Keep water out of the engine

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:50 pm

Has anyone run a water/sediment collector in their delica's?

A run from this old thread: http://www.delica.ca/forum/sedimentator-5364.html

The Racor filter I used 2 years ago, I found water in the bowl after two months of use (freshly lined tank).

I'm going to install one on the Chamonix and Safari next month.

Same principle write up : http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/nissan-p ... ion-15141/

The fuel runs over the inverted funnel towards the glass and is drawn back through the units centre cavity at the pointy end of the funnel. I am aware that this system does not capture emulsified water but the last few times that I got bad fuel, the main contaminant was heavy water and some brown muck which this setup will capture.

I use Chemtech Diesel Power to remove any emulsified water in the fuel and so far it has been doing a good job for me.

Good explanation:

Emulsified water is water in such a small state that it travels with the fuel and it does not group together easily and fall to the bottom of the tank / filter.

Heavy water is water in a size that is big enough to form water droplets which will join together, making a larger body of water. This water will fall to the bottom of the tank and if some does get sucked through the fuel line it will end up in the bottom of the filter

Post by **nxski** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:01 am

Sounds like the equivalent of an oil catch can but for fuel!?

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:14 am

Traps water and sediment particles in the fuel. It's used on large/commercial diesels in North America and most consumer diesels in Europe.

Manitoba deli · Post by **Manitoba deli** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:03 am

I'm curious as to why you feel you need to install this. Is it just so that you can see if you have water without opening the drain on your factory filter? Or do you feel the factory filter/separator is not doing it's job, in which case I would suspect you would mount this AFTER your factory filter so that you can compare if there is water in both, or if it is getting through your factory filter. Or are you unaware that the factory filter is also a water separator, only the bowl is not clear, it is simply the lower portion of your factory filter, and it has a water drain that should be drained periodically? Most of them also have a sensor that will light an idiot light telling you when there is water in the filter. I cannot comment on your safari factory filter, but I have yet to see any diesel engine that did not have a factory installed water separator, either on the bottom of the filter, or in tandem as a primary filter. I would bet your factory safari filter is the same. So yeah, I'm curious as to your reasoning for feeling you need to install another water separator.

Jason

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:28 am

I'm referring to the L300, Pajero and L400.

Reference vehicles: Pajero (Paj) and L300 (Granola).

Paj's fuel tank was stock and just flushed. Granola's fuel tank (manual) was removed, lined and new fuel lines installed along with a fresh fuel filter. I had installed a Racor sediment/water bowl (110A) in-line after the stock fuel filter and it was collecting water over the course of the winter. The spring-fall wasn't bad but apparently out winter diesel can carry some water. This was a few years ago. Because of this, I will be installing it on our L400 and other diesels.

My question was if anyone has been using a water/sediment collector to test our winter diesel.

Manitoba deli · Post by **Manitoba deli** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:40 am

Ok, that clears it up. I guess the answer to your original question then is everyone. Perhaps a better question would be "is anyone draining their water separators, and checking what is in it?" It is normal to find higher amounts of water in your fuel in the winter. This is normally caused by moisture/frost forming on the inside of your fuel tank wherever there is air space, and occurs most when temps. go above and below freezing. The best way to avoid this is to keep your tank as full as possible, to limit the air space.

Jason

Post by **nxski** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:41 am

What about petrolabs? According to their website it is supposed to attach to water molecules, change their characteristics and actually burn it all as fuel. Is this just for the emulsified water that the filter doesn't trap?

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:55 am

I've found that the stock water separator doesn't do as thorough job as a dedicated water/sediment separator.

The stock one uses the filter cone compared to a stand alone inverted cone/bowl like the one pictured in the first post.

The Paj came with an aftermarket sediment bowl filter and it collected water over 06/07 winters. On Granola, I installed one because I did check the stock filter and water came out back in fall 08. When I found the water, I had the fuel system re-done on Granola with the addition of the racor collector. From oct-march, it collected more heavy water than the stock filter capacity which leads me to believe that some of that water made it past the filter. Whether it's an issue or not, I was just wondering if anyone has been using a separate collector to see if the winter diesel is/attracts more water particles than the summer diesel.

legionnair · Post by **legionnair** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:32 am

On our bus fleet we run thes

http://www.maesco.com/products/racor/r_ ... intro.html

We like them caused we can see the water and you can get filters done to 2 microns when my filter head shits the bed I will replace it with one of these.

Dustin

Manitoba deli · Post by **Manitoba deli** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:00 am

That one from Raccor is a good one, I have one almost the same, but with the coolant heated head for my veg. oil. I would caution you however when using a 2 micron filter, you should install a vacume gauge on it so you can monitor the filter. Engines that run filters as fine as 2 microns normally have either an electric or manual lift pump to get the fuel to the IP. Our Mitsubishi's have neither, the IP provides all the suction to get the fuel, and can be damaged and fail prematurely by over working the suction part of the pump. I'm all for getting the cleanest fuel possible to your IP, but just be careful not to over work it. For this reason, you should also change your factory filter regularly, not just when it is plugged. The interval for this will vary with fuel condition, and km's driven(liters used). I change mine twice a year, and log 50-60,000km/van/year. In the winter I keep my fuel tank as full as practically possible, and check the water drain once between filter changes. Usually there is less than a teaspoon of water. I've never had the water in fuel light come on, but when changing the fuel filter, I always test the sensor to make sure it is working. Plug it in, and lift the float and check to see if the dash light illuminates. If I happen to get a bad batch of fuel, the light will let me know I have to drain the separator. I also try to always carry a spare fuel filter, especially with the raccor, as out here no one stocks them, and I have to buy them by the case.

Jason

jessef · Post by **jessef** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:26 am

Dustin, it is the racor bowl you linked to (same as I've used on both Pajero and L300).

Like Jason said, 2micron is much too fine. I use the R12P (30 micron) and it flows very well. The bowl catches the silt instead of the filter and doesn't get plugged up quickly like the 2/10 micron's do. Takes a while to experiment depending on your system. An in line fuel pump (6 psi average) at the fuel tank will help in the winter if you have an additional filter.

legionnair · Post by **legionnair** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:46 am

This is good to know we carry the filter heads and filters at work. I change my fuel filter and air filter every three oil changes don't care how they look the mechanic in me can't let them go longer. It becomes an itch I can't scratch if you know what I mean.

Dustin

madmazda · Post by **madmazda** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:01 pm

I just pour methyl alcohol periodoically into my tank... about a cup or so per month I was told that this kind of alcohol binds to the water and then can be burnt with the fuel.... is this somewhat correct ??

Post by **nxski** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:00 pm

madmazda wrote:I just pour methyl alcohol periodoically into my tank... about a cup or so per month I was told that this kind of alcohol binds to the water and then can be burnt with the fuel.... is this somewhat correct ??

That's how petrolabs works so that makes sense.

delicat · Post by **delicat** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:03 pm

madmazda wrote:I just pour methyl alcohol periodoically into my tank... about a cup or so per month I was told that this kind of alcohol binds to the water and then can be burnt with the fuel.... is this somewhat correct ??

This almost sounds like a prehistoric fuel/meth injection system!

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