I'd be more concerned with buying quality diesel fuel than trying to either clean or get the water out of crappy fuel.

I've been driving mercedes diesels for 27 years and have never had a fuel issue, ever, using the standard fuel filter arrangement.

Joe

Yes yes. Agreed.

But oh no here comes this!

That's what I'm talkin about. Where's PEH when you need him.

In closing, I will say that since my car has traveled at least 160k mi without a water separator, I change the oil out every 2500, use PS white bottle at every fillup, purge it every year or so, and drive it mostly highway and never go f*ckin around with the IP, I got another 160k to go at the very least and if I go 3/4 of that I will have gotten my money's worth from this vehicle. The water separator is not needed. Funny thing is you see me post these sentiments now, but in three months when Kent gets more FM10 kits in stock I'll have one mounted in my engine bay. Too much is better than not enough as the old man always says. I'm just glad I'm free to change my mind every once in a while. What I don't want to do is lie awake at night worrying about my diesel car because I didn't install a gee-whiz water trap on it.

Do VW TDIs come with water traps factory installed?

__________________
'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

Actually, installing that water toy on your benz will lower overall realiability of your vehicle. It may increase its tolerance for bad fuel but it's another device to fail/leak/screw up.

Now that we're square on that one, can you please stop changing your oil every 2500 miles. That went out of style in 1980. All IMHO, of course.

Joe

No way, Jose. I got OC oil-changing disease. It makes me 'feel good'. Plus my odometer's broken so I have to change it whenever I think about it but before I forget about it, if that makes any sense at all.

__________________
'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

HEHEHE... did you catch that disease from Larry B.? Seriously, switch to diesel synthetic and change it once a year....say your birthday...as a present.



Joe

That's like saying that it is better to not have accidents than purchase insurance.

The truth is that few of us has much control over the quality of the fuel coming out of the nozzle. An the truth is that you could have pumped plenty of water through your IP and you have no idea that it happened.

The fact that so many folks on this forum are having trouble with fungus in their fuel is a pretty good indication that water in the fuel is a real problem.

A problem with the water separator is easy to overcome. Just remove the inlet hose from the header and attach it to the fuel pump. And you are right back to the OE configuration.

I believe that the stock spin-on is a water seperator, it just does not have a drainable bowl.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Is there any scientific basis for this belief?
Granted, the OE secondary filter should tend to accumulate water due to its orientation, but does it have the capability to actually block the flow of water through the element?

Yes, it's a very complicated scientific principle referred to as "water is heavier than diesel fuel" principle. If water makes it to the main fuel filter, it should end up in the bottom part of the can.

As long as you don't drink a big gulp of water, it will never get to the IP.

I always love the way people think mercedes engineers are damn near retarded, and that after market junk is always better.

Just ain't so.

Joe

Additional fuel filtration is not necessary. Mercedes has 2 filters on the engine and thats is overkill.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

That scientific principle is complicated significantly by the fact that emulsified water behaves much differently than whole water. And what happens when you hit a bump in the road and the water in the bottom on the filter trades places with the fuel in the top? Or you put on the brakes and the heavier water sloshes forward and up?

Stanadyne water separators are installed as original equipment on hundreds of vehicles and other equipment produced by over 60 manufacturers, including John Deere, Ford, GM, Mack, Case, New Holland, Perkins, Caterpillar and AGCO. Would you have us believe that all of these companies employ "retarded" engineers? Just ain't so, Joe.

Additional filtration is not the objective.

......then why put it one???? All a fuel water seperator does is well.....filter and seperate the water from the fuel which the stock system does just fine.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

I read it on this forum somewhere. I'll see if I can find the refrence.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine