Fuel water separator

billyb33

Cadet
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
28
If I use strictly non ethanol gas does a fuel water separator provide any benefit?
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 20, 2008
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12,345
Non E fuels don't collect moisture as E hydroscopic fuels does, unless you're already buying non E fuels contaminated with water from your favorite gas station. If running portable fuel tanks and burning the most of it on that outing, don't need one. Like running fresh fuel for best OB performance.

Happy Boating
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,708
The difference is that ethanol fuels will absorb the water...it doesn't attract the water. A water separator filter will not filter out water that has been absorbed.
 

Sea Rider

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Sep 20, 2008
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12,345
Absorbed water on E fuels will eventually separate once on tank and drop to tank's bottom due to water being heavier, right ? In such case it's a must install one or water will be the first liquid that fuel pump will suck. If not, what's the use to count with them ?

Happy Boating
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,708
Absorbed water on E fuels will eventually separate once on tank and drop to tank's bottom due to water being heavier, right ?
Only if the fuel reaches it's saturation point where it can't hold anymore water.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
16,789
The difference is that ethanol fuels will absorb the water...it doesn't attract the water. A water separator filter will not filter out water that has been absorbed.

but "water" that has been absorbed will burn.....its not until the you hit the phase stage that you run into trouble.

FWIW: I've only had "water" in my fuel once since the conversion to E-10 roughly 10-15 years ago. The result of a freak combination of the boat leaning to one side on the trailer, 5 straight days of heavy rains and a self ventilating fuel cap in a recessed area in the gunwall.

I didn't put two and two together after pumping a gallon of water off the bottom of the tank the first time. The second time it happened, 3 days later, pretty obvious I had a problem. A Goggle search pointed to the problem with the cap. Found a service bulletin related to the issue. A $10 fix
 
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