Diesel Fuel Water Separator

[Chewwy]

At one time a lot of diesel tractors came equiped with fuel water separators. Doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Anybody know why this is? Has fuel quality improved that much?

 

[Chewwy]

We seemed to have stumped the panel.

 

[RalphVa]

Did not know they'd stopped providing them. They stopped providing gasoline filters.

In 38 years driving 3 diesel cars and 17 years driving 3 diesel tractors and now 9 years on a diesel generator, I've NEVER had a water in diesel problem.

 

[SylvainG]

"NEVER had a water in diesel problem", because of the water separator did its job or never had water in your diesel to start with?

 

[Hay Dude]

Welllll, ya still gotta empty it

 

[RalphVa]

"NEVER had a water in diesel problem", because of the water separator did its job or never had water in your diesel to start with?

Never ever had water in diesel. Never appeared in water separator on tractor nor generator. Cars didn't have them.

 

[Hay Dude]

Can you show us all the new diesel tractors without water separators?

 

[ptsg]

I was quite surprised to find out that a "premium" brand like Kubota no longer includes a simple strainer/screen at the fuel tank fill neck. Might not sound that big of a deal but sure prevents a lot of stuff to get inside the tank in the first place.

 

[Chewwy]

Can you show us all the new diesel tractors without water separators?

I doubt it. I KNOW of only one that doesn’t, my 2007 Kubota. But I doubt that it is unique. I am talking about the ones with a drain port or plug for removing accumulated water. It is usually part of the filter cannister. Pretty much all verticle mounted filters can separate water in the cannister. But that does no good if it can’t be drained.

My 64 David Brown, 87 Ford 555B, and 77 MF 265 all have drain plugs on the fuel filter.

 

[sea2summit]

I doubt it. I KNOW of only one that doesn’t, my 2007 Kubota. But I doubt that it is unique. I am talking about the ones with a drain port or plug for removing accumulated water. It is usually part of the filter cannister. Pretty much all verticle mounted filters can separate water in the cannister. But that does no good if it can’t be drained.

My 64 David Brown, 87 Ford 555B, and 77 MF 265 all have drain plugs on the fuel filter.

That sounds a lot more like a tank sump than a water separator.

I've often caught water in the separators, never enough (in m opinion) to kill the motor at one time but accumulation over a summer or winter might be enough probably less than a table spoon I dump usually with fluid changes. Another indicator if you don't see it is the steel mesh rusting inside the separator, needs an oxidizing agent to rust and I'm fairly certain diesel fuel is not one.

Also in regards to a tank sump, I'm not a huge fan. I'd rather the material/water get drained constantly than have a big ball of sludge rolling around in there ready to splash into my fuel system when I'm in that highly awkward uneven terrain where I really don't want my tractor to die. There's also enough bacteria you need to be worried about in diesel without feeding it unnecessarily to grow your own special colony.