Always drain monthly. When I was in the Army driving oil burners, I drained daily.

 

I've drained mine twice in a month...not a drop of water, but it only takes a minute.

 

Do you pull the lever and let it drain until no more diesel comes out?

 

Naw...drain it until you have about 8oz if there isn't any water in it. The water will come out first. If there's no water in it, just dump it back in your tank assuming the container you drained it into is clean. I use a 16oz gatorade bottle.

 

thanks for your info during your discussion. I am traveling and in tennessee. my drain the separator light came on as I was driving to my temp. home just 15 minutes ago. After logging on and seeing your experiences and advise, went out into a pouring rain, slid under the drivers side and after a minute or two spotted the little yellow handle that moves horizontally from back to front ontop of the separator. got about a quart of green fuel and bubbles out of it until it was a thread width and then shut the valve. I have changed no filters yet as All my tools except an emergency minimum are in Az. I will be changing them next when I figure out where they are and what tools are required.

 

what about changing out disc pads on a f-450 4 wheel drive?

 

Don't know about the 450 but I would think they are not much different from the 350 or any other disc brakes. Remove the bolts holding the calipers on, lift the calipers off the disc, pull out the old pads, remove the top off the brake fluid resivor, push the calipers apart with a c clamp, install new pads, don't forget the anti/squeek grease, put the calipers back on and rebolt. Drive for a while making a number of good firm stops. That should do it. But, if I'm wrong I'm sure somebody will tell us here in a few hours.