuel tank for water, may want to pour out into an oil change bucket and refil with fresh gas. Run engine after doing this for at least 15 mins.

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J-Moe, from afar and going on what you have described, it does not sound like you have any problem.

First, in the order you asked: Gasoline mixed with blue two stroke oil tends to look greenish in a clear glass separator bowl, especially if your fuel is not clear but yellowish. (remember blue & yellow colors mix to green) Do you mix your oil in the tank, or does your Tohatsu have a separate reservoir?

Second, it does no harm to dump the bowl of anything, including gasoline.

Third, there should always be liquid fuel in the separator bowl, and it may fill completely with fuel with no air pocket, or may have a small air pocket. The bowl is designed to provide a place for water droplets to settle out of the fuel. If you have any water, it will show itself as clear droplets sitting in the bottom of the separator bowl. Only if you are pumping gross amounts of water in your fuel would the bowl ever fill with water. Running portable tanks as you do, unless you get a load of bad gas, it is unlikely you will ever see water in your separator.

All that said, if you do as Whalerman has suggested, you will probably feel better and you can assure yourself there is no issue (or you could find you have a load of bad gas). At any rate, the cost of doing this is about 6 gallons of fuel??

Let us know what your outcome is please!
Al

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Thanks guys. I do mix the fuel and oil in the tank.

So I emptied the water separator bowl completely. (I didn't replace the filter yet because it was a Sunday afternoon and the stores aren't open.) And just because I was curious, I then started the engine to see what would happen. Sure enough, within 10-15 seconds, the separator completely filled with the same greenish liquid.

It doesn't sound like that's normal, does it?

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I think I've answered my own question after I re-read Alan's reply. "There should always be liquid fuel in the separator bowl." I was so concerned that *any* liquid was in the bowl that I overlooked the fact that fuel is OK. Now I just need to make sure water isn't also in there. Since the bowl is plastic and a bit dirty, I'll just drain it into a clear jar to see if any water is present.

Thanks all.

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What you are seeing is the pre-mixed fuel as stated before. Water will sink to bottom and look like dirty water, and seperate like salad dressing.

A clear jar will quickly tell if any is present. Not a great pic but I would say you are fine. Also take the bowl off and clean the inside while you are at it.

The reason the bowl has fuel in it is it directly connects to the filter. Without fuel in it you would go nowhere.