Hi all,

I was wondering what you guys drain your filter into when you fill up? I hit the lever for the first time today while filling up, and just a small trickle of fuel came out of the hose. I assume that's because you don't need a fast flow to drain the water? In any case, I let a couple of tablespoons worth out onto the concrete.

 

How offen should you drain your filter I've heard everything from 10,000 miles to every time you fill up? I got 16,000 miles and never drained mine? Bad? Does it have a water in fuel light?

 

When I had my truck at the dealership for the 7000 mile service I asked the mechanic how often and how to drain the water from the fuel filter and he went into this operation of removing the top of the filter unit and replacing a paper filter which was totally different then the manual which states what you just mentioned. So what's up with what the mechanic told me??

 

Everyfill up is way too often. I check mine everytime I change oil. I've never had a drop of water in my fuel.

 

Right on. I empty, change the filter at every oil change. I`ve never had a drop of water in there. When you remove the filter, wipe the canister clean with a paper towel. There is a sensor in there you want to stay clean. Yes, there is a water in fuel light. If you see it light, then you want to drain the canister.

The book says to empty that thing at every fill up, could you imagine the line at the fuel station if everyone was emptying thier water seperator? Plus, the cement is usually a mess as it is, if everyone emptied fuel there it would be out of control.


When emptying, take a small soda bottle 20oz. and put it on the front axel with the hose inserted. now push the lever, and drain the entire contents. now look in the bottle for any water.

 

I open my drain and count to 15 and I usually do this about every 2 tank of fuel

 

These things are absolutely worthless for separating fuel from water, however I do it every now and again just for peace of mind. I know in 10,000 miles of driving, I will have had to have a fair amount of water in the system, it just HAS to be there from all the handling, etc, and never once have I been able to detect in a bottle that there was any free water or any other kind of water present in the bottle. Pretty sure it was emulsified in the fuel from additives and passed safely thru the system. With this is mind, I also have never had any problems related to water in fuel.

 

I only do mine when I change the filter. I've never had any water in mine.
v8440, if you turn that lever the canister will empty of any water plus all the fuel that's inside. If you only got a couple of drops then you may have a clog in there..

 

Only when I change the filter. Mine just kept draining, almost filled up a 22 oz mountain dew bottle.

 

There was a TSB on fixing a clog in the fuel drain. If yours just drains a trickle, you might think about it. I think it involved opening the drain valve with the lift pump on, but engine not running...

Anyhow, I've never got any water out, either. Every few tanks I drain some, just to be safe, and I do the filter every 10 or 12k, since it is easy to do and they are not expensive.

Edit: Here is a link to the service bullitin.

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2002/14-005-02.htm

Pam Fish, sounds like the dealer described filter replacment (put a container on the drain hose, open drain, remove the top, attach a new filter to the lid and replace O ring, put back together, turn key on and bump starter to cause lift pump to run without starting engine to prime the fuel system).

 

Do yourselves a favor.....go buy a piece of plastic line and add it to your drain hose. Cut off a small length of original hose take it with you and buy a piece that will slide over it, buy it long enough to let you reroute the hose, also get a small clamp also. Now go home and put on the extension hose, you can route it where you like, this will enable you to, #1 collect a sample easier. #2 keep the fuel from running all over your truck. It will go where "you" put the hose! Oh yeah don't drain your fuel on your blacktop driveway or for that fact anywhere people will be walking.....makes a big mess and tracks real good. I use a container and then I can inspect the fuel and dispose of properly.

 

The TSB referenced above tells me that it is only supposed to be a trickle. It makes note of the fact that the normal fuel stream diameter is between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch. That's a pretty small stream, and mine looks to be within that range.