Water Separator Warning Light

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:01 pm

Just pulled in the drive way from a 2.5 hour highway trip and the water separator light came on for 10 seconds and then turned off.
The CRD had it's 25K mile service last month and the fuel separator was changed. I also have a locking fuel cap to deter thieves and pranksters. I have been purchasing fuel at the same truck stop for a year now without any issues as well.
So,
Has anyone had the fuel separator light come on for a few seconds and then turn off, or does it just stay on when it senses water in the fuel filter/separator?

RFCRD · **Posted:** Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:59 pm

DZL_LOU wrote:

Just pulled in the drive way from a 2.5 hour highway trip and the water separator light came on for 10 seconds and then turned off.
The CRD had it's 25K mile service last month and the fuel separator was changed. I also have a locking fuel cap to deter thieves and pranksters. I have been purchasing fuel at the same truck stop for a year now without any issues as well.
So,
Has anyone had the fuel separator light come on for a few seconds and then turn off, or does it just stay on when it senses water in the fuel filter/separator?

Did you try to drain it yet? Thinking with all the rain in the past week maybe got some contaminated fuel, may not even be the retailer's fault. The reason I mention this is at work we have a fleet of smaller buses with the same filter/sensor set-up. I took several calls in the past 3 days for the same thing which is unusual. I think we got some contaminated fuel in the past week. I would see if you get any water out of the drainage fluid (drain it into a glass and let it rest/separate). Try some Power Service to dry it out first with the old filter. Afterwards, you will probably have to replace the filter again.

alljeep · **Posted:** Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:22 am

First, feel down under the fuel filter where the water-in-filter sensor is mounted and see if it's in tight, I think it screws into the bottom. Maybe run a bottle of PowerService 911 through the tank with new fuel. The light should stay on, so..... ???

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:49 am

alljeep wrote:

First, feel down under the fuel filter where the water-in-filter sensor is mounted and see if it's in tight, I think it screws into the bottom. Maybe run a bottle of PowerService 911 through the tank with new fuel. The light should stay on, so..... ???

RFCRD wrote:

Did you try to drain it yet? Thinking with all the rain in the past week maybe got some contaminated fuel, may not even be the retailer's fault. The reason I mention this is at work we have a fleet of smaller buses with the same filter/sensor set-up. I took several calls in the past 3 days for the same thing which is unusual. I think we got some contaminated fuel in the past week. I would see if you get any water out of the drainage fluid (drain it into a glass and let it rest/separate). Try some Power Service to dry it out first with the old filter. Afterwards, you will probably have to replace the filter again.

AllJeep and RFCDR,
Did both of your suggestions, however with my Gorilla hands and all the wires and hoses in that confined engine bay, there were quite a few choice four letter words yelled out in the garage!
There was no water in the filter and the sensor was on properly at the bottom of the filter. So, thinking through the my travels yesterday I did drive through a rainstorm before getting home. My only other guess was that the 5V reference drop across the sensor shorted for a few seconds from being damp or moist from the rain?
I put some silicone based lube in the sensor terminal plugs. Let's hope that dashboard fuel pump with raindrops icon doesn't light up again.

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:05 pm

In my last post, the Water Separator Warning Light was intermittently on and off but that was a disguise that "Libby" was throwing my way. However, this now appears to not point to the fuel filter. As of today at 25K miles, the transmission torque converter is reluctantly downshifting to the point where coming to a stop feels like your running over rumble strips on the highway. Oh, and yes the usual 35 mph muted lug is now more present than ever.
The engine is clattering much louder than usual at idle and it's clatter is not consistent. "Libby" started smoking A LOT today, almost a two packer and there is severe turbo lag.
Oh, and did I mention the Water Separator Warning light playing hide and seek on my instrument panel in the midst of all this?

IMHO, the TCM seems to be causing spurious signals to the ECM which is triggering the the on and off state of the Water Separator Warning Light. No error codes have been thrown.

Diesel Tech at the dealership said that he wants to get this thing fixed correctly. He also agrees that it's not water in the fuel. As of this morning, he will start with a littany of process of elimination steps.
1) Hook ECM and TCM to DRB and check all map values
2) Order new EGR flow control valve
3) Pull Intercooler and either clean or order a new one
4) Take fuel sample
5)???
6)???
At least the dealership was immediately on the ready with a loaner.

Stay tuned..............

alljeep · **Posted:** Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:39 pm

DZL_LOU wrote:

In my last post, the Water Separator Warning Light was intermittently on and off but that was a disguise that "Libby" was throwing my way. However, this now appears to not point to the fuel filter. As of today at 25K miles, the transmission torque converter is reluctantly downshifting to the point where coming to a stop feels like your running over rumble strips on the highway. Oh, and yes the usual 35 mph muted lug is now more present than ever.
The engine is clattering much louder than usual at idle and it's clatter is not consistent. "Libby" started smoking A LOT today, almost a two packer and there is severe turbo lag.
Oh, and did I mention the Water Separator Warning light playing hide and seek on my instrument panel in the midst of all this?

IMHO, the TCM seems to be causing spurious signals to the ECM which is triggering the the on and off state of the Water Separator Warning Light. No error codes have been thrown.

Diesel Tech at the dealership said that he wants to get this thing fixed correctly. He also agrees that it's not water in the fuel. As of this morning, he will start with a littany of process of elimination steps.
1) Hook ECM and TCM to DRB and check all map values
2) Order new EGR flow control valve
3) Pull Intercooler and either clean or order a new one
4) Take fuel sample
5)???
6)???
At least the dealership was immediately on the ready with a loaner.

