When I bought my truck the water separator had been bypassed as I was living in southern california I didn't worry about it, but I recently moved to Idaho and I know it is a dry climate here, but what do you guys think, should I put a Racor aftermarket separator in it or just let it ride?

 

it doesn't matter where you live.water is found,or will enter diesel fuel.it's not a maybe.it's a fact.all diesels need a water separator.it can't be stressed enough.
as diesel flows through the system cooling the injectors,this naturally causes condensation alone.
your ip and fuel injectors do not take kindly to water.thankfully not as sensitive as modern diesels it appears lol! plus a set of injectors set us back a couple hundred for all 8...........still.get a water trap on there.you'll sleep better.

Draining a Diesel Engine's Water Separators - For Dummies

 

My Gpa has an 88 with the 7.3 in it and I have never seen a drop of water come out of his separator. Same with my Uncles 7.3 Power stroker. Also I talked to a buddy who is a diesel mech and he said that the standard fuel filter will actually take out some of the water, but I would have to change that filter more since there isn't a drain on it. Thoughts?

 

all it takes is once.
i didn't have a water separator on my diesel chipper either.wanna know what happened after fueling up with bad fuel (at a popular truck stop) just one time?
it hurt my fuel system and she's never started without starting fluid ever since.not even when its warm and it fired right up with ease when warm, the day before.

 

Ouch sorry man...... Alright you've got me convinced I need one. Which one would you recommend?

 

Wouldn't this be a simple matter of installing one of the aftermarket fuel filters that has the separator built into it, or am I missing something?

Mike

 

I by-passed the water separator on my motorhome 10 years ago. I live in Canada.


Once in a while I look around for a 7.3 diesel van to swap over the 7.3 style separator but found non yet.



No problems yet.

 

John, is it a different filter setup in the vans than the trucks? I have an extra one for trucks if you want to stop by and grab it sometime. I even have an extra mounting bracket, you might have to do some fabbing to mount it up somewhere.

 

The vans setup is on the drivers side if the engine.

 

Can you explain this process? Because I have no idea where the water would come from.

I've had my truck 4 years, never seen a drop of water in the fuel. I have no idea how long the original filter was on it, but I don't remember seeing any water in it when I replaced it. That filter was on it like 2.5 years, not even half a drop of water when I replaced it this summer.

I'm not saying there aren't places out there selling bad fuel, there probably are. However, either I'm really lucky and haven't found them, or there aren't any near me. But I don't think any water magically appears in the tank. Not saying you're wrong, but I don't buy the whole condensation forming argument.

 

my 88 is 24 years old, and has 493,000 miles on it. water in fuel light has never come on, and i have never had any water at all in any of the 24 fuel filters i have changed.
the last one was on there for over 3 years since i parked it and only use it as a snow plow now.

 

i used to see my WIF light come on from time to time.i haven't seen it in such a long time now,that the other day i made sure my sensor and light wasn't out by grounding the sensor wire just to make sure all is working.all is good.
however last time i changed my main filter,the mess in the metal fuel bowl was discouraging.like gelled up brown gunk.my fuel system is all new plastic tanks with rubber hose.whatever the rusty, petroleum jelly looking crap was in my water bowl,it came from the green handle.
overall though,it sure is nice having the same fortune your having now Tom.
that said,i don't think i'll be running my diesel with 80k on her,without a water separator or anything like that anytime soon either.

hmm.of course that little test didn't test my sensor did it.just the line.i best unscrew my bowl, fill it with water with the wire hooked to make sure its triggering my light.i best do this test when i get my truck back.im not sure how you guys are looking for water,cus when i drain it,i can't ever tell whats coming out.it all looks the same to me coming out that tube as when my light was on or off.i guess your catching it in a small container to look for it? i suppose,as long as your sure she's never draining back in the line on ya.but what are you doing,catching some in a bowl to look at it each fill up? then what if you find some? you plan on draining the tank(s) etc to get it out,or your just hoping for the best? not sure i understand how one would not run a water trap and keep insured against the inevitable.

 

I have an Alliance separator on my 6.9 and it works great. It's clear right below the filter (the unit has it's own filter) and you can see the water pool there (if there is any). Kind of a big unit so it took some fittings and some remodeling of the engine compartment where the original separator went. I don't know if it is because it does a better job than the one ford built, but it didn't take long for water to appear. I live in Idaho as well, so maybe we get a lot of water in the fuel here, I don't know. But I would never run my engine without one.

 

I don't remember what I drained my filter into the first time I changed it. Last winter the water in fuel light came on a few times on cold mornings. I drained the filter into a tin can and it was all the same looking plain diesel. To be sure, I spit in it. The spit sank to the bottom like it should have and looked like a bubble in the diesel. I have no idea why the WIF light turned on, and the next week it was warmer and never saw it again.

Since diesel is less dense than water, it floats on top. Water separators work by having a lower place for the water to sink to. There are some filters that are made of materials that either block, or absorb the water.

I imagine that in the past, storage tanks used to have leakier tops so rain water could get in. If you fuel up from someplace that doesn't see lots of diesel cycling through, its more likely to collect water, and this is probably true in many places. Since there are low spots in the injection pump, diesel can accumulate in there and rust parts damaging the system. Gas vehicles are less prone to this. Water could settle out in a carb bowl and freeze. With gas fuel injection, the pressure is much lower and is supplied by a regular electric pump so the water can be sprayed right through the injectors without causing any damage.

I'd guess thats why diesel's tend to have water filters, but gassers don't. *shrug* I wouldn't want to run without a water filter, but I'm not real worried about getting water in my fuel.

 

this is a nice read.
Source Of Diesel Fuel Problems
im very happy for you guys who have never experienced water in your diesel fuel.i sure haven't been so lucky.iv lost count in the 2 yrs iv own the diesel so far.10 times id say iv seen the WIF light and had to drain the separator......at least.iv got gotten in the habit to drain it before i see the light come on.pretty much every fill up when i remember.only takes a couple seconds.

id suggest to those never seeing the light come on,to go ahead and unscrew your water bowl.fill it up with water to make sure its triggering your light.some of ya might be in for a surprise.i might be too.i dunno why all i did was test the wire and bulb and not the sensor.that was silly of me lol.i won't forget.i'll do it the day i get my truck back.

here is another good one explaining how water can (and will.it's inevitable.) enter your fuel tank.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Most-Commo...ems&id=5085791