Leave the water in the fuel filter?
 

Yesterday I changed the fuel filter in my Volvo 940. The filter is very similar to that in my '86 300E. :)

I emptied out the old filter through the inlet side. There was probably a tablespoon or more of water in the filter. I'd heard the filter removes water but this is the first time I'd seen that they really. do. I assume that I likely have some water in the filter on my MB also. :eek:

My questions are these: Would it be good maintenance to periodically run some fuel dryer (isopropyl alcohol) through my tank to dissolve the water in the filter and run it through the engine to be burned off? Will the water/alcohol solution actually pass the filter? Can the water/alcohol solution do any damage to the fuel system, especially the fuel distributor? :confused:

What think you? :idea3:

Generally speaking, if the fuel filter is located at the lowest point of the system, this is where any water will accumulate. I wouldn't get too excited about such a small amount of water, but on the other hand, running a bottle of dry-gas every now and then can't hurt.

I would drain as much water from the system as you can. I've had multiple horrible experiences with water in gas.

I don't put a lot of stock with dry gas. Methanol dissolves in gasoline as easily as it dissolves in water. If you work the math, one bottle of dry gas in the tank will dilute the water with methanol by maybe 1%... nothing to get excited about, and not much help in moving or burning the water in the system.