Oil & Fuel Fuel Filter + Water

[Greyfields]

I'm new to diesel engines. I noticed a bunch of fluid leaking from my engine. It looked watery but smelled like diesel. Investigating further, I figured out how to drain the fuel filter. I drained it into a mason jar. To me, it looked like all water came out (until it was dry). I started the engine up again, and then again drained another full quart jar of what looked like water but smelled like diesel. My fuel economy did seem to be sucking the last couple days.

Did I get a bad batch or diesel? Or, I did powerwash it about 3 days ago, is there a way for that water to get into the tank?

 

[VABlue]

You shouldn't have gotten any water into the fuels system or tank, unless you had the cap off. Probably a bad batch of diesel...

 

[Loogie]

If this is a continuing problem you can get a Mr. Funnel fuel filter funnel at Harbour Freight or West Marine. It will allow fuel to pass, but not water or debris. The one I have is about 3.9gpm and was $25, but there is also a bigger one that is 5gpm for about $40. I use to to fill my cans and then again to fill my tank. I got contamination in my tank once and that was enough.

 

[DieselPower]

Diesel fuel is known for having water in it, hence the fuel/water seperators used to remove it. From the sounds of it your tractor had a rather excess amount in it. I would keep a eye on the fuel/water seperator and keep it drained. It would also be a good idea to run some fuel additive through it to help remove any water from the fuel tank.

 

[RalphVa]

I would NEVER power wash an engine or the rest of the tractor. The gaskets just aren't designed to withstand that kind of pressure.

In over 200k miles of driving this Benz and about 60k of the other one, I've NEVER had a water problem. I carry a spare fuel filter in the trunk but have never had to use it, except for like today when I changed it out and put a new filter in the trunk.

Ralph

 

[Skyco]

I second the Mr Funnel recommendation...recently bought one and it works great

 

[LBrown59]

I second the Mr Funnel recommendation...recently bought one and it works great

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1223917
Except you can't see when the tank's getting full till it runs over.

It needs to be made from a clear see through material.

 

[Greyfields]

Well we ran it last night. After about an hour, it started leaking again. It was definitely diesel it was leaking, not water. So, I have a new filter to pick-up today to see if that's the problem. My 'gas' mileage was really sucking recently, and I just thought it was because I was running the PTO hard with the tiller.