Water Separator Issue

So about a month ago I got the drain water separator indicator on my dash. When I was trying to get the lever to move the thing broke on me. I started it up to go get a new one from the dealership and I drove all the way over there and all the way back and the light did not come on. I installed the new valve and lever anyway. If I understand correctly there is supposed to be .2 pints of water in the separator when the light comes on and I did not notice any water in my catch can. I didn't worry about it since I drained it and the light went away. A week ago the light came on again so I drained it. Same story, didn't appear to be any water in it but this time the light would not go away. I have done it four times now and the light still comes on about 5 miles into driving. Any idea's what the issue might be? From what I understand these new injectors can get messed up very fast if water goes through them so I am kind of paranoid about this. Could I have a bad sensor? My next step is to change the filter even though I just did it 5k ago but at this point in time I just want to do something for the sake of doing something. Thanks in advance.

sounds like you may have some water/gel balls in the unit. take the filter out, and put your hand up into the filter housing, and you should feel some gel and trash in it. if so just rake it out. now i did this and sprayed some fuel into it just to wash out anything else.

Read this and see if it helps.
http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articles/article-10-02.php

Thanks for the link. I will try that first.

gman1 said:

Read this and see if it helps.
http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articles/article-10-02.php

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I followed this link when