Truck starts fine. Drive about 1 mile, truck stalls, Water In Fuel warning. Coast to a stop, drain about 3/4 of a gallon of water out of the OE and MEGA filters. It just keeps coming! Get fuel flowing out of the drains. Finally get it started after many primes. Sounds good, then dies. Water In Fuel warning again. Drain several cups of water again. Now I am frozen. It is 27 degrees and windy. Say forget it and call a tow.

Here is the wierd thing. Filled at Flying J truck stop about 40 miles ago. Ran great. Called Flying J in case they had info on bad fuel. No record of such but they are looking into it.

Since that fill up and after driving 40 miles I parked the truck over night inside the fire station. Truck started great, ran fine for 1 mile and DEAD.

Dealership is planning to siphon fuel, drop the tank and clean it out, replace both fuel filters, and get it running.

Question....Is there any way in the world to get that much water at a fill up and not know it for 40 miles? Was I sabatoged? It seems to me I would have a WIF light VERY quickly after taking that much water.

What kind of damage does this do to my fuel system?

I'm hoping this will all blow over, I hope it was a bad batch of fuel, but I don't see how I could go so long with that much water and not have problems before 40 miles. SPICER

I would not worry...........

I had this happen to me about a month ago..........:mad:
No WIF light, but it cost me 2 OEM and 2 CAT filters plus a quadruple dose of additive for 4 tankfuls and I used the lift pump to suck out the last couple gallons when I ran the tank down...........

Keep using additive and changing filters, if possible transfer the fuel out to another container...........

MOBIL is where I filled up..........

Spicer,

You mention that the truck sat inside overnight before you left in the morning, perhaps you had some acumulated water in the tank that was frozen and it unfroze overnight in the heated garage bay and was able to make it's way up to the filter's.

Or

Someone at the firehouse dosen't like you or your truck in there and put some water in your tank overnight.:damnit1:
You started it and used the fuel in the lines to go 1 mile and then the water finally made it's way up to the filter's and engine. Do you have a locking gas cap? If you find someone did it :ninja: them

Don't think you could go 40 miles with that much water and not know it sooner.

DD

I have never seen a WIF light on in a truck that didnt have a shorted wire for that circuit

I have never seen a WIF light on in a truck that didnt have a shorted wire for that circuit
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

You know....GMC-2002-DMAX has a good idea..for those with lift pumps...put in a ball valve to close the forward path to the engine and open another valve to a port where you can connect a hose and sipon out the tank.

I think these pumps draw maybe an amp and in a couple of minutes you can get most of the fuel out of the trucks tank...or at least a good chug of it to see what you have.

Eric, I don't get it either.

There is no way I had a gallon of ice that thawed overnight. I am having the fuel tank siphoned, and the tank dropped and cleaned. Hopefully this will save me from needing to replace multiple filters. The MEGA filter element is brand new, so now I am down that filter plus a couple replacements in case this happens again.

On average, for every gallon of fuel burned, how much is returned to the fuel tank via the return lines? I cannot see this much water going unnoticed for 40 miles. SPICER

Geno peed in the tank??:eek:


I've got extra MEGAs if you need one.....about an hour away....

Geno peed in the tank??:eek: .................
My first thot also as that was a major activity of the 60's rebellious teenagers. BUT, hate to meet the teenager that can stand flatfooted and pee in a DMax tank :D

You know....GMC-2002-DMAX has a good idea..for those with lift pumps...put in a ball valve to close the forward path to the engine and open another valve to a port where you can connect a hose and sipon out the tank.

I think these pumps draw maybe an amp and in a couple of minutes you can get most of the fuel out of the trucks tank...or at least a good chug of it to see what you have. That's a good idea. For that matter, one could install a tee inline from the tank to the OEM filter (if you had a pre OEM filter setup like the Racor with the water separator) you could install it immediately downstream. Ball valve immediately downstream from the tee, then on the branch, another ball valve with a barbed end or some kind of quick connect to attach a drain hose to. Connect that to a simple 12-volt pump that you could run from the cigarette lighter into 5 gallon diesel jugs. Shut off the downstream ball valve, open the drain ball valve, and hit the pump. With any luck, pulling the suspect fuel through the water separator in the Racor, will rid the fuel of water. You could actually pour the reclaimed diesel back into the tank and repeat this process until no water shows up in the separator. Once you've done this, pour the newly "cleaned" fuel back into the tank, along with your favorite additive, and you should be good to go!

I think it would work great, and would beat the hell out of eating the loss in fuel cost, not to mention having to drain and drop the fuel tank.

