How does a diesel water separator work?
The solution is a diesel filter water separator (see diagram). It contains a filter with hydrophobic characteristics, so that water can’t pass through, and a tap to drain water. As water is denser than fuel, it collects at the bottom of the filter, making it easy to remove.
How do you get water out of a diesel engine?
The simplest way to control water, if it’s in an above ground tank, is to drain the water off. But many users can’t do that, especially if they use underground fuel storage (like gas stations). They can use water coalescing filters, but those have to be changed. There are fuel additization options available.
How can you tell if there’s water in diesel?
If you think your diesel has been contaminated with water, some telltale signs to watch for include:
- A loss of RPM and power in the machine.
- Rough starting or erratic idling.
- Trouble or a lag in acceleration when stepping on the pedal.
- Abnormal exhaust such as white smoke.
What does bad diesel fuel look like?
When it’s fresh, there’s really no such thing as “dirty” diesel fuel. When you think of dirty diesel fuel, things come to mind like unstable diesel fuel that’s darkened or full of gums and sludge. Fresh diesel fuel has to meet certain legal specifications for things like water & sediment content.
Can diesel fuel go bad with age?
‘ In reality, there is no expiration date on diesel per se, but the performance of your diesel fuel is affected the longer you store it. In fact, storing diesel without properly treating it can lead to all kinds of issues, not only for the fuelitself, but for any vehicle you decide to put the fuel in later.
Is it OK to let a diesel truck sit?
Diesels are durable engines anyway, and a semi driver who lets his engine idle overnight to keep warm can still expect to get hundreds of thousands of miles out of his engine. Even so, idling for extended periods of time isn’t good for your engine. turning it off simply doesn’t exist with a modern diesel truck.
What can cause a diesel engine not to start?
If the diesel engine won’t start, but turns over quickly on the starter motor, then a fuel problem – as above – is the most likely cause. However, in cold weather it’s worth checking the glow plugs: these are pre-heaters fitted to most diesel engines to warm the air in the intake to improve cold starting.