Thread: How do you remove water from Diesel

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Sedimenters collect large particles AND water which is in droplets large enough to settle. Modern water separators hower use coarse filter media to coalesce water droplets so they will settle. This technology usually is the most effective.

There are a few companies who make very good fuel/water separators, and some of them are possibly better than the Raycor (Made by Parker Hannifin).

Wasnt that just 2 ways of saying the same thing.

The Raycor water separators and others that I have had dealings with that I dont know the name of because they come with this type of machines do exactly what they are meant to do.

The best way to get rid of water in fuel is to drain the tank and then clean it out with a rag if you can get in there.

refill and your done.

For safety sake, if you think your likely to pick up bad fuel the fit a water separator and service it regularly.

Originally Posted by p38arover

How many drain the sedimenter on the Disco?

I haven't told my daughter about that. I don't know how often one should do it.

I wish I'd had time to put a CAV fuel filter with water separator into the Disco. Even if I tell her to, it won't get done.

Ron

I do every service, takes about 2 mins if its done regularly and it's not covered in 10 years worth of mud like the first time I did it.

Originally Posted by Tote

Many moons ago when I was a cockey's son we managed to stuff all the injectors on a FIAT tractor by letting bad fuel get to the injector pump. Even the smallest amount can cause corrosion and with the tolerances in the injectors a small amount of corrosion is enough to alter the spray pattern enough to prevent the engine running.
Was an expensive mistake corrected by being more vigilant with draining the sedimenter bowl and keeping the tank full of diesel overnight. Interestingly enough it was a direct injection diesel long before that technology became popular (1979)

This damage is easily done to a diesel pump / injectors. Raycor separators are a very effective way to sort this issue out and I would recommend one. Drain the tank, fit the seperator and (if you have water/fuel mix in your lines) pump it out before kicking it in the guts. I dont believe that you will bend anything unless you are really working the motor but you will need to thoroughly ensure that the water has been removed prior to effecting the pump and / or injectors.

Originally Posted by p38arover

How many drain the sedimenter on the Disco?

I haven't told my daughter about that. I don't know how often one should do it.

I wish I'd had time to put a CAV fuel filter with water separator into the Disco. Even if I tell her to, it won't get done.

Ron

I drain the one on the defender regularly, then about once a year I take it off and give it a proper clean out. A tip though, get a new (or replacement) drain plug they tend to get a bit brittle.


Martyn

Originally Posted by Bushie

I drain the one on the defender regularly, then about once a year I take it off and give it a proper clean out. A tip though, get a new (or replacement) drain plug they tend to get a bit brittle.

I removed the sedimentor bowl and cleaned it out before I went to Derby, The bowl is quite corroded. The drain plug needed easing out carefully.

I had better price/buy a complete unit and post it up to my daughter.

Ron

Originally Posted by Bushie

I drain the one on the defender regularly, then about once a year I take it off and give it a proper clean out. A tip though, get a new (or replacement) drain plug they tend to get a bit brittle.


Martyn

IIRC, it is a 5/16 UNC thread.

I replaced mine with a stainless bolt years ago.

Originally Posted by Tote

we managed to stuff all the injectors on a FIAT tractor <snip> Interestingly enough it was a direct injection diesel long before that technology became popular (1979)

Regards,
Tote

the 55hp engine in my old Fiat 550 from @ 1970 is also direct injected

Interesting article on biodiesel at:
http://www.sydneybiodiesel.com/content/view/56/9/

Contained this info...


WATER CONTENT

Although trace amounts of water in biodiesel may seem prima facie relevant, when one looks at the moisture issue in more depth it doesn’t, shall we say, hold water. I draw your attention to the work of Lubrizoil and Citgo in America and CamTec in Europe. Those firms have developed diesel fuels that incorporate large quantities of water in the fuel. The fuel utilizes chemical emulsifiers to keep the water in suspension. The water content of the fuels can reach 20 PERCENT!



Compared to the large quantity of water used in those fuels, the miniscule amounts of moisture that may result from the biodiesel production process, including washing without drying, is so small as to be negligible.



Let’s look at this water issue more closely. Although biodiesel is much more environmentally friendly than petroleum diesel, the only emission pollutant that exceeds the levels of petroleum diesel is nitrogen oxides. The use of a bit of water in the fuel reduces the nitrogen oxide emissions of the fuel. So, if we were really trying to design a more environmentally friendly biodiesel fuel then we should actually be encouraging a bit of water in the biodiesel.


Interesting...

Dave