I looked around, but didn't see any thread about the drain valve assembly leaking on the fuel/water separator. Is this fairly common? My '01 was really leaking the other day - about one drop per second. The fact that I was heading home pulling the camper compounded the worry-factor and made it an unpleasant drive. I made it 90 miles home, and the wife was following in her truck (full load of cattle) in case things didn't go as well as we hoped for.

The leak was up along the valve stem (shaft) as well as from the drain port itself. I cycled the drain and the leak only got worse from the shaft, and slowed a little from the drain port. Once I got the truck home I removed the drain assembly from the separator and disassembled it. I found a piece of trash was fouling the seat, and the stem seal o-ring was worn. In fact, all of the seals were worn. I couldn't find a new drain valve assembly listed on the auto parts websites, so I just went in and bought some generic o-rings from their "big red box". I couldn't determine if the o-rings were Buna-N, Viton, or any other composition. I hope that they are fuel resistant! I will know in about a week or so I guess.

Is there a rebuild kit for the drain assembly? I reckon that some day my wife's truck will need the same repair. Mine only has 180K on it (hers just turned 60K).

Dry Creek

 

That's the very reason I never touch mine.

 

I used a generic viton O rigs. They are fuel compatable.

 

I just greased mine up with synthetic grease and all was well again.

 

OK, status report - one week later (plus a few days) and the O-Rings haven't turned into a pile of goo.

 

Buna-N is diesel compatible, it will be fine.