Title says it all!

Went through the car wash and 5 minutes later the WIF light is on. Drained HFCM and changed filter. I didn't see any water in the fuel when I drained and changed the filter. Light was out for 10 minutes and came back on.

What do I need to do besides keep draining the HFCM?

I put the fuel I drained in a milk jug and will look at it in the AM.

 

I believe the standard procedure here is to drain the HFCM, then take some brake cleaner or carb cleaner.... Not sure which, I've been looking for that answer.... Fashion the straw into a "J" shape (imaginative use of a lighter might be in order to set the shape), and blast what ever is stuck on the sensor off. I believe the sensor is towards the front of the truck. At on time I found a thread with pictures, but cannot seem to find it now.

I wish you luck!

 

My brother ran in to the same issue. I have some pics in my album if you want to take a look. You can buy an o-ring kit and take you fuel pump apart and clean it. I will look for the Ford part #.

 

Carb cleaner. You can pull the plug and shoot a can of it in there and it will wash it all out of there. I dont know how water would get in your fuel though by washing your truck unless you had your fuel cap off or loose. Might of got your wire plug wet for you fuel pump. Once it dries might be ok.

 

Dielectric grease the pins in the wiring plug and clean her up.

 

So the saga continues!

Drained the water separator a total of 4 times over the last few days. Each time what is drained out goes into a empty CLEAN and DRY milk jug. There are no signs of water at all. Every time the WIF light is off immediately after. It stays off for any where from 5-45 minutes and then pops on.

Tonight on the way home about 20 minutes into the drive, I round a bend and it pops on. 3 minutes later it goes out. It has been out the last 50 miles of driving to night.

So a few questions...

1) is there a product on the market to test for water in the fuel?
2) how much water is needed to set off the WIF light?
3) shouldn't I be able to see a fuel water separation in the milk jug after some settleing time?
4) shouldn't I see a driveability issue of some sort?

 

You'll see the water in fuel immediately since they don't mix. Sometimes the WIF sensor goes bad and needs replaced. It's not uncommon.

 

So if I do not see the water in the fuel, then it is more then likely a faluty sensor?

That is good to know.

 

Correct. I use a red Folgers container to drain into. Water separates into "bubbles" and rolls around the bottom; shows up like a sore thumb. Any kind of trash shows up really well also.

 

Well I took the truck through the car wash again and my buddy the WIF comes and goes on a regular basis!

So I am considering replacing the sensor and see what happens.

 

I had the same problem a couple of months ago and it was the water separator sensor, bought a new one and no problem since.

 

You know when you get that new sensor your going to lose a buddy?

 

My WIF lite would come on usually after a sharp turn at an intersection.
I put the driver-side up on ramps, so the HFCM drain was pointed downhill.
I removed the drain plug and sprayed carb-cleaner in and out came brown goo (algae). I continued to spray and aim the straw around to all the corners/sides top/bottom until no more goo came out.
I let it dry/drain for a few minutes and then put the plug back in.

NO WIF for nearly a year now (fingers crossed )
It's a cheap attempt to clean the sensor, and the good cleaning isn't a waste itself. If your WIF returns THEN get a new sensor..

 

I have heard it said the WIF/HFCM system is simply a bad design that almost always gives one a bad reading.

Yet the penalty for being wrong and letting water get to your injectors is kind of painful.

 

Hoping to lose my new BUDDY! What I am really hoping is that I am not wrong and do have a water issue in my Fuel. But as I said before, all the draining I have done there is no water to be seen in the fuel.

I would rather lose my new buddy then 3k for new injectors....