Water in diesel

[Jez]

I have had the above light flickering on. I have a couple of drums I normally keep full and keep in garden to top up diesel now and again. Could any rainwater get in and cause the light to come on? Is this going to cause damage to car?

[Dave Burns]

If water consistently gets into the injection pump it will damage it eventually, its unlikely to get that far though as water is heavier that diesel and it enters the filter at the bottom, the filtered fuel leaving via the top makes it difficult for water to go the distance.
Play it safe and use fresh fuel, stored fuel can become infected with microbial growth, and that will cause damage if you get it in your tank.
Dave

[NiSk]

Your problem is caused by condensation, both in the car's fuel tank and in your drums when they aren't completely full. the difference in temperature between daytime and nightime is sufficient to cause the humidity in the warm are to condese out when the temperature drops at night.
Make sure you empty the water trap on the fuel filter regularly if you keep getting this trouble. otherwise it can become expensive (ref Dave Burns's comment)!
//NiSk

[frankie]

Mine flickers on and off, usually when the engine & outside air are hot. I used to draw some diesel off to check but there is never any trace of water in it, methinks the sensor is kaput.
xan 1.9td 1995 95k