Fuel filter complete vs Fuel element for L3901

[BigG]

A little algicide would not hurt anything. Since I do not run my tractors evert day I use it often.

 

[JerryMT]

Inaccurate statement.

Obviously, liquid water in the tank needs to be removed before using an additive to 'mop up' any residual moisture.

• There are fuel-additives which will suspend moisture in the fuel and allow it to pass thru the system and 'burn off' with the fuel.
• There are other additives which cause the moisture to fall out of suspension as a liquid and get caught in the filters.

I will not get into the controversy of which type of additive works the best.

• There are fuel-additives which will suspend moisture in the fuel and allow it to pass thru the system and 'burn off' with the fuel.

Which diesel additives do this? The ones i am aware of cause the water to accrete on the filter and drop off to the bottom of the filter housing where they can be drained off.

 

[whitetiger]

the maintenance manual calls for replacing the full housing, which is $32. I suppose Kubota would void my warranty if I didn't change the housing at the 400 hour intervals... But do I need to change the housing for this early preventative measure? Can I get away with just the filter? I'll avoid the overkill to save a few bucks. What does replacing the full housing really do, besides appease the warranty gods?

Your L3901 has a screen in the water separator, your fuel filter is a spin-on element that is located straight above your engine oil filter. What your Maintenance Chart is telling you to replace at 400 hrs is the spin-on fuel filter, not the complete water seperator. It is a good idea to replace the screen in the separator also.

 

[Hman0217]

There is no point in changing the housing of the water separator at this point unless it is cracked or something. The screen in the water separator is probably also fine.

The water is likely sitting in the bottom of the fuel tank, waiting to cause problems at some future point. For that model, I don't know a convenient method of draining the fuel tank from the bottom, but you could discuss with your dealer. The other two possible ways would be to install a water worm to get it out, or if the design of the fill tube lets you put a clean tube in, siphon all the fuel out, and replace with clean dry diesel. The cost of these items is much less than the cost of the high pressure pump etc.

Then change the fuel filter and clean the water separator. Follow directions in operators manual to remove air from lines. No this does NOT require cracking the injector lines

Do i take this to mean that, even with the separator not full, water still sits in the bottom of the tank? The water separator doesn't fill up first(it's not effectively the lowest point)?

 

[GeoHorn]

Would it be safe to say that, in very small concentrations, the additive can be your friend, as this steam effect is negligible...whereas at higher concentrations, the additive turns into an enemy?

What do you mean by “small/large concentrations”…??? Your sentence structure implies small/large concentrations of additive. Perhaps you mean small/large concentrations of water?

Small ”concentrations” (amounts) of water will be handled by the fuel filter element container and large amounts of water will overwhelm it. The ”water absorbing” additive has no bearing on anything except your wallet, IMO.

 

[Hman0217]

What do you mean by “small/large concentrations”…??? Your sentence structure implies small/large concentrations of additive. Perhaps you mean small/large concentrations of water?

Small ”concentrations” (amounts) of water will be handled by the fuel filter element container and large amounts of water will overwhelm it. The ”water absorbing” additive has no bearing on anything except your wallet, IMO.

I was referring to water concentrations - a miniscule amount of steam being worth using the affitibe whereas a lot if steam would make the affitibe detrimental.

But it seems your opinion is well established

Thx

 

[sheepfarmer]

What the water separator won't do is handle the algae that likes to grow at the interface between the pool or droplets of water and diesel. If you are comfortable leaving water in the fuel tank, and it would drive me nuts, the kind of additive that would be useful is an algicide.

Do i take this to mean that, even with the separator not full, water still sits in the bottom of the tank? The water separator doesn't fill up first(it's not effectively the lowest point)?

To figure this out you'll have to look at a parts diagram (Messicks is convenient free online source) for your model, and they're all different, and then go look at your tractor. Does yours have a split saddle type fuel tank? Where is the fuel fill relative to the tank or tanks? Where is the fuel picked up from? Is it via a long pick up tube or from an outlet at the bottom of the tank? When the tractor sits the water will settle to the lowest point.

 

[GeoHorn]

I've never heard of steam being an issue, it is the fact that water will not pass through the holes in the nozzle. This usually causes the tip of the nozzle to be swelled or the tip split or blown off.

“steam” was/is a convenient term or short-cut used to describe the problems of pitting, cavitation, and spalling. The Donaldson Filter Company mfr’s filtration equipment to deal with water in diesel supply-farms and this is their (more professional) explanation of the problem:

Pitting and Cavitation: Pitting is caused by free water flashing on hot metal surfaces. Cavitation is caused by vapor bubbles rapidly contracting (imploding) when exposed to sudden high pressure, which causes them to condense back into a liquid. These water droplets impact a small area with great force, causing surface fatigue and erosion.

Spalling: Occurs due to hydrogen embrittlement and pressure. Water is forced into microscopic cracks in metal surfaces. Then, under extreme pressure, it decomposes and releases hydrogen in a “mini-explosion” which enlarges the cracks and creates wear particles.