Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

[danamul1977]

Have a question about my fuel/water separator that I installed last fall. I only used it for about 6-8 hours and then the boat has been sitting in storage/pole barn over the winter (not heated) Do I need to change it this spring? or is it good for 100 hours or so? I ran it will Sta-Bil before it was stored, and treated the tanks. Does anyone see a problem with not changing it? Thx alot.

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Have a question about my fuel/water separator that I installed last fall. I only used it for about 6-8 hours and then the boat has been sitting in storage/pole barn over the winter (not heated) Do I need to change it this spring?

If it is the paper element style, then yes, change it.

 

[jestor68]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

I wouldn't think you'd need to change it if you put it in last year.

 

[danamul1977]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

If it is the paper element style, then yes, change it.

I have the Moeller Clear-Site 10 micron filter?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

In your case, no. look at what's in the bowl--that's what it's there for. If it isn't funky, motor on.

for outboards, it's about 100 hours or when your boat starts acting stupid, whichever comes first. Maybe sooner if you have bad gas (my wife says I do but my OB says otherwise).

Never dump them out and reinstall.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

I wouldn't think you'd need to change it if you put it in last.

+1 I would agree it's fine......

 

[danamul1977]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

In your case, no. look at what's in the bowl--that's what it's there for. If it isn't funky, motor on.

for outboards, it's about 100 hours or when your boat starts acting stupid, whichever comes first. Maybe sooner if you have bad gas (my wife says I do but my OB says otherwise).

Never dump them out and reinstall.

Ok, thx alot. Im glad U told me not to dump it, because someone else told me to. I was thinking that might get the filtered gunk to move where its not supposed to be in the filter. thx guys

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

The next time you change one, open it up an examine it. If you use 10% ethanol gasoline, odds are very good you will never find a drop of water in it. If the tank is clean and always filled with good gas, odds are good the filter media will be clean. I've started changing mine every three years and may extend than even longer. It's never been clogged has not separated a drop of water since I started using E10.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

The next time you change one, open it up an examine it. If you use 10% ethanol gasoline, odds are very good you will never find a drop of water in it. If the tank is clean and always filled with good gas, odds are good the filter media will be clean. I've started changing mine every three years and may extend than even longer. It's never been clogged has not separated a drop of water since I started using E10.

Yep, I dump mine once a year, new cartridge about every 2 or 3 years.....when I replace it, I always hacksaw old cartridge just to see what's in it....you can cut the pleated element out and lay it out on your work bench to see all the fine dust, dirt, whatever....just like the air filter on a car....never have found any water in it but I just run a 12 gallon tank....Yours have that nifty drain bowl on the bottom...mine is just a Walmart/Attwood all metal unit without the drain....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Ok, thx alot. Im glad U told me not to dump it, because someone else told me to. I was thinking that might get the filtered gunk to move where its not supposed to be in the filter. thx guys

although people say to dump them, you really shouldn't and some, if dumped, just move whatever bad stuff was trapped over to the good side. Those who have dumped them and had no problems are simply lucky--and had no problems in the first place.

The term "water seperator" is a bit of a misnomer. if your gas has already seperated in the tank (phase seperation from e-10) the filter may stop some of the water and gunk and let good gas pass through, but not much. If there is just water in the tank, the filter will help block small amounts but not much. They don't take a gas/water mix of serious ratio and keep the water on one side and the gas on the other.

In other words they help prevent a lot of problems and keep mildly impure gas usable, but they won't solve the big problems.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Yours have that nifty drain bowl on the bottom...mine is just a Walmart/Attwood all metal unit without the drain....

Mine's an oil filter style, like yours.

 

[joe009]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

i change the oil in the fall, when winterize,and change the fuel filters in the spring.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

although people say to dump them, you really shouldn't and some, if dumped, just move whatever bad stuff was trapped over to the good side..

Filters are one of those things that no one appreciates until you really need it.

Dumping filters is penny wise and a dollar foolish. Once the filter media has been contaminated with water, a filter's capacity and efficiency can be reduced by as much as 50%. Suddenly your 99.4% efficient filter catches only 48% of the contaminates and it starts passing water after capturing 1/2 as much.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Like using both sides of the toilet paper.

But the original question raises an interest question, not that we need something else to worry about:

We say not to leave e-10 sitting for more than a month or two, untreated, and even treated, don't let it sit.

A filter holds a pint to a quart of gas, just sitting there for six months while the boat is in storage over the winter (for some).

So wouldn't it seperate and get funky? Then get sucked into the motor on start-up?

I guess that it's a relatively small amount and not exposed to air, and if the main tank is treated then so is the gas in it, so not likely to be an issue. But if it works out for you, better to replace it in the spring before start-up than in the fall

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

A filter holds a pint to a quart of gas, just sitting there for six months while the boat is in storage over the winter (for some).

So wouldn't it seperate and get funky? Then get sucked into the motor on start-up?

I guess that it's a relatively small amount and not exposed to air, and if the main tank is treated then so is the gas in it, so not likely to be an issue. But if it works out for you, better to replace it in the spring before start-up than in the fall

Ethanol doe not separate from gasoline without the presence of water. You have to distill the ethanol out of the gasoline.

For fuel to go bad it has to be in contact with oxygen. In theory, you could seal a gallon of E-10 in a jar and let it sit for 10 years with no ill affects.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

or buy ethanol free gas like I do, we have 2 places locally that sell E free 92 octane. I don't think anyone here replaces their car fuel filter every year and they draw 100's times more fuel through it in a year.

 

[danamul1977]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Ethanol doe not separate from gasoline without the presence of water. You have to distill the ethanol out of the gasoline.

For fuel to go bad it has to be in contact with oxygen. In theory, you could seal a gallon of E-10 in a jar and let it sit for 10 years with no ill affects.

Ya, I would have to seal the side breathers on the tanks. Wonder if u'd have to worry about your tank exploding without a place for the gas to escape. Thx for all the help guys, i've learned a few things.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Ya, I would have to seal the side breathers on the tanks. Wonder if u'd have to worry about your tank exploding without a place for the gas to escape. Thx for all the help guys, i've learned a few things.

Something else you may notice is that there are many, and often conflicting, opinions on most subjects. Regarding the fuel/water filter issue, you have to consider the size and type of your fuel tank.....a 200 gallon built-in tank has a much greater potential for water/debris than say a 12 or 6 gallon red polyethylene portable/above deck tank. Mine is a 12 gallon type and it would be very easy to just dump and flush the tank to remove water/debris....

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Fuel/water separator. Do I need to change it?

Never ever dump a filter and reuse it. Any contaminants that the filter trapped could end up on the outlet side of the element. Just replace the filter once a year regardless of how many hours you ran the engine.

Ethanol gasoline actually reduces the chances you will see liquid water in the filter since ethanol is absorbing the water.