Technical Diesel water separators

[CamperVanBeethoven]

Hi, after the second dreadful plastic diesel filter housing leaked/ burst on my 2007 Multijet 120 - I ditched it for a simple metal inline fuel filter.
I think I've neglected the water separator aspect though.
Any boffins know anything about this type of combined filter?
I believe they absorb water into an absorbent material rather than store it in a bowl?
Would be a much easier mod to fit than the bowl type.

 

[bugsymike]

Personally with diesel engine's both in cars and boats I have always preferred a proper water separator and usually one where the lower part was clear so you could see any water. The Perkins/CAV ones had a double unit with the clear bit at the bottom and a cheap paper element easily replaced with it's O ring. On many of my Iveco Daily's they had two housings side by side one water separator and one filter element.
I agree those large plastic ones with the twist off top are a pain as the plastic nut isn't strong enough and the top even when lubed tends to jam on, I usually use a large Facom oil filter tool at the same time as the socket on the nut which works for me on that type. I assume you have the Seimens injector pump that uses a bulb type primer which often fails and lets air in rather than an electric pump in the tank as a primer.
I don't think the thing in the photo will do the job long term personally.
" Diesel and gasoil fuels are hygroscopic, therefore the fuel will absorb and hold water at a molecular level. The amount of water absorbed will vary with temperature, air humidity and biodiesel content. Water will start to form droplets when the fuel reaches the maximum saturation percentage."

 

[CamperVanBeethoven]

Personally with diesel engine's both in cars and boats I have always preferred a proper water separator and usually one where the lower part was clear so you could see any water. The Perkins/CAV ones had a double unit with the clear bit at the bottom and a cheap paper element easily replaced with it's O ring. On many of my Iveco Daily's they had two housings side by side one water separator and one filter element.
I agree those large plastic ones with the twist off top are a pain as the plastic nut isn't strong enough and the top even when lubed tends to jam on, I usually use a large Facom oil filter tool at the same time as the socket on the nut which works for me on that type. I assume you have the Seimens injector pump that uses a bulb type primer which often fails and lets air in rather than an electric pump in the tank as a primer.
I don't think the thing in the photo will do the job long term personally.
" Diesel and gasoil fuels are hygroscopic, therefore the fuel will absorb and hold water at a molecular level. The amount of water absorbed will vary with temperature, air humidity and biodiesel content. Water will start to form droplets when the fuel reaches the maximum saturation percentage."

No primer pump on my engine.
The separator type shown in the pic will be a service replacement item, I'm sure.
I guess they must work - if Audi use them?
Any info on them welcome - never come across these things before.
Any other manufacturers use them?

 

[Communicator]

No primer pump on my engine.
The separator type shown in the pic will be a service replacement item, I'm sure.
I guess they must work - if Audi use them?
Any info on them welcome - never come across these things before.
Any other manufacturers use them?

I also have not come across this device previously. Presumably it has to be changed at regular intervals?

In 60 plus years of motoring, I have only once had excessive water in fuel. That was in the late sixties. No alarms in those days, just a sudden complete loss of power to diagnose on a late November evening. No mobile phones either, so once a milky emulsion was found at the injectors, hike to the nearest phone to call for help. Judging from what we pumped from the fuel tank I must have been sold about 1.5 gallons of water in a 2 gallon fuel purchase.

 

[bugsymike]

I also have not come across this device previously. Presumably it has to be changed at regular intervals?

In 60 plus years of motoring, I have only once had excessive water in fuel. That was in the late sixties. No alarms in those days, just a sudden complete loss of power to diagnose on a late November evening. No mobile phones either, so once a milky emulsion was found at the injectors, hike to the nearest phone to call for help. Judging from what we pumped from the fuel tank I must have been sold about 1.5 gallons of water in a 2 gallon fuel purchase.

I had it in a Peugeot 504 Pick up driving over the moors and it felt like a strong cross wind as it was buffeting, however on inspection bottom of filter was full of water, luckily that model had a drain bolt in bottom of fuel tank so soon sorted.
I was always told not to buy fuel from a little village fuel station due to low turn over so more likely to have water in it.
Strangely enough I recall one garage I worked at the petrol attendant once a week would get a long brass tube and pump, drop it right down to the bottom of the fuel tanks and suck them out to test.