Heck, for that matter, if you had the water separating prefilter, you could run a hose from the tee directly to the fuel filler and do it that way, like if you're traveling and don't have possibly 5 or 6 five gallon jugs.

Huh? Huh? Whaddaya think? http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/grd.gif

That's a good idea. For that matter, one could install a tee inline from the tank to the OEM filter (if you had a pre OEM filter setup like the Racor with the water separator) you could install it immediately downstream. Ball valve immediately downstream from the tee, then on the branch, another ball valve with a barbed end or some kind of quick connect to attach a drain hose to. Connect that to a simple 12-volt pump that you could run from the cigarette lighter into 5 gallon diesel jugs. Shut off the downstream ball valve, open the drain ball valve, and hit the pump. With any luck, pulling the suspect fuel through the water separator in the Racor, will rid the fuel of water. You could actually pour the reclaimed diesel back into the tank and repeat this process until no water shows up in the separator. Once you've done this, pour the newly "cleaned" fuel back into the tank, along with your favorite additive, and you should be good to go!

I think it would work great, and would beat the hell out of eating the loss in fuel cost, not to mention having to drain and drop the fuel tank.

Heck, for that matter, if you had the water separating prefilter, you could run a hose from the tee directly to the fuel filler and do it that way, like if you're traveling and don't have possibly 5 or 6 five gallon jugs.

Huh? Huh? Whaddaya think? http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/images/smilies/grd.gifI have a valve setup for that since I took on water last year. Never had to use it for water again but it's there if I ever need it. Does work good for fueling the tractor or draining camp fire fuel. :)

The treated paper of the Mega along with the drain sure come in handy at times like this!

Probably took on the water at the fuel stop...

The treated paper of the Mega along with the drain sure come in handy at times like this!

Probably took on the water at the fuel stop...

John, for each gallon of fuel burned, what is the average quantity of fuel returned to the tank...........or, what is the ratio of fuel returned to fuel burned?

Also, I am assuming filter replacement is mandatory. I am sure the water made it to the injectors because of all the white smoke. SPICER

that is a lot of water in one tank, might want to watch a bit the next time you fill, some fuel stops i have seen have had snow banks directly over the vent tubes, of the tanks, and then they wonder when people are *****ing about their fuel, just stupid things people do, and the problems associated

This is a Flying J, a very large truck stop. They monitor their fuel every day. I will get the "investigation report" tomorrow. I HOPE it was bad fuel, but still..............If a person takes on a GALLON of water, how soon will they know it? Water goes right to the bottom of the tank...........picked up by the supply line and right to the filter. How could I go 40 miles and have NO WIF warning, and next morning drive 1 mile and be dead in my tracks with water excreting from every orifice? Puzzling. SPICER

a couple of years ago i bought fuel from a reservation, lets say i did not get 20 miles down the road and all sorts of sh!t was happening, i ended up draning the hole tank in the ditch and replaced with good fuel, to this day the grass has never stop growing in that spot, i bet it was over half water, live and learn

SPICER, I think you paid good money for a couple gallons of water. The water would not settle immediately. It would be well emulsified after going through the station pump. Driving and returning fuel would keep some of it from settling also. It sure would settle overnight. As far as our OEM having a real separator, it doesn't. All I see is a low point drain with a float that is suppose to float up on water. Evidently it works. Later! Frank

Spicer,

Sorry to read about your problem. I know from your past postings that you are very careful in how you treat your truck.

1) You said the you put on 40 miles after filling at the J. Was that 40 continuous miles without shuting down the engine, or did you have some down time during the 40 miles? If so, how long?

2) Did you put any additive in the fuel when filling? If so which one, and is it an emulsifier or demulsifier?

3) Since you are the Diesel Place number one tester, here is an experiment you might want to try. Get a large clear glass jar and fill about 3/4 with diesel. Add water in the same ratio that was in your tank (24 to 1?), then shake and observe how it behaves and how long it takes to settle. If you were using an additive, be sure to include some in the test, again, in the same ratio. This may give you some insight as to what is going on.

I hope it turns out to be the J and that they pick up the tab for you.

I guess the good news is that it did not happen on your planned trip.

i remember reading a year or two ago about a guy that had something like that happen to him. he also filled at a flying j. i now fill up at pilot yet there is a flying j right across the street. pilots fuel looks yellow, where as j's fuel is clear. this tells me that the two fuels are not the same. also, i stopped at j's to fuel up about a month ago or so and the pump ran so slow. it took like two minutes to get 1 gallon of fuel. i stopped, paid and went to pilot and it pumped out normal. it was like 10 below that day. maybe there fuel had water or was gelling? let us know in the report. wil

BH in AZ, I fueled and drove about 27 miles. Then I parked it overnight outside in my driveway. Probably 20 degrees in the morning. Drove to work 11 miles, parked outside for about 6-7 hours, started fine, pulled it inside for the night. Woke up, drove it 1 mile, dead and WIF warning and full of water.

