What’s Up with Draining All This Water From My Truck’s Fuel Filter Housing?

 
So, you are driving a big load across the country and you stop at several truck stops along way to refuel… …… everything is fine,  and then a fuel filter / water warning light of some form on the dashboard appears and you are forced to pay attention. While not an emergency, it is certainly a concern, particularly to truck owners who hate being down with big repair bills.
 
So, you get out the truck or take it to a mechanic and drain the water.  It is usually a pet cock valve on the bottom of the filter, and the water is easily drained into a jar for proper disposal.  This no big deal, unless you are having to do it weekly or every 5,000 miles or so.
So, you ask your yourself… How did this happen?

• Did I leave the fuel cap off?
• Did I pick water up from a truck stop? If so which one?
• Is there a leak in my fuel system where water is getting in?
• Or, is just condensation building up?

 
To help truck owners avoid such problems, let’s dive a little deeper into the subject water in fuel.
 
Why Is Water Content in Fuel So Bad for My Truck?

1. With modern engines under higher pressures, water can and will be abrasive to fuel injector components and cause premature wear.
2. Water is an ingredient in sludge……not only with sludge cause filter plugging issues, but it can lead to corrosion and have thus cause additional problems on rust chips entering into the system.
3. Water cannot be compressed. The less compression, the less fuel is completely burned and the less power the truck will have.

 
How Does Water Build Up in My Tanks?
While this can take subject can take up the whole article, we will list a few reasons.

1. Truck Stops, particularly busy ones get lots of deliveries.  Therefore, it they have lots of fuel exiting their tanks. This means lots of air is drawn into the tank and with this air, comes moisture.  Also, quite often there is some water flow into the tank at delivery time, knowingly or unknowingly.

 
And since, truckers hate to wait around while pumping gas or slow pumps, the fuel is moved at up to 20 gpm per pump.  At that flow rate, it is just really hard to block all the water from entering the tank.

1. Condensation,  most truckers know condensation very well, from shower room mirrors to water build up headlight lenses all the way to water forming on a cold beverage can, condensation is abound.  Fuel Tanks are no different: changes in temperature will cause condensation for form inside the tank.  This is particularly true for truckers who drive through rapid climate changes.

Since changes in fuel laws in the mid 2000’s, there has been many changes in fuel chemistry to meet the demands of Alternative / Green Fuel Requirements.  The trend of greener fuels such as Bio Diesel will continue and will leave out any discussion or arguments on energy independence or clean air regulations for another day. Due these greener fuels, the makeup has more organics such as corn, sugar, palm leaves, soybeans and animal parts.  Many folks run their trucks on refined restaurant cooking oil grease.  Those qualities are great for cleaner air, but also create the problem of water bonding to the alcohols, or the water / fuel combination is hydrophilic. This issue, with agitation over long trips creates the cloudy condition.
 
What if My Fuel is Clear, But I Still Have to Drain Water in My Fuel Bowl?
In many situations, the water will separate and fall to the bottom.  In these cases, you fuel filter may not be able to catch it all, so the water ends up passing onto the fuel injector and combustion chamber and that can mean big trouble down the road.
 
What Are My Options to Control The Water in My Fuel System?
 

1. Choose The Right Fuel Filter…If That Is an Option?

 
 It is a given the engine manufacturer want to sell you their OEM parts. So often, it is difficult to change the filter brand or type you purchase.  They do this through special configurations, threads, tools and other means. Fortunately, there is the Magnuson Act which allows for aftermarket parts that won’t void the warranty.  So, in choosing an aftermarket filter for water purposes,  consider the following.

• Which one holds the most water?
• Which one swells the best to alert the operator of excess water in the tank?
• Which one provide the most durability to hold up to excess water?
• This test can be done by cutting a few filters open and soaking them in water for 30 minutes.

 Yes this takes a little time and money to research,  but a whole lot less than a fuel injector job and three days of no work.
 

1. Remove Water from Your Tanks Yourself………..Early and Often.

 
Truckers know that being stranded away from home is a terrible experience. So, one way to avoid this in association with fuel problems is to remove water that settles in the tank.  The independent / owner operator has several choices.

1. Absorbent Socks

 
 In a nutshell, it looks like an industrial Tampon and the sock with a rope that is inserted into the truck tank when idle for a day or more.  The water will migrate to the sock and absorb into the chemistry.  Then pull the sock out and place into a container or let it hang in a garage to air dry.  Not all socks are created equal so you will have to consider:

• Performance
• Length, Diameter so if is inserted and removed without problems.
• Durability

 

1.  Portable Fuel Filtration Systems

These devices, operated by both battery and electric allow the independent / owner operator to take command.  It is basically a pump and motor, few hoses and fuel filter that will circulate the fuel in a loop and remove the water in the filter.  Some come in large cases, others come in the form of dolly carts.  Choose the one that fits your needs best.

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Summary
 
Don’t let water in your fuel system wreck your fuel injectors, schedule, budgets and bottom line.  Pay attention to the water in the fuel filter bowl and lights on the dash and then tackle it, before it tackles you.
 
Author:
Dan Jenkins is a principal with Steel Camel, a manufacturer and distributor of water control products.