Water /fuel seperator really needed???
 

How many of you run WITHOUT a water/fuel seperator in your fuel system, and what have been your experiences in doing so? Thanks

I personally believe that in any boat today running without a quality, properly sized fuel/water seperator would be bordering on engine suicide.
1. Just about all gasolines everywhere now contain ethanol and its propensity to gather moisture and seperate is an all the time fact. That moisture in fuel systems, carburators, pumps, injectors, etc. is an accident looking for a place to happen!
2. The quality of fuels today is getting worse and many fuel docks today have "junk in their trunks"!
3. Paticulate matter in fuel tanks is pretty much always there and only a good 10 micron or less fuel filter will keep this "stuff" where it belongs, in the filter!

Just kind of remember to use a quality unit with proper micron size and capacity to feed your engines power/size with the correct gallons per hour rating and the bigger size and bottom petcock drain that will keep filtering between changes for most moisture and debis exposures.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

DITTO DITTO same here at lake of the ozarks....

Have one on each engine before the fuel pump, change the filters every year and there is always some water in them. Better safe then sorry!!

Just wondering outloud>>>>>If you are Already running a 10 and a 100 micron filter and regularly checking /draining, how much added benefit is it really?

Why would you want to eliminate that anyway, what's it hurting? Whats it saving? Those other filters are not keeping out water. I say go for it if you want to and let us all know how you make out. Personally I'm keeping mine.

Isn't the gas you put I your truck the same gas you put in your boat when filling up on land??? I don't see vehicles with separaters and for 99.9% of time water in gas is not a problem. Why the difference?

the differences are :

1) the gas station pumps 200,000 gallons a month... the marina a 1/10 of that... maybe .... and in the winter, all that gas just sits around waiting for spring.

2) the gas station tanks are inspected all the time by agencies you never heard of...marinas are notorious for having lousy storage because of their proximity to sea level

3) where are you going to get stuck when your motor shut off ? it aint like pulling off the edge of the road and calling triple AAA...

if a separator was 5000 $ and the filters were 750 $ i might understand the point of this question... but considering the fact that they are a dirt cheap completely passive device requiring roughly the same maintainance effort as emptying the ashtray in your car, i would have to say that it would be a monumentally stupid idea to run without it.

x2 I would not take it off never never.

In addition to what stevesxm said don't forget that most of the fuel systems in boats are vented to atmosphere which allow fresh air to enter the fuel tanks along with moisture. The ethanol in these new blends of fuel love to absorb moisture out of the air and turn it into water in the tank. This along with natural condensation taking place in the tank will produce water in your tank, guaranteed!