Manual states a message on the information center will inform you when to drain the fuel/water filter. The maintenance schedule informs to check monthly. Its been a month since I've had my truck......about 1200 miles on it, so I decided to drain it. Its very simple, no water drained out, just fuel. Guess I've been getting good fuel

 

Truth is, unless you are in a real bad fuel area, draining it once every oil change to check for water, or when it tells you, will do fine.

 

Yea, next time I'll wait until it tells me to. I mainly did it out of curiosity.

 

Yea, I drained mine at 4 weeks, then at 10 weeks, then most recently at 18 weeks.
No water. I'll leave it up to the computer/oil changes at this point or if I used questionable fuel. Just like the oil, I'm sure Ford programmed this to error on the side of caution, too.

 

I would not wait till it tells you. Get yourself on a schedule and do it at least monthly.

sensors are not a substitute for good preventative maintance.

 

I should have done this more on my '08, but I never got any water out when I did!

Also, I must havve Epic's video on draining the separator...

 

The problem is you will never know when your going to get water, better to drain with no water than not drain at all. No harm to drain any time.

 

It's harder to make that video than it is to drain the DFCM...lol!

 

I too have been curious. I originally missed the part of the manual that talks about the "drain now" message. I thought it was just up to me to do regularly... but I haven't done it yet. Right about 2200 miles and no message. I plan to drain it before I head out of town on Monday, just for good measure.

 

lol, I sure will when I remember to get under the truck. I have 6,000 miles now and haven't drained it yet so it has to be time.

FYI - I'm not going to get to it right away though as my truck will be sitting in airport parking over the next two weeks. Going to Spain and then to Thailand. 28,000 miles in two weeks. Oui... I sure wish they had Super Duty seats as an option on airplanes.

 

Just did the OC today with about 6K miles on it. I drained the filter and it looked real real clear for the first 2 seconds maybe not even that long, then it got just the slightest tinge of a tea-colored mix to it. I smelled it and it had a diesel smell, I guess it's been a long time since I saw diesel in an open container, soooo it could have been all fuel coming out.

I let it drain about 15-20 seconds, probably a half quart at least, and no change. Maybe I got all diesel and no water, does this sound about right?

 

Did mine today after installing the Titan tank. 13500 mikes and noticed no water

 

enjoy spain...I just got back from sitges last week. beautiful area, great food and very friendly.