water in fuel light

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:35

hi,

i just remembered while fiddling with the plastic cover over the clutch mechanism that a cable was loose, connected it back in to the back of the fuel filter housing,

switched car on, and the water in fuel light came on (as i thought it would), anyway, car runs great, and i suspect it is a false alarm, maybe not

i seem to remember that to drain the water from the fuel you open that screw thing over the pipe that goes down to the front and below the car

nothing happens when i open it, could it be blocked? and there could be water inside?

thanks

Unread post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:37

nothing happens when i open it, could it be blocked? and there could be water inside?

Ice, probably

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:39

ice? nooo not here, we've had nothing of the sort, the sun was out today

how much do you have to open it to get something out? could it be blocked by derbis? or would the filter catch that first (as i should).

thanks

Unread post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:46

I don't know about the recent ones but older ones were supposed to trap the water in the bottom of the bowl, away from the filter and the water detector was to alert you so it could be drained before it ever got high enough to reach the filter.

They were notoriously unreliable though, mainly for false positives. Mine flashed up a time or two with no visible water in it.

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:47

i'll check tomorrow, it's probably a false positive then, so if i take the filter out i will see water in the bottom then won't i?

engine runs great though, so can't be much water

Unread post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2010, 22:53

deian wrote:i'll check tomorrow, it's probably a false positive then, so if i take the filter out i will see water in the bottom then won't i?

engine runs great though, so can't be much water

It will run OK - until the water gets through the filter.

After that, not so much

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 04 Jan 2010, 00:02

My old 205's used to suffer from this light coming on, not once was I able to drain water from the filter housing via the front tap, nor see any water in the derv after removing the filter.
On later models PSA removed the sensor which prevents the false alarms.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 04 Jan 2010, 06:30

The old water in fuel indicator was a shocker for "crying wolf" at the very slightest bit of water in the fuel; hence, as Xac says, they deleted it in later models.

It works on the principle that water is conductive and diesel isn't. There are two tiny prongs that poke out into the fuel and if these come into contact with water, bingo, the light comes on.

It really only takes a minute quantity or a tiny bubble.

Best to disconnect it and change your fuel filter regularly.

Diesel will only drain from the drain cock if it's helped along by squeezing the primer bulb whilst the cock is open.

Xantidote · Unread post by **Xantidote** » 04 Jan 2010, 10:41

I have to squeeze the bulb to pressurise system to force fuel/water out. I collect in jar, so as to check for globules of water but never ever found any.

Immediately after I replaced the head gasket a few years ago, the warning light came on a few times, but no water found, and the light gave up flashing me.

KP · Unread post by KP » 04 Jan 2010, 11:48

Also parking the car facing down an incline will help the water settle more in the direction of the drain tap to aid purging. or have the rear on axle stands at full hieght and setting the lever to low should get the required lean..

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 04 Jan 2010, 18:54

ahhh, i forgot about it now, got other things to ffaff about with, i reckon it's a false alarm anyway,

i will try draining by pumping the priming bulb too, thanks for that tip

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 04 Jan 2010, 19:02

Dei,
It WILL keep comming on so often you will get pissed off with it, and LIKE ALL OTHERS simply unplug the sensor again, like it was before..

Paul

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 04 Jan 2010, 19:17

yes, i will do, i'm sure it will be quite annoying at night