Been reading a bit about water separators, mines been bypassed only god knows how long ago and trying to decide if it's something I should worry about. It's still got the original 6.9 filter head. You know I don't like spending money on something I don't need and like complicating things even less, can the fuel filter be used as a water separator? Will water pool in the bottom of it? Can you just dump the filter, refill it and keep running it each oil change or some appropriate interval? Curious what you all think.
How many of you guys are running a water separator?
- Thread starter ludite
- Start date
We all run water separators. That is half the job of the fuel filter mounted on the engine. It has a drain on the bottom of it. Ford realized they did not need the extra separator of the earlier trucks and got rid of it later.
6.9 can be deleted and sometimes are. It was completely gone on the 85 RV when I bought it. I put a Racor just in case after about a year.
Brian VT
Full Access Member
Is that type of filter available for the 6.9 filter head?
93 factory filter housing with screw on base.
I can't remember the last time I was able to drain any visible amount of water from the factory fuel filter. It's been years. Same with the John Deere compact tractor that has a clear bowl with a red plastic ring that floats if there's water present in the bowl. Why? I suspect that the additive I use - Stanadyne Performance Formula - places water in suspension and the water droplets are burned with the fuel.
If the water was suspended the diesel would have a cloudy appearance to it. Plus running water through the fuel system would cause rust internally and poor running. I bet its just clean fuel. I hardly ever see watered diesel
Old Goat
Full Access Member
I have a Racor FG500 mounted in the area where the factory Water separator was. Has a replaceable inner Filter comes in 2, 10 & 30
Micron, plus a large clear bowl on the bottom with a drain.
I use the 2 Micron.
If you have Cruise Control, that thing is in the way, I don`t
have it on this 86.
On my 82 Datsun KC with the Nissan SD-22 Diesel engine, used the smaller FG200 and 2 micron for 30 years and 480K miles.
On our 80 Mercedes 240D I use the same FG200
Amazing the crap that can be in the fuel. I figure you can`t have too much filtration, After all you are protecting the IP & Injectors
with their close tolerances.
Every time fuel is transfered from on source to another contaminates are picked up. There will always be water from condensation with in the tank just from the air drawn in as the fuel is used. In a dryer area not so much the problem but in a more humid climate, or winter time will/could cause the problem.
I don`t care what Ford engineers think, seen some of their better ideas.
Goat
Micron, plus a large clear bowl on the bottom with a drain.
I use the 2 Micron.
If you have Cruise Control, that thing is in the way, I don`t
have it on this 86.
On my 82 Datsun KC with the Nissan SD-22 Diesel engine, used the smaller FG200 and 2 micron for 30 years and 480K miles.
On our 80 Mercedes 240D I use the same FG200
Amazing the crap that can be in the fuel. I figure you can`t have too much filtration, After all you are protecting the IP & Injectors
with their close tolerances.
Every time fuel is transfered from on source to another contaminates are picked up. There will always be water from condensation with in the tank just from the air drawn in as the fuel is used. In a dryer area not so much the problem but in a more humid climate, or winter time will/could cause the problem.
I don`t care what Ford engineers think, seen some of their better ideas.
Goat
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Not on 6.9 fuel filters. Only 7.3 filters have it.
I haven't seen any in my own. I did see one truck that did have water in the fuel. I had put a new engine in it. The customer wanted to reuse his pump and injectors since they were pretty new. When we got the engine running, it immediately ran away to full throttle. The key didn't shut the engine off. Luckily it had a ZF5 in it so the foreman, who was inside working the key, put the truck in 5th and let out the clutch while holding the brake. Then I pulled the top off of the pump. The fuel came from somewhere in Oklahoma and was completely clear. It looked just like water except for a few round beads on liquid rolling around on the bottom of the pump said that it wasn't. We had no choice but to put another pump on the engine. After that, the engine ran great.
A gas station in Arizona was pumping pure water from the regular unleaded tank around new years this year. The bug had to be towed because I didn't know what the problem was at the time. I squeezed a $600 professionally rebuilt carburetor out of the gas station's insurance. A lot cheaper than the many people with claims involving dealerships on modern vehicles.
Here's results of the report I filed with the state. I guess never gone fined ("civil penalty") for it despite it being recommended by the inspector, since it says no it being assessed.
They sell diesel at that station too.
WrenchWhore
Full Access Member
I must confess I haven't ran a water separator in years. I know shame on me. I've been quite lucky with the fuel I get which has always been from Chevron. Also, being here in Havasu AZ is VERY dry. I do have a 7.3 filter head on standby but it's the one that mounts more towards the driver side (U-Haul motor) I've just kept up on the maintenance a lot sooner so the fuel filter gets changed easily each 5-10K or when i'm bored. Personally i'd just get a truck 7.3 filter housing and run it with the water separator filters.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
I rarely check mine because I've never found water in it. That's shame on me. It will probably come back to bite me someday.
That would be the ones that came with vans and Internationals.
WrenchWhore
Full Access Member
yeah I was going to use it but I believe it might stick up too high for a truck hood. I'll keep in around for the day I IDI swap my 68. I'm getting a little tired of this 460.
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