Need help fixing a stupid mistake I made two weeks ago

[SylvainG]

So, two weeks ago, before leaving the cottage, I filled the tractor with diesel and when I got back the cottage earlier tonight, I noticed that.... I LEFT THE 12" FUNNEL IN THE FUEL FILLER NECK!!! ARGH!!! WHAT A STUPID MISTAKE! It rained/snowed multiple times in those two weeks. Now for sure there is water in the tank And to think I filled it to prevent humidity to build up lol. It's a Kioti LK30. What do you recommend I do to fix it? Water is heavier so it has to be at the bottom of the tank, right? I'm thinking of closing the fuel valve, opening the fuel filter bottle and drain the water. Once I hit diesel, can I close it back or am I better of draining the whole tank? What about the fuel filter. How can I tell if it's compromised too? I switched the valve off. I notice there is a On Off ATR setting on the valve. What does ATR stands for?

Thanks.

 

[Jstpssng]

If it was mine I would drain the tank by pulling the line off the water separator, flush it as well as I could then add fresh fuel treated with PowerSaver or some other agent. It will be a pain, but nowhere near as bad as having problems when you're in the middle of a project.

 

[mike0000]

We all have or doh moments. If it were mine I wouldn’t feel comfortable until I completely drained the tank and lines.

Mike

 

[SylvainG]

Thanks. I don't think this tractor has a water separator hence why I mentioned the fuel filter. Will that work the same? I Google "PowerSaver Diesel" but came empty. I'm assuming it's an additive to prevent water damage?

 

[JC-jetro]

Noting to beat yourself over, we all have a thing or two out of being in rush or being occupied in our life issues. What I would not do is crank the engine. Most likely the water has not gotten in to you filter/water separator. I would take the rubber hose from the tank fuel pet cock off with the fuel valve closed. Get a 5 gallon bucket and start emptying the tank content while watching for water droplet. I would empty the entire tank. This is an opportunity to clean the tank floor of collected muck. I made a contraption that works like Medical suction used in surgeries or your dentist office to suck up fluid. I used a shop vac but did not want to make my shop vac dirty. you can simply rig it up using a short piece of garden hose. Pic below is self explanatory. Once the tank is clean , i reverse my shop vac and let it blow rather suck, put the shop vac hose in theh tank and let it run to air out the tank to dry any moisture. You might remove the cup in the filter bowl but if you do so then you will have to bleed all the air to your injector that is a pain you know where. It is just a nuisance that you need to deal with.

JC,

 

[grsthegreat]

Diesel Fuel Additive - Power Service

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[Jstpssng]

Thanks. I don't think this tractor has a water separator hence why I mentioned the fuel filter. Will that work the same? I Google "PowerSaver Diesel" but came empty. I'm assuming it's an additive to prevent water damage?

What I called a water separator is actually a filter on your machine... I hadn't looked at the picture very closely.

Noting to beat yourself over, we all have a thing or two out of being in rush or being occupied in our life issues.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe after the OP gets back up and running we can share a few of the dumb moves we've made. I have a pretty good list!

 

[SylvainG]

Noting to beat yourself over, we all have a thing or two out of being in rush or being occupied in our life issues. What I would not do is crank the engine. Most likely the water has not gotten in to you filter/water separator. I would take the rubber hose from the tank fuel pet cock off with the fuel valve closed. Get a 5 gallon bucket and start emptying the tank content while watching for water droplet. I would empty the entire tank. This is an opportunity to clean the tank floor of collected muck. I made a contraption that works like Medical suction used in surgeries or your dentist office to suck up fluid. I used a shop vac but did not want to make my shop vac dirty. you can simply rig it up using a short piece of garden hose. Pic below is self explanatory. Once the tank is clean , i reverse my shop vac and let it blow rather suck, put the shop vac hose in theh tank and let it run to air out the tank to dry any moisture. You might remove the cup in the filter bowl but if you do so then you will have to bleed all the air to your injector that is a pain you know where. It is just a nuisance that you need to deal with.

JC,
View attachment 789007

Thanks. That's a good idea. Emptying the tank it is then.

 

[JC-jetro]

What I called a water separator is actually a filter on your machine... I hadn't looked at the picture very closely.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe after the OP gets back up and running we can share a few of the dumb moves we've made. I have a pretty good list!

If I got a dime for every dumb move I made, then I'd be a millionaire and would not be here talking to you gents, he he.

 

[SylvainG]

These are the instructions to bleed the air from the fuel. If it really is that easy, would the easiest method to drain is remove the filter bowl, open the fuel cock and let the fuel drain, the do this?

