Milky fliud in water separator

[enie01]

Milky fluid in water separator

Just bought a new Kubota M7060. it's full of dirty milky fluid in the water separator after running for 4.5 hrs, and red ring floats to the top. Dealer thought they had bad fuel, they drained fuel, and changed water separator, etc. But the water separator is full of milky fluid again after running through 10-15 gallons diesel from a different gas station. Does anyone know what's going on?

 

[Spanner]

It reads like you have more water in your diesel fuel again.

The red ring floats on water. It sinks in diesel. So it sits at the bottom of the diesel and the top of the water at the same time because diesel floats on water.

Milky colour indicates emulsified liquids. (Diesel & water mixed).

So indications are you have contaminated fuel, of some sort.

Suggest you don't run the engine until you have drained the fuel tank (again) replaced the filter in the water separator (again) and changed where you are getting your fuel from.
Regards,
:wrench:

P.s :welcome:

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

Do everything that Spanner has recommended; he knows his stuff. As an addendum, I'd also change the fuel filter as some of that crap that was in your bowl would've entered it too. It's cheap insurance.

Enjoy the site.

 

[enie01]

Thanks folks ! I just uploaded a picture of my water separator, the white stuff is also above the red ring. Would it be possible the fuel tank or something else in the fuel system got contaminated? the second tank of fuel was from a different gas station about a 100 mile away from the dealer who filled my first tank of fuel. But the result is the same.

 

[3Lfarms]

Re: Milky fluid in water separator

So you are having fuel delivered to a tank at your place and filling the tractor from that? If so, your transfer tank is the problem. Drain and clean it.

 

[enie01]

No, I used two 5 gallons fuel containers to bring in the fuel. So far only two loads of gas was used, the first load was filled at the dealer's place, the second one was added by me after the dealer's tech drained fuel, and either cleaned or replaced the water separator. But the same result.

 

[s219]

Sounds to me like the dealer didn't get all the water out of the tank. If it's an oddball shaped tank, that can happen. I'd try to drain it again, and then add some fresh diesel and drain once more. Drain into a clear bottle or jug so you can see what comes out (give it time to settle). When you no longer see any signs of water, put everything back together and hope you licked the problem!

I haven't had to deal with this in tractors, but have in boats, and it can be a pain to really get rid of the water for once and for all. It's important to see what's coming out so you have a visual confirmation.

 

[Egon]

Have a look inside the fuel tank.

 

[3Lfarms]

Re: Milky fluid in water separator

Was this tractor sitting on the dealer's lot when you bought it? I wonder if someone stole the fuel cap and it got water in before the dealer got a cap on it.
I recently saw a brand new Dodge 5500 cab and chassis truck on the lot with no fuel cap. No telling how much water had gotten in there.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Re: Milky fluid in water separator

Just bought a new Kubota M7060. it's full of dirty milky fluid in the water separator after running for 4.5 hrs, and red ring floats to the top. Dealer thought they had bad fuel, they drained fuel, and changed water separator, etc. But the water separator is full of milky fluid again after running through 10-15 gallons diesel from a different gas station. Does anyone know what's going on?

I've had some contaminated fuel in our tractor fuel tank and it never looked like that. If you let that settle, it should form a distinct interface between the fuel on top and the water on the bottom, unless some emulsifying agent was added to the mixture.

I was able to stick a small suction pump into the tank and I pumped a quart of water out of the tank. It had some fuel floating on top the water. Before I started up, I'd drain the water separator into a clear class jar and check for water. I also added some Power Service to the fuel. It is supposed to have a substance that causes the the water molecules to agglomerate and not go through the filter and they settle in the bottom of the separator. I never found any water in the fuel filter but there was a table spoon of water in the separator the first time I did it, then a teaspoon the next time and finally some droplets and eventually nothing for about a week. So I figure I got it all.

I'd completely drain the tank and then add a quart or two of methyl alcohol and let that sit for a few hours and drain that. It's hygroscopic (attracts water). Then flush with a gallon or two of uncontaminated diesel. Make sure you water separator /filter is completely free of water, then fill the tank and drain a sample before every start up, looking for water. Consider treating you fuel to make sure the water drops to the bottom of the bowl. Check drainage daily until the water goes away.

Try to keep your tank full to minimize condensation.