Clump of snow fell in my fuel tank!

[dirttoys]

Yes. But the question has moved on: water dispersion vs. water coalescing additives? Apparently most consider it a moot point. Which is my theory: coalescing the water or dispersing it both work as long as the tractor's filter/filtration and bowl function as designed.

Fair question, I always assumed it landed in the sediment bowl and got emptied periodically or the bottom of the fuel tank below the pickup tube, and got cleaned out when everything went to crap.............

Best,

ed

 

[Raul-02]

clump of snow

Anyone who has had to melt snow for drinking water or washing will tell you that there is damn little water in snow. It's mostly air.

 

[rogerson]

Why would you drain the bowl and change the filter for just a little snow falling in. We'd be doing that with every fill up.

I really tolerate no snow in my fuel. I take extra precautions to clean around the filler cap and fuel nozzle and hose to ensure no debris enters the tank. A small amount of snow, probably no harm, and if the tractor is stored outdoors, it will probably turn to ice in the bottom of the tank. However at one point, it will melt and that water will be at the bottom of the tank. And eventually makes its way to the fuel/water separator.

You’re right though, changing the filter every time might be overkill, but emptying the separator bowl is simple.

Speaking from experience, while doing commercial snow plowing, I have had a stalled and stranded tractor in the middle of a parking lot with a frozen fuel filter, miles from home and it’s no fun changing that out while the winds howling about your ears (much more pleasant to change in my heated shop, not to mention wondering if you’ll be able to acquire a filter and get the tractor to restart in the howling cold). The only reason the filter froze was water from somewhere contaminated the fuel. So I choose to be proactive if I can.