Fuel Water Separator Question

[brajgreg]

I have a new to me boat and it was delivered to Texas from Florida by some delivery captains. The fuel water separator has some yellowish liquid in it and I wasn't sure if it was water maybe or diesel. I was on part of the trip and we had to get some gas station diesel so it didn't have the pink tint to it.

We also put some marina diesel in it at some point so I know there is at least SOME red tinted diesel. I'm confused why there is pink diesel up top and yellow diesel in the bottom if, in fact, the bottom is diesel and not water.

Is there anyway to determine whether or not the liquid in the bottom is fuel or water? I've seen them before where there is a definite line, but mine doesn't have a line so it's either all fuel or all water. When I drained some out, it smells and feels like diesel but maybe it's just diesel smelling water?

And is this filter dirty or just from the tinted diesel? Not sure what visual indication I'm looking for to say yes, it needs to be replaced, but I was told it was replaced within the last 100 hours. And the fuel tank itself is new.

[capt jgw]

Was the tank filled with on-road diesel before the off-road diesel was added? On-road diesel is yellowish or may be dyed green. It probably just hasn't all mixed together yet. The fuel enters and exits the filter at the top, it may take a while to reach the bottom. If it was water there would be a separation line. You can make the line disappear by vigorously shaking the container, but it comes back in a few minutes.

[Mickeyrouse]

If you have water in the filter bowl there is a very distinct demarcation line between fuel and water, regardless of dye in the fuel. Also, if you drain the filter bowl contents, try to capture the first part that comes out, which would be water. Feel it. If diesel, it will feel oily. If water, you’ll know that by touch. Or…… you could taste it ( joke ).
I wouldn’t be surprised to find a bit of water in a tank that may have sat unattended for several months. If the filter bowl is full of water engine shutdown is near. But drain the filter bowl, and the engine should run fine, though you may need to bleed it to clear any water in the injectors, which won’t be much. Good luck. Are you in Kemah?
And you defintely have a dirty filter, regardless of run time.

[brajgreg]

Originally Posted by Mickeyrouse

If you have water in the filter bowl there is a very distinct demarcation line between fuel and water, regardless of dye in the fuel. Also, if you drain the filter bowl contents, try to capture the first part that comes out, which would be water. Feel it. If diesel, it will feel oily. If water, you’ll know that by touch. Or…… you could taste it ( joke ).
I wouldn’t be surprised to find a bit of water in a tank that may have sat unattended for several months. If the filter bowl is full of water engine shutdown is near. But drain the filter bowl, and the engine should run fine, though you may need to bleed it to clear any water in the injectors, which won’t be much. Good luck. Are you in Kemah?
And you defintely have a dirty filter, regardless of run time.

Update: I drained the whole filter of all contents. The stuff on bottom was water. once it was all in the mason jar I had on hand, it separated almost immediately. So the bowl was almost completely full of water and the top part was marine diesel. I also changed the filter and supplied o-ring and gasket. Ran the engine for a bit and all seemed fine.

And yes, I'm in Kemah. You around here, too, Mickeyrouse?

[Mickeyrouse]

Originally Posted by brajgreg

And yes, I'm in Kemah. You around here, too, Mickeyrouse?

Not at the moment. We used to live on our boat at Watergate, and spent a couple weeks at Portofino in April. Our boat lives in Port Arthur.

Glad you got it worked out. I really encourage adding a vaccuum gauge to your Racor. It settles any questions about filter condition.