Fuel water seperater ?

[4ds4me]

Was at the dealer yesterday and a lady had her 2008 in for service, water in fuel light had been on/off several times. No drive ability problems. It took like 10 minutes for this thing to drain is that normal? Dealer techs didn't seem to think so.

[cobraracing]

The primary filter has a small reservoir for water and only holds a little bit, he was draining the secondary filter reservoir if he let it flow that long, this is how you drain it for replacement

[elibenson]

I can tell you from experience that if you leave that drain open it will continue leaking fuel till your tank is drained. 10 minutes is waaaay longer than it needed to get the water out of it. But still, it will keep draining continuously while you have the drain open. It's a real barrel of laughs while you are changing the filter..

[cobraracing]

According to navastar there is a check valve that prevents drain back from the tank, it may have been stuck open.

[elibenson]

Both of mine do that. It makes changing fuel filters a real hoot, while you getting about 1/2 of one click on a ratchet trying to screw those things in, you are at least get the pleasure of an ongoing shower of diesel to keep you cool and motivated.

Actually though, my fleet mechanic found a new way to put them in with about 5 feet of socket extensions to get the ratchet end back past the cross member, so you can get a real turn on the ratchet. I had been doing it the hard way. Or the "fun" way, as I like to tell my self.

[Backlash]

Originally Posted by elibenson

Or the "fun" way, as I like to tell my self.

Yep, nothing like diesel dripping from your elbows. Our washing machine still smells like fuel after I washed that last sweatshirt. I think the quote from my wife was "Never again..."

[7.3l-2-6.4l]

Originally Posted by elibenson

I can tell you from experience that if you leave that drain open it will continue leaking fuel till your tank is drained. 10 minutes is waaaay longer than it needed to get the water out of it. But still, it will keep draining continuously while you have the drain open. It's a real barrel of laughs while you are changing the filter..

I just changed my filters last week and didn't have any problem like that. according to ford its not normall at all for you to be lossing fuel from the tank while changing the filters or draining the water seperator.

[rob05]

Originally Posted by 7.3l-2-6.4l

I just changed my filters last week and didn't have any problem like that. according to ford its not normall at all for you to be lossing fuel from the tank while changing the filters or draining the water seperator.

True, but there is still fuel in the filter that will splash down when you crack it open. Every time i change mine i end up just cursing at the engineer who decided to put it on the frame where it is.