Ironically I normally use Primrose. I had a bottle of FPPF that was given to me by Victory Red (another member) when I drove to his house to help him with his original oil filter that was stuck. It was a new bottle of Total Power, still foil sealed. I decided to try to use it up, so I used probably a tripple dose. About 4 oz. for the 10 gallons of fuel I added at the Flying J. So I had a LOT of emulsifier in my tank. Obviously I had way more water than the additive could handle.

Thanks for the moral support. I too am glad I am not on the road right now. That would be much worse. SPICER

Were you trying this new water injection system that I have read about?:knight: (http://dieselplace.com/forum/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=7#)

I do hope all turns out okay.

Ben

The update. The dealership decided to try running the engine and continue draining the filters. They got it running and got another Water In Fuel warning, drained another quart of water, and road tested it again. I told them if this was it, then I would change the fuel filters myself. They are going to road test it again and then I will go get it.

Does anyone know if the fuel pick-up system in the tank is at the bottom of the tank, or will I still have more water in there? I paln to add a crap load of additive (emulsifier, right?) Any advice? SPICER

I have never seen a WIF light on in a truck that didnt have a shorted wire for that circuit
Would the racor after market set up thats connected to the factory wif wiring also not work?

I didn't know that the mega filter has a water separtator cause I'm always looking for that clear bowl that screws onto the bottom of the filter.

I'm always looking for that clear bowl that screws onto the bottom of the filter.

In that vein, i was intrigued by this (http://mastercatalog04.westmarine.com/0319.asp?LinkBackProdId=72588)
particular product as a possible pre filtration/water separation approach - specifically, the 500FG-2. Price isn't too bad....

In the early 70's, I went to a Bosch Fuel Injection school in Denver. The instructors had been there all week, sampling gasoline and Diesel from the pumps. I believe most fuel had at least 15% H2O. This was during the "fuel crisis", and the belief was that dealers were putting water into the fuel tanks. I saw a number of those Racor water separator filters during those days, although I never sold one.

coriolis1
Thank you, I would like that on the frame right by the tank. Then a prefilter, I think that one only separates the water from fuel.

coriolis1
Thank you, I would like that on the frame right by the tank. Then a prefilter, I think that one only separates the water from fuel. Actually, you can get a 2 micron filter which drops in from the top. Claims to filter out "harmful solids" which I would take to mean dirt and rust particles and such... I like the setup because it uses centrifugal force in separation. Replacement filters seem fairly easy on the wallet, too.

They do have a dual filtration setup, but that's a little rich for my blood... throw a 30 micron in one, and the 2 micron one downstream...

Since is does have the 2 micon filter I think it would be ok alone. Seems that filtration doesn't completely keep you out of the injector problems arena. Maybe those great big filters are a little overkill then. No Offence Nick:)
Tom C.

yeah, for me having dual water separation in this day and age is as important to me as dual filtration. Of course, when the catastrophic water event happens as it did with SPICER, there's only so much you're going to be able to do when stuck on the side of the road with a couple of gallons of H2O in your fuel tank.

They are keeping the truck overnight again. They drove it several times and it ran ok, but then when trying to restart later it would die and need primed. I may have already had an air issue with the Mega filter. Maybe the water has done something to the pump causing an issue.

I also asked them to please check the injector balance rates. Water can ruin the injectors.

The course of action at this time is to get it running, put a boat load of additive in it and run the tank dry. Refill with more additive. If all seems well, then change out the fuel filters. I am kinda glad it is indoors at the dealer tonight. This will prevent the filters from freezing as I am sure there is water trapped in the media. SPICER

They are keeping the truck overnight again. They drove it several times and it ran ok, but then when trying to restart later it would die and need primed. I may have already had an air issue with the Mega filter. Maybe the water has done something to the pump causing an issue.

I also asked them to please check the injector balance rates. Water can ruin the injectors.

The course of action at this time is to get it running, put a boat load of additive in it and run the tank dry. Refill with more additive. If all seems well, then change out the fuel filters. I am kinda glad it is indoors at the dealer tonight. This will prevent the filters from freezing as I am sure there is water trapped in the media. SPICER
After my contaminated fuel issue, I was able to treat the tank well enough to run it down pretty low. Then I ran two full tanks of good diesel through, with an 8oz bottle of Fuel Power in each one, along with a filter change. So far it's running great with no additional issues. That was a scare - especially pulling a 34' travel trailer.