8.10.1 BLEEDING FUEL SYSTEM

A. AIR MUST BE REMOVED:​

1. When the fuel filter or lines are removed.​

2. When tank is completely empty.​

3. After the tractor has not been used for a long period of time.​

​

B. BLEEDING PROCEDURE IS AS FOLLOWS:​

1. Fill the fuel tank with fuel, and rotate the fuel cock to the air position.​

2. Start the engine and run for about 25 seconds, and then stop the engine.​

3. Rotate the fuel cock to open position.​

 

[JC-jetro]

Thanks. That's a good idea. Emptying the tank it is then.

You can use the same suction contraption, lower the garden hose to the bottom of 5 gall bucket and let it suck up about a gallon that will have water in it and then you can reuse the rest of the diesel @ about $5 a gallon. By the way hold on to the dirty diesel as you can always use it later on if you need to start a burn pile.

JC,

 

[Jstpssng]

These are the instructions to bleed the air from the fuel. If it really is that easy, would the easiest method to drain is remove the filter bowl, open the fuel cock and let the fuel drain, the do this?

8.10.1 BLEEDING FUEL SYSTEM

A. AIR MUST BE REMOVED:​

1. When the fuel filter or lines are removed.​

2. When tank is completely empty.​

3. After the tractor has not been used for a long period of time.​

​

B. BLEEDING PROCEDURE IS AS FOLLOWS:​

1. Fill the fuel tank with fuel, and rotate the fuel cock to the air position.​

2. Start the engine and run for about 25 seconds, and then stop the engine.​

3. Rotate the fuel cock to open position.​

That's what I would do, as it's the best way to get all of the old fuel from the tank. You might want to siphon as much as you can from the top if you don't feel like waiting for the full tank to run through the lines. I would also invest in a new fuel filter. As long as you don't crank the engine over before refilling, priming it should be easy. Also fill the filter before putting it back together.
It might be more than you need to do but as I mentioned before, I would rather do it now than in May when I'm trying to get the garden rototilled.

And don't ask me how I know that!!!

 

[SylvainG]

Thanks. Only issue is to get a filter this quickly.

 

[dlctcg]

I would just empty the tank as all the others have mentioned, into a clean container & then run some clean diesel though as well (still collecting it). After that I would run it through a "Mr Funnel", treat it & reuse all of it... I've done this on much larger equipment without any issues...

I have multiple Mr. Funnel Fuel Filter Funnels for both gas & diesel, rarely fill a piece of equipment without one... Save me more than a few headaches...

 

[Jstpssng]

Another suggestion for general purposes. I keep a spare fuel filter on hand along with a few other miscellaneous parts.

 

[SylvainG]

I would just empty the tank as all the others have mentioned, into a clean container & then run some clean diesel though as well (still collecting it). After that I would run it through a "Mr Funnel", treat it & reuse all of it... I've done this on much larger equipment without any issues...

I have multiple Mr. Funnel Fuel Filter Funnels for both gas & diesel, rarely fill a piece of equipment without one... Save me more than a few headaches...

I do have such a funnel already

Amazon.ca

Edit: I don't use it much because I find I lose too much diesel trapped in the bottom of the funnel. What do you do with what's trap in the funnel?

 

[SylvainG]

Another suggestion for general purposes. I keep a spare fuel filter on hand along with a few other miscellaneous parts.

I checked and found a NAPA store 25 km away that seems to have in stock the filter. I'll call tomorrow and hopefully I'll be lucky. Good idea to get two instead of one. Might as well get an extra oil filter.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks. That's a good idea. Emptying the tank it is then.

Yes, you have to empty the tank completely. The water will go to the bottom, but who knows how high?
The problem is that tanks don't usually have the fuel feed at the bottom. Often the bottom is irregular and the fuel tap is up half an inch or so to allow for crud to settle I guess. Anyway, the only way to know yo got the water out is to empty the tank completely.

Just as an aside, sometimes you can shine a powerful flashlight into the tank at night and if you see past the beam it will illuminate the water different color from the fuel. This works even better shining from the side if your tank is not completely opaque on the sides - mine has a seam that allows light to shine in.

rScotty

 

[Jstpssng]

I checked and found a NAPA store 25 km away that seems to have in stock the filter. I'll call tomorrow and hopefully I'll be lucky. Good idea to get two instead of one. Might as well get an extra oil filter.

I also keep a spare filter cup on hand. That clear plastic gets brittle over time and can break if a stick comes up and hits it... usually at the most inopportune time.

Again, don't ask me how I know that.

 

[azbinder]

First, I would remove the filter and then disconnect the hose from the injection pump. Drain the fuel completely. Then fill with fresh fuel and flush the lines and filter housing. Reinstall the filter and reconnect hose to pump. Bleed system and start.