Do I have a water Seperator on my truck? If so, how do I drain that? I know our ambulances have them with a little pull cord under the hood that drains it. Is ours as simple or what?

 

Yes you have one. It is located on the drivers side of the motor. I think on the 98 it is the one with the paper element replacement ( like my 01) any how the best thing is to go to

www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/fuel_drain.htm

this will show you a picture of how to drain the filter it will also give you the instructions to change the filter. (it may need changing as it should be done about every 15.000 miles)

 

I have looked at the link you gave to Geno's and it says to drain it every time you get fuel? is this right? A new cummings owner.

 

I drain mine every time I fuel up. Congratulations on getting a Cummins.

P.S. I don't want to sound mean or anything but its spelles Cummins, not Cummings.

 

Minus ten points for spelling and punctuation.

its
spelles

 

So do you guys use some kind of a catch can or just let it run down all over the everything and drip onto the ground?

My drain valve has a hose attached that goes straight down, passes by the engine mount and terminates above the front differential. I just open the valve, it will just run down all over the diff, which isn't all that appealing to me.

 

I was wondering how often you should drain the water out of these filters? I have had my pickup about two weeks, but never have done that. Should you wait for the water in fuel light coming on?

 

The few times I drain mine.
Usually only when changing the filter.
I use a 20 oz. soda bottle.
Sits nicely on the differential and holds the contents of the filter cannister.
Then I let what I drained sit for a while to see if any water is in there.

Diesel, being an oil, will be on top, water on the bottom.


phox

 

So then, you just drain the water out of the fuel filter when you change your oil and not at every fill up as suggested in Owner's Manual and elsewhere? I'm not being condesending, I'm only two weeks into ownership of a diesel and don't want to kill due to lack of something simple I should have been doing.

 

Current truck is also my first experience with Diesel's.

I did everything "by the book" when I first got mine.

I actually couldn't ever get anything, fuel or water, to come out when I tried at every fillup.

Eventually figured if the WIF light wasn't coming on, I wasn't getting any water.
Of course, I also asked this on this board, and the general concensus was that water is hardly ever present.

I've drained it 3 times now, at each fuel filter change, and I've never had as much as a drop of water.
I also clean the WIF sensor while the cannister is empty, just to make sure it isn't gummed up or anything.

I live in a desert (Utah), low humidity and such.
I've heard of folks in the more humid states getting water more often, but still it's quite rare.


phox

 

My fuel filter doesn't look like the one provided on the link. On the front side of the filter is a thing-a-majig with a yellow plastic cover on a lever. On the side at bottom, it looks like it has a cap over a drain hole. Is this my water drain?

 

Crobtex--If you move the yellow lever, you drain the filter element. The covered thing on the bottom is the actual sensor. Do not remove it. Make sure you move the lever back to the closed position, as it will really let the fuel drain.

HTH

Ed

 

After I typed CUMMINS I noticed it was wrong and just wanted to see if anyone caught it... GOOD WORK and thanks for the info

 

Thanks, sherod...................

CR

 

I use a 20 oz soda bottle too. I will drain about 2 or 3 oz of fuel out. I then swirl it real guick in the bottle. Any water that is in the fuel will appear as bubbles, but instaead of floating to the top like air it settles out to the bottom. I see a tiny amount every now and then. Sorry for the spelling earlier.

HuKt on foNiks, wurKt 4 Me

Hahhahaha.

Sorry, couldn't help my self there.