Water in fuel.

[SBT Man]

Hi everybody, newbie here so go easy on me.

Bit of an introduction first, unfortunately i can't even ride a bike at the moment but it's something i'm considering learning, at the minute i get my speed thrills from my Focus RS :driving: but i would also like a bike for the sense of freedom i imagine you guys experience.
Anyway, my reason for joining your forum was to help my son out (as dads do lol). A couple of months ago he was looking for his first big bike after passing his test and he had his heart set on a naked SV650 so i signed up to look at the for sale section, in the end due to the lack of local naked SVs for sale in our area i persuaded him to look at a yellow fully faired bike which was absolutely stunning and in fantastic condition so he bought it and had about a months trouble free riding. Then the problems started, he had the bike ticking over fortunately in his back garden when it just cut out and wouldn't start, we both did a bit of Googling and thought it was the r/r but after removing it and checking it with a meter it appears to be ok. Then someone where my son works suggested squirting fuel directly into the carbs with a syringe and the bike fired up and ran until it had used up the syringe contents, my son then diagnosed that there was water in the fuel system (something that he suggested from the start but i shot down as i couldn't see how water could get in), anyway he has now cleaned out all of the fuel system and is about to put new fuel in but what i am wondering is how could the water have got in in the first place? Is this a known problem with SVs and if so what can be done for future prevention.

Cheers everyone, thanks in advance for any help and sorry for all of the waffle, Paul.

[maviczap]

Which model sv do you have, curvy or pointy. Pointy is 2003 onward.

Curvies have a drain tube in the filler neck of the tank. This tube goes through the tank and rusts through over time if the bike lives out doors uncoverd. Lift the petrol cap, you'll see it.

To diagnose if the tube is rusted through, is witk a full tank, blow down the tube with a straw. Any bubbles in the fuel, and there's your answer.

Pretty sure the pointy is the same

Welcome by the way

[timwilky]

If it is the above rust issue.

The root cause is generally a blocked drain pipe allowing water to build up in the first place.

unfortunately, if you now clear the blocked drain. the fuel will disappear down said drain. No fix, new tank. (or seal the drain an live with risk of water contamination.)

[maviczap]

This company might be able to fix it, although getting a 2nd hand tank would probably easier, if it is a rusted drain tube

http://www.fueltanks.co.uk/

[SBT Man]

Which model sv do you have, curvy or pointy. Pointy is 2003 onward.

Curvies have a drain tube in the filler neck of the tank. This tube goes through the tank and rusts through over time if the bike lives out doors uncoverd. Lift the petrol cap, you'll see it.

To diagnose if the tube is rusted through, is witk a full tank, blow down the tube with a straw. Any bubbles in the fuel, and there's your answer.

Pretty sure the pointy is the same

Welcome by the way
Hi mate, thanks for the reply and the welcome, my sons bike is a 2000 model so am i correct in thinking that that would make it a curvy (apologies to you all if i'm wrong). Well, got a bit of good news today, my son contacted me to say that he's got it all sorted and the bike is running again. I'll pass your suggestion on regarding checking the drain tube so that he can check out if it's got any rust issues.
Thanks also to timwilky for your input, all help is gratefully received :thumbsup::thumbsup:.

[maviczap]

Yep its a curvy, with a fresh tank of fuel it'll run ok, but best to check the drain tube for leaks

[SBT Man]

^^^^^^^^^Thanks again mate, will be sure to pass your suggestions on to my son ������.