93, AT, 148,000, 4x4.

I changed my fuel filter for the first time 2 days ago. Now I can't get the WIF light to go out. I have pulled the water drain a dozen times, never getting any water. I have taken the sensor off and completly cleaned it twice. If I unplug it the light goes out.
I came across an old thread about someone who thought they had a faulty filter setting off the sensor but there was no followup to verify that was the cause.
has anybody replaced their WIF sensor? My local Cummins dealer quoted me a price of $41.

 

I think that if you've cleaned it up and the sensor still says water, then the sensor is done for. Try using a more powerful solvent, but make sure it doesn't get into the fuel supply.

Changing the sensor is a very easy job as you can see by looking at it, so all you have to do is decide whether to part with the $41.00 at cummins, or your local purveyor of beer.

Alternatively, a really cheap solution is to just unplug the bugger. You can pull the drain once in awhile and be reasonably sure there's no water getting into the fuel supply. It's relatively unlikely for there to be water geting in if you're driving in regular conditions.

 

Did you by chance hose down the motor or get water on the wif? both mine dont take much to set them off if water gets on the wiring. It eventually goes out by itsself.

 

I had a problem where my wires coming from the sensor were bare and getting corrided. I have not purchased a new sensor yet, just left it unplugged. I check for water once a month. I do know that a hairdryer works good in drying out the sensor.

 

I've only had the truck for about 3 weeks. Before the filter change The WIF light only came on at key on. I did do some pressure washing about 2 days before the filter change, but didn't get the light on until after the filter change. I can't see how the sensor went bad just by taking it off the old filter and putting it on the new one.
If the 2 little probes on the sensor are touching metal in the filter would that set it off?

 

It's the probe hitting the spring that is inside the filter. I have had this happen to me a couple of times. I now put tje sensor in and test with a VOM to see if the probes are hitting the spring. If they hit I move the spring some and try again. This has happened to me with a new or an old WIF. So move the spring until the probes don't hit and you will be good to go.

The WIF probes hitting the spring seems to be occuring more lately don't know why.

Jim

 

I think the old post I was refering to is yours. I will check that out. Thanks.

 

AFAIK the sensor consists of two bare metal posts sticking up in the fuel in the filter. Water conducts electricity and fuel doesn't therefore when you have enough water to get inbetween the posts the system turns on the light. Because ANY water anywhere between the wires going to those posts will cause a false indication and so can a short such as the spring touching the posts.

Don't spend money on a new sensor until you've eliminated every thing else that could be causing even a small bit of conduction between the two wires anywhere from the sensor to the controller.

If you unplug the connector to the sensor and connect an ohmmeter to the sensor with fuel in the filter the reading should be infinate on the highest ohms range. If it's less than 1 megohm I would suspect there is a film of water or other contamination somewhere. If it's zero then you have a dead short and it's probably the spring problem. Assuming the light is off when the connector is disconnected points to a problem in the sensor.

Edwin

 

Well, I turned the sensor in the filter about 1/32 turn and now no light. I will put 50 miles on it tomorrow and know for sure if that solves it.

 

Well, that definetly was it. Next time I do a filter change I will check the spring location before I put the filter on.