Water in fuel question.

[DougA]

I had some stalling when running my BX2200 yesterday and just had a feeling it felt like bad fuel. I removed the second fuel filter on the side of the engine and found half an ounce of brown water coming out of it. Not good.

Then I removed the deck and the 1st fuel filter and there it was clean. Now I'm puzzled. How can the first filter be clean and the second one be full of water???

I very much doubt the water was in the supply. I buy from a station that sells a lot of diesel and I checked the half of can remaining and found no water - at least that i could see. Both filters were supposed to have been changed this Spring at the dealer.

Question is - how is this possible? I know I have a small leak in the BX2200 tank, so I only fill the tank half way so it doesn't leak. How could water get in, but even if it did, wouldn't the first filter be plugged up?

Suggestions? Should I be emptying the tank and check for water in the too? Any other way to check for water without going through that mess?

Thanks

 

[Bulldog]

One problem is only filling the tank 1/2 full leaves room for condensation. It's even worse when it hot and then have a rapid cool like during a rain storm or something like that.

Not sure on that machine but the primary filter may not catch water. The second one must be your water seperator.

If it was just alittle water and eveything else was pretty clean I would run some fuel conditioner in it and most likely it will fix you right up.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

#1 fix the leak in the tank!
I'm betting doing that and changing filters will fix you right up.

 

[kuboman]

That is a mystery as both filters are the same. Cant answer that one unless the first filter had a hole in it.

 

[DougA]

Correct, both filters are identical.

Also correct that it could be just condensation in the tank. We've had some freezing temps at night, then warm in the day. I have conditioner but usually don't use it until early winter. Still, I thought condensation was more of a problem in much colder weather. That's just my experience in the past with trucks.

I don't see how the leak in the tank could cause water in the tank. The BX2200 has a history of tank problems just like this. From what I have read, fixing it is a major undertaking.

 

[DougA]

I changed the filters, bled the lines, added fuel conditioner and everything is back to normal. It does take awhile to get fuel flowing again after both filters are changed.

 

[Python4]

Correct, both filters are identical.

Also correct that it could be just condensation in the tank. We've had some freezing temps at night, then warm in the day. I have conditioner but usually don't use it until early winter. Still, I thought condensation was more of a problem in much colder weather. That's just my experience in the past with trucks.

I don't see how the leak in the tank could cause water in the tank. The BX2200 has a history of tank problems just like this. From what I have read, fixing it is a major undertaking.

I hope the problem is resolved by now, but I'm posting because I just experienced (and successfully dealt with) a fuel leak on my BX2200. It comes from the sending unit on the top of the tank (left rear, under the fender). I had read about such problems, and when I first filled up mine, it leaked all over the left rear tire, the 3ph, everything in the area. Contacted the dealer where I bought it (it was a trade-in). Pauley Equipment in Escondido, CA. The salesman said he heard there was a gasket problem, and he'd get me the part at no charge. Got it yesterday, and put it on this morning. Took me about 2-1/2 hrs. There's some disassembly (fender, seat, ROPS, etc.), but it really wasn't bad. The kit to fix the problem comes with detailed instructions, with pictures. It stopped the leak, I cleaned it up and ran it around the rest of the afternoon. No leaks. When I first got the fender off, though, the old gasket was sitting in the hole REALLY loosely. Any water under that fender would have gone directly into the tank.