Emptying the water seperator

[muttbarker]

Howdy, I have a 2022 L4060. The water seperator fills up every one to two hours to the point that when I unscrew the it the liquid spills over. I am still a total novice / newbie when it comes to the maintenance part of tractors but this does not seem right to me. I am now stopping once a hour and emptying it.

Any comments / advice are appreciated.

Thank you,
Kevin Barker

 

[jyoutz]

Howdy, I have a 2022 L4060. The water seperator fills up every one to two hours to the point that when I unscrew the it the liquid spills over. I am still a total novice / newbie when it comes to the maintenance part of tractors but this does not seem right to me. I am now stopping once a hour and emptying it.

Any comments / advice are appreciated.

Thank you,
Kevin Barker

I have never heard of such a thing. Either your fuel is mostly water or somehow it’s filling with fuel, not water.

 

[BigG]

Stop using the tractor until you get this figured out!

The water separator should be full of fuel. Get the owners manual out and look at the fuel section.

Are you seeing that much water in the separator? If so where are you buying the fuel?

If there is that much water in the tank you must drain the tanks. Next change the fuel filter. Yes it will look OK but change it anyway. Purchase some fuel dryer Power Source is a good brand. Refuel with fuel purchased from a busy station.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Is it filling up with water or just filling up with fuel?
Is the red ring floating or on the bottom?

 

[muttbarker]

Thank you wolfman for your questions. At first I did the stupid "assumption" thing and thought it was water with some diesel mixed in. But after reading jyoutz's post I am now guessing it is just diesel. The ring never moves it is always on the bottom.

Every time I post I realize the depth of my ignorance. You spend $1000's of dollars on a device that will kill you if you make a misstep and you learn by your mistakes and hope the outome is good. I wish I could just go to tractor school, but I then realize that OTT is exactly that.

Kevin

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Thank you wolfman for your questions. At first I did the stupid "assumption" thing and thought it was water with some diesel mixed in. But after reading jyoutz's post I am now guessing it is just diesel. The ring never moves it is always on the bottom.

Every time I post I realize the depth of my ignorance. You spend $1000's of dollars on a device that will kill you if you make a misstep and you learn by your mistakes and hope the outome is good. I wish I could just go to tractor school, but I then realize that OTT is exactly that.

Kevin

Yep we are the online class of tractor operation and maintenance!
Yep no floating ring, no water, your good to go!
Glad we could help!

 

[jyoutz]

Thank you wolfman for your questions. At first I did the stupid "assumption" thing and thought it was water with some diesel mixed in. But after reading jyoutz's post I am now guessing it is just diesel. The ring never moves it is always on the bottom.

Every time I post I realize the depth of my ignorance. You spend $1000's of dollars on a device that will kill you if you make a misstep and you learn by your mistakes and hope the outome is good. I wish I could just go to tractor school, but I then realize that OTT is exactly that.

Kevin

When I said filling with fuel, I meant below the red ring. The red ring should be flat on the bottom and it should be full of fuel above. You know it’s water below the ring when the red ring is floating higher in the bowl.

 

[fried1765]

Thank you wolfman for your questions. At first I did the stupid "assumption" thing and thought it was water with some diesel mixed in. But after reading jyoutz's post I am now guessing it is just diesel. The ring never moves it is always on the bottom.

Every time I post I realize the depth of my ignorance. You spend $1000's of dollars on a device that will kill you if you make a misstep and you learn by your mistakes and hope the outome is good. I wish I could just go to tractor school, but I then realize that OTT is exactly that.

Kevin

I have two college degrees, but learning on OTT is a whole lot more fun!

 

[muttbarker]

When I said filling with fuel, I meant below the red ring. The red ring should be flat on the bottom and it should be full of fuel above. You know it’s water below the ring when the red ring is floating higher in the bowl.

Now I get it! Thank you for that explanation. I have been pouring out perfectly good diesel fuel. Follow up Q if you don't mind. What is the purpose of the spring? Mine has disappeared somewhere along the way. I ordered another from Messicks but just wondering what it does.

Thanks again for the help.

Kevin

 

[200mph]

Often times a spring is used between bottom of filter and bowl to keep the filter in place. If the filter drops down, unfiltered fuel could reach the injectors.

Some fuel bowls have a feature that stands proud to keep the filter from falling to far within the bowl.

Hopefully this is the spring you're referring too.

 

[muttbarker]

Often times a spring is used between bottom of filter and bowl to keep the filter in place. If the filter drops down, unfiltered fuel could reach the injectors.

Some fuel bowls have a feature that stands proud to keep the filter from falling to far within the bowl.

Hopefully this is the spring you're referring too.

Ok, that makes sense - that is the spring I am referring to. So, not critical assuming that I make sure the filter is in place. Appreciate the reply.

Kevin

 

[200mph]

Be aware an o-ring is typically used to seal the filter element to the metal housing. They can be lost or forgotten.

Typically o-ring is on ID of filter.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Be aware an o-ring is typically used to seal the filter element to the metal housing. They can be lost or forgotten.

Typically o-ring is on ID of filter.

Good point but on his model there is only a bowl O-ring seal.

 

[Pau7220]

So, not critical assuming that I make sure the filter is in place. Appreciate the reply.

Kevin

It is actually very critical because of this…….

Often times a spring is used between bottom of filter and bowl to keep the filter in place. If the filter drops down, unfiltered fuel could reach the injectors.

With a common rail system like yours, the cost to repair damage from contaminated / unfiltered fuel will make your head spin!!!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

It is actually very critical because of this…….


With a common rail system like yours, the cost to repair damage from contaminated / unfiltered fuel will make your head spin!!!

Don't scare him too much!
In this case it's not very critical at all, because that's NOT the fuel filter.
The fuel filter is next in line, so he's fine for now.

 

[Evad]

Now that the mystery is solved, can I add on a bonus question? I have never seen any water (my red ring is still on the bottom) and I have had my rig for about 1.5 years. Is it common to never have a water problem if you take care of your fuel and always keep it topped off?

 

[jyoutz]

Now that the mystery is solved, can I add on a bonus question? I have never seen any water (my red ring is still on the bottom) and I have had my rig for about 1.5 years. Is it common to never have a water problem if you take care of your fuel and always keep it topped off?

I had a water in fuel issue only once during the past 23 years.

 

[fried1765]

I had a water in fuel issue only once during the past 23 years.

I bought my 1st diesel fuel powered vehicle in 1974 (49 years ago).
Have never had an issue with water in the diesel fuel, and for many of those years I had my own outdoor, above ground, diesel storage.

 

[Evad]

Ok thank you both. I was starting to get paranoid that because I never see the red ring move I was not looking at it right or it was stuck to the bottom

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Now that the mystery is solved, can I add on a bonus question? I have never seen any water (my red ring is still on the bottom) and I have had my rig for about 1.5 years. Is it common to never have a water problem if you take care of your fuel and always keep it topped off?

Yes clean fuel and good Fuel system = No or very little water in the system.