I have water in my diesel what should I do

[stevenf]

I've dumped my water seperator filter 3 days in a row I talked to the Kubota folks to confirm and they said put one of the additives in the tractor to break it up. Would Power Service for diesel be the best thing to use or what would you suggest?
Steve

 

[billbill1]

Is it in the storage tank or the tractor tank?

 

[stevenf]

Apparently its in the tractor. I have a 300 gallon tank outside elevated storage tank that I filled up in November and added a large bottle of Power Service to it. I have 50 hours on the tractor and I've filled up 3 times the last time I filled up was last Wedsnesday and the tractor didn't show any signs of water until Friday then I dumped the seperator Friday, Saturday and Sunday and almost immediately after dumping the bottle out the red ring raises back up to the white line of the seperator bottle. I wonder, I didn't have any Kerosene to clean out the bottle so I've just been dumping it should I also be taking the element off and cleaning everything and if so could I use new diesel to clean them or do I have to use kerosene for some reason.
Steve

 

[cowboydoc]

If it keeps filling up you need to dump the fuel in the tractor. Water is a killer for injectors and pumps. Have the fuel in your tank checked for water. Somehow water got into your fuel and you need to find out how. Powerservice is great for water in the fuel but if it's that much that it's immediately filling up the bowl again you have some serious problems with your fuel.

 

[DmansPadge]

Cowboydoc is right. You need to drain all the fuel in the tractor and replace it with fresh diesel. There is a paste you can get to check for water in fuel. If you have a long stick or rod you can put down in your storage tank you can simply put some of the paste on the end of the stick, dunk it in the tank all the way to the bottow and it will change colors when it hits water. If you have a drain on the bottom of the tank you could simply drain off the water until you get good diesel.

 

[stevenf]

Thanks All I talked to Kubota and to a old farmer in the area and both said the same thing drain the tractor and since Exon only delivered it in November I'm going to have them out to replace the fuel as the old farmer said he had to do that several times over the years with both of the local distributors.
Steve

 

[Darren]

If you don't have one already, install a Racor water separater between the tank on the tractor and the inlet to the fuel filter. Use a Mr. Funnel to pull out the water coming from the storage tank while you're filling the tractor's tank. It will get most of the water. The Racor unit will get the rest. Check it often to drain it when necessary or get the optional sensor that tells you when the bowl needs to be drained.

With that you can forget about water getting to your injection pump.

 

[stevenf]

Well I don't have a resolution yet but the oil distributor is going to meet me at the ranch Thursday AM. He seemed concerned but also said that they had sold many thousands of gallons of diesel since mine was delivered and had not heard any other complaints nor have they in over 3 years so he's thinking its probably my problem. He said hes got some paste that you test it with they put it on a stick and lower to the bottom of the tank where the water would accumulate and if there is any it will turn bright red. He is bringing their tanker truck just in case they do find a problem they can do something about it right then. In the mean time I'm going to TSC to get a clear water seperator filter to put on my tank so at least I'll catch it before dumping it in to the tractor.
Steve

 

[Darren]

I suspect a metal tank will always sweat on the inside leading to water accumulating in the bottom. If you're drawing from the bottom of the tank, you'll always get water as long as the tank is vented, which it has to be to function and keep the tank from collapsing inwards. If you're drawing from the top, you won't pick up water until enough accumulates to reach the pump pickup.

I have a similar situation so I plan on always getting water buildup over time. I just filter it out.

 

[billbill1]

Have you tried to catch some diesel into a milk jug from the storage tank to see if water is visable? That sounds like an excessive amount of water to be condensation. If pulling from the bottom of the tank, I would think that water would come out first and could be eliminated. I doubt that your supplier would admit to selling fuel with water in it even if he knew about it.