Drain Fuel Water Separator
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 1
The filler neck does have a check ball or something like that to prevent syphoning and fuel sloshing out the neck every time you make a left hand turn with a full tank. 
You can remove the filler neck tube without removing the tank or raising the bed but you wont be able to see or feel inside the tank to know how much you have drained. If you have the filler neck removed already its just 2 more lines, an electrical connector and 2 straps to remove the entire tank and know 100% that your problem is gone. If you do drop the tank do the harpoon mod while you are at it.
Dont keep filling the tank (my 2 cents) because if you have 1 gallon of water it just keeps mixing with the 30 gallons of fuel. It will take forever to separate because every time you drive the truck it is mixing. Keep doing what you are doing until this tank is nearly gone. Then syphon/remove/whatever. If you just syphon it get all that you can out of it. Fill it back up with clean fuel and more water remover. Hopefully the little bit still left in the tank can be handled with the additive. If it were mine I would drop the tank though.
You can remove the filler neck tube without removing the tank or raising the bed but you wont be able to see or feel inside the tank to know how much you have drained. If you have the filler neck removed already its just 2 more lines, an electrical connector and 2 straps to remove the entire tank and know 100% that your problem is gone. If you do drop the tank do the harpoon mod while you are at it.
Dont keep filling the tank (my 2 cents) because if you have 1 gallon of water it just keeps mixing with the 30 gallons of fuel. It will take forever to separate because every time you drive the truck it is mixing. Keep doing what you are doing until this tank is nearly gone. Then syphon/remove/whatever. If you just syphon it get all that you can out of it. Fill it back up with clean fuel and more water remover. Hopefully the little bit still left in the tank can be handled with the additive. If it were mine I would drop the tank though.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Salem, Oregon
There are a number of good treatments for water in the fuel. Power Service Products and Stanadyne are fuel supplement companies with excellent products. I would go to the parts department or shop for a big truck dealer like International, Kenworth, etc. and get thier recommendation. Over the road trucks have this problem because they fill up so many different places and many of them go to OEM dealers and shops. So they will have a lot of experience. Try to buy your fuel from a high volume outlet that goes through a lot of fuel. (like 50,000 or more gals. a day) The longer diesel fuel sits in a tank or the ground, the more problems arise.
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Spring Branch, TX
the last time I had my fuel filters changed, I was back talking with the tec. I had gel in the cartridge and water seperator. Know this was during the summer in South Carolina. He cleaned it out and said if the dain water light keep coming on, the pump, lines, seperator, ect. would have to be replaced. The message came on 4 times. When I drained it, "gel" drained out. That was about 5000 miles ago. know when I drain it, diesel just drips out. A friend of mine has had his pump, lines, ect replaced for this same reason.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Scottsville, KY
I have been getting the drain fuel water separator message for the past 4 days. Every time I open the drain valve, I get nothing out, no diesel or water, not even a drip. I have tried this every time the light comes on. Last year when the light came on, I drained it and got a few drops out and the light did not come back on until this year. Should I get anything out when I open the valve ? The fuel filters were changed at the dealer late last year and I wonder if they messed anything up. Thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 1
yes you should get water or fuel to drain out when you open the valve. Since nothing is coming out there must be something obstructing it. Its a good idea to really check/clean out the assembly when changing filters. Several people have reported that the assembly was pretty dirty and gummed up. If you are getting the warning light I would suggest changing the filters again and cleaning out the drain valve. If your light comes on and you cant drain the water then its going to find its way to the engine.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Scottsville, KY
Update - when I tried to drain it, the outside temp was in the low 20's preceeded by a few days in the teens. Drained it yesterday with the temp in the 50's and got water out. It didn't think about the water freezing in separator, but it will happen.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,521
Likes: 11
From: Greenwood, SC
I know it's crazy but it's funny to think about.
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New User
Joined: Apr 2010
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nothing will drain ? force it to drain !