Stay tuned..............

Keep us informed. This is Kahlo up in Noblesville right? I want to make sure I end up at a dealership that at least tries when the eventual problems happen to me as well...

RFCRD · **Posted:** Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:27 am

If you get a chance to talk to the tech or watch the work, still want to know how the intercooler is removed.

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:27 am

RFCRD wrote:

If you get a chance to talk to the tech or watch the work, still want to know how the intercooler is removed.

I'm going over to Champion CJD this morning with two boxes of Dunkin Doughnuts for the service crew. I figure more can be gotten in co-operation with Honey (Sugar) than with Vinegar!
I will talk to my favorite Diesel Tech and get the skinny on the intercooler.
I just feel that the Torque Converter and TCM are really the culprit in this situation, but who knows.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:43 am

Recently I've seen two reports of wires in a position to get chaffed/cut. On my January 06 there's a wire bundle rubbing a sharp edge on the plate the fuel filter is mounted on. Earlier ones have the wire bundle lower where the bracket has a rolled edge to protect it. Another posted about a wire bundle down under the left side of the engine somewhere but I've not looked there yet.

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:48 am

Joe Romas wrote:

Recently I've seen two reports of wires in a position to get chaffed/cut. On my January 06 there's a wire bundle rubbing a sharp edge on the plate the fuel filter is mounted on. Earlier ones have the wire bundle lower where the bracket has a rolled edge to protect it. Another posted about a wire bundle down under the left side of the engine somewhere but I've not looked there yet.

You are correct. The first thing the Diesel tech and I walked through was to take off the Jeep plastic bonnet and closely examine those bundles with a large dentist mirror at those chafing points.
Thanks!

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:10 pm

Two boxes of doughnuts go a long way for a service crew. Now, I'm known on a first name basis with the service department. Keep that in mind!

Wow, we came a long way from the water separator light intermittently coming on and off to where we are in a matter of two days.

The littany of items the diesel tech wanted to do that I listed above were put aside no fault of his own.
The diesel tech had all good intentions but when it came down to doing the work, DCX had to be consulted for warranty approval and consultation.
So items like changing the intercooler and the EGR flow control value that were suggested in my previous post as being problems were not even mentioned.
After a 45 minute call involving DCX and the diesel tech from 4:00 to 4:45pm this afternoon. DCX instructed the tech to replace the torque converter and the front pump in the transmission.
At this point it's going to be at least another 2 days before I can get the "Libby" back.

Stay tuned.....................

alljeep · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:51 pm

DZL_LOU wrote:

DCX instructed the tech to replace the torque converter and the front pump in the transmission.

Sounds like DCX had plenty of experience authorizing and forcing this kind of repair... wonder why... :roll:

This will be where you receive the rumored redesigned transmission pump. I guess the rest of us will have to have the same failure before they put the right parts in as well.

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:15 pm

DZL_LOU wrote:

Just pulled in the drive way from a 2.5 hour highway trip and the water separator light came on for 10 seconds and then turned off.
The CRD had it's 25K mile service last month and the fuel separator was changed. I also have a locking fuel cap to deter thieves and pranksters. I have been purchasing fuel at the same truck stop for a year now without any issues as well.
So,
Has anyone had the fuel separator light come on for a few seconds and then turn off, or does it just stay on when it senses water in the fuel filter/separator?

Well after having the Fuel/Water separator unit replace AS A WHOLE UNIT, at 26,000 miles. Now 5,000 miles later the electrical gremlin is back again and the fuel/water separator indicator light comes on and goes off.
ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!

huxrules · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:36 pm

DZL_LOU wrote:

In my last post, the Water Separator Warning Light was intermittently on and off but that was a disguise that "Libby" was throwing my way. However, this now appears to not point to the fuel filter. As of today at 25K miles, the transmission torque converter is reluctantly downshifting to the point where coming to a stop feels like your running over rumble strips on the highway.

When mine started doing this there was only a few hours of life left in the TC. It's still in the shop (been about 4 days).

KJbob · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2006 11:50 am

DZL_LOU:

That "two packer" comment of yours got a chuckle out of me. :lol:

Sorry to hear about your problems; hang in there.

longarm · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:39 pm

............

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:52 pm

longarm wrote:

Were talking about the Water/Fuel Seperator cannister under the hood right? I have a new one that needs to be installed because I'm at 27.5K miles. Is this easy to change out? I was hoping to do it myself. I have a guy that is going to change the two trannie filters after dropping the pan. I'm replacing the old fluid with AM SOIL synthetic fluid. Any idea on how manny quarts I am going to need for the trannie oil pan?

Yes, the Water/Fuel Separator is easy to do as a do it yourself job. Make sure that you unplug the sensor at the bottom of the canister before you start twisting it off. The twist off portion is the hardest, be prepared for fuel to gush out on the floor.
When you put the new canister back, plug the sensor back into the bottom and make sure to "hand pump" and press about 20~25 times to prime fuel back into filter.

The two transmission filters are easy to replace once the pan is dropped. One is the cannister type which is the return from the sump the other just pulls off and that is the input to the sump. I forget what the capacity is, perhaps someone else can comment on that.

Water Separator Warning Light

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