Fuel Filter Water Alarm

[Carimbo]

Spent a few minutes under the car today, while I had it up on jackstands to swap the front tires. Noticed the bottom of the fuel filter was lacking the wire that signals the filter warning lamp. Closest thing I found was a single loose wire exiting the wire bundle running along the inner fenderwell w/ butt connector that ended just forward of the brake hydraulic distributor block. Not long enough by itself to make it to the filter drain.

What's consensus? Is the warning lamp useful? I presume some sort of connector plugs into the filter drain tap.

I drained abt. 1/2 cup from the filter; some small waxy flakes but no evidence of water.

[asavage]

A HALF-CUP of water!!?! That's a LOT of water!

Water is very bad for IPs and injectors, even a little bit.

I hope someone else can help with the missing wire, I'm way past my bedtime tonight to go looking it up, but yes, you need the "Water in Fuel" light working!

[Carimbo]

Not water, was diesel, no evidence of water when I examined the cup.

[asavage]

Whew! I misunderstood

[glenlloyd]

I need to do this also. Who knows when it was last checked, certainly not by the prior owner.

SA

[asavage]

Click on the picture to get the huge version, and you can see the butt connector hiding under a beige nylon wire tie.

I presume that you are missing the part from the fuel filter to the butt connector. I can't recall what it looks like, exactly, and I didn't have my mirror-on-a-stick handy to look. I'm guessing that it's like the one used on the '82 720 SD22, which is a plastic wing nut that threads into the bottom of the filter, has a metal probe sticking out the top, and a wire molded into the bottom. If you have the remains of yours, perhaps you can solder on a new wire. The male butt connector is available at better auto parts stores and perhaps Radio Shack.

[glenlloyd]

I don't have my owners manual handy but I'm wondering where exactly the warning light is for the water in fuel sensor? I checked in the "warning" panel when I turned the key on and I don't see it, or at least it's not illuminated during bulb check.

thanks
steve a

[asavage]

Isn't the "Water in Fuel" light the leftmost one on the center dash warning panel? The one that looks like a fuel pump with a circle around it and a horizontal line through it.

[glenlloyd]

Isn't the "Water in Fuel" light the leftmost one on the center dash warning panel? The one that looks like a fuel pump with a circle around it and a horizontal line through it.

I think you're right, I noticed that tonight when I went to the store and wondered exactly what that cryptic light meant, then it occurred to me that it must be the water in fuel.

steve a

[asavage]

Yup, 1983 OM page 27 shows item 13 as "Fuel filter warning light (Diesel)", and points to the leftmost indicator in the Warning Lights panel. Pg 30 goes on to say:

FUEL FILTER WARNING LIGHT (Diesel engine)
Illumination of the light at any time other than when the engine is being started indicates that the amount of water accumulation in the fuel filter is above the prescribed limit. When this happens, drain the water from the fuel filter as soon as possible or engine damage may result. (Refer to the section entitled, "Draining Water from Fuel Filter").

[davehoos]

I purchased many year ago a racor/finer filter.
the aftermarket filter that had a good primer pump,most dont work.to get the pump i had to buy the filter to suit a 13+ liter engine,about 5 inch dia,i replaced the element recently with a short 2 micron element as it was a little rusty after 20 years.good value..Using an overhead tank on the farm it collects lots of crap,we found that the original genuine filters pass way too much,evedence inside the injector pump including siezed timing control, blocked internal filters[not certian if on the nissan but the mitubishi has gauze strainer].

otherwise i use cav/lucas filters as they are cheep,but flow the fuel backwards,not in the direction on the housing and use a double filter..this is so the crap drops to the bottom and not into the filter material.sound silly to me to drag water through the filter,same deal with the nissan cartridge.some go to the bottom first,others you only get crap in the bottom when the filter is falling apart.some have anti drain back valve same as the oil filters and cant be put on a incorrect flow aplication..ive seen aplications using oil filters,i dont know how much they filter but they were use in hi-fuel use aplications.

i now put an outboard motor boat inline primer bulb,saw these on pugs,but on the return to tank line.these have oneway valves that get blocked.

[asavage]

.ive seen aplications using oil filters,i dont know how much they filter but they were use in hi-fuel use aplications.

Even the very best full-flow oil filters rarely filter particles smaller than 25 microns. Only fuel filters and bypass oil filters filter smaller.