The info on this thread/site is great! Spending an hour walking through symptoms and reading what others have done to fix it...priceless.
Had my seperator filter changed about 2 weeks ago. Now the warning message to drain the water comes on everytime I drive it (maybe the 7 mile standard metioned earlier...havn't really checked that close). Tried to drain the water and nothing came out when the drain was opened...nothing!
It was getting dark and I needed my truck in the morning, so I cheated. Not sure if my cheat was RISKY or not but before pulling the whole unit out for a clogged drain, got curious to see if leaving the drain open and turning the key to "on" would force out the clog. Well it worked, I think.
Left the key on for 3 seconds with the drain open and then turned off the key. Crawled under to see if anything happened and there were a few drips coming out. Did it again...then the stream started. 4 times total and there is now a steady stream when the drain is opened.
Probably not the safest method, but got the clog gone and the water out. It will now be opened every month.
Anyone try this method or am I the only moron crazy enough to try it?
Had my seperator filter changed about 2 weeks ago. Now the warning message to drain the water comes on everytime I drive it (maybe the 7 mile standard metioned earlier...havn't really checked that close). Tried to drain the water and nothing came out when the drain was opened...nothing!
It was getting dark and I needed my truck in the morning, so I cheated. Not sure if my cheat was RISKY or not but before pulling the whole unit out for a clogged drain, got curious to see if leaving the drain open and turning the key to "on" would force out the clog. Well it worked, I think.
Left the key on for 3 seconds with the drain open and then turned off the key. Crawled under to see if anything happened and there were a few drips coming out. Did it again...then the stream started. 4 times total and there is now a steady stream when the drain is opened.
Probably not the safest method, but got the clog gone and the water out. It will now be opened every month.
Anyone try this method or am I the only moron crazy enough to try it?
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37,379
Likes: 1,863
From: Frederick, MD
The info on this thread/site is great! Spending an hour walking through symptoms and reading what others have done to fix it...priceless.
Had my seperator filter changed about 2 weeks ago. Now the warning message to drain the water comes on everytime I drive it (maybe the 7 mile standard metioned earlier...havn't really checked that close). Tried to drain the water and nothing came out when the drain was opened...nothing!
It was getting dark and I needed my truck in the morning, so I cheated. Not sure if my cheat was RISKY or not but before pulling the whole unit out for a clogged drain, got curious to see if leaving the drain open and turning the key to "on" would force out the clog. Well it worked, I think.
Left the key on for 3 seconds with the drain open and then turned off the key. Crawled under to see if anything happened and there were a few drips coming out. Did it again...then the stream started. 4 times total and there is now a steady stream when the drain is opened.
Probably not the safest method, but got the clog gone and the water out. It will now be opened every month.
Anyone try this method or am I the only moron crazy enough to try it?
Had my seperator filter changed about 2 weeks ago. Now the warning message to drain the water comes on everytime I drive it (maybe the 7 mile standard metioned earlier...havn't really checked that close). Tried to drain the water and nothing came out when the drain was opened...nothing!
It was getting dark and I needed my truck in the morning, so I cheated. Not sure if my cheat was RISKY or not but before pulling the whole unit out for a clogged drain, got curious to see if leaving the drain open and turning the key to "on" would force out the clog. Well it worked, I think.
Left the key on for 3 seconds with the drain open and then turned off the key. Crawled under to see if anything happened and there were a few drips coming out. Did it again...then the stream started. 4 times total and there is now a steady stream when the drain is opened.
Probably not the safest method, but got the clog gone and the water out. It will now be opened every month.
Anyone try this method or am I the only moron crazy enough to try it?
While you may take it down and not feel you need to put in a new filter I would at least want to ensure there is nothing remaining.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 3
i had that problem and it turned out to be some sludge had accumulated on the sensor in the manifold that's part of the fuel filter housing .took off the filter,took off the manifold,and a little blast of carb cleaner on the contacts.voila problem solved.
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