Why is carburetor filling up with water

RROG

MEMBER
1999 CHEVROLET TRUCK
4.3L
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
200,000 MILES

An employee was driving truck and suddenly truck started running awful. Truck will start but you have to struggle to keep it running and noticed water in intake.

Monday, April 17th, 2017 AT 2:28 PM

5 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,005 POSTS

Sounds like the fuel tank has water in it.

This rig has a carburetor?

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Monday, April 17th, 2017 AT 7:06 PM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,573 POSTS

1999 4.3 should be fuel injected. I don't think you are seeing water in the intake. It is probably fuel from a failed pressure regulator or the fuel line that feeds the injector assembly has failed. Both are common issues on that injection system.

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Thursday, April 20th, 2017 AT 10:21 PM

RROG

MEMBER
2 POSTS

It is fuel injected and there was definitely a bunch of water in intake. They pulled off plastic intake lid and boom there it was

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Friday, April 21st, 2017 AT 7:05 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

Maybe the guy driving it ran threw some standing water and sucked it into the air intake system. If so that can bend valves and connecting rods.

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Friday, April 21st, 2017 AT 12:36 PM

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,573 POSTS

That's about the only way for water to get there. Was it water or coolant? Water would have had to come from the outside. Check the air box for a soggy filter.

Can't really think of a way for coolant to get in there unless the lower manifold cracked or eroded over one of the water passages, Or maybe the intake gasket failed and water pressure pushed it into the intake valve port? Never seen it but I guess it could happen. Is there coolant in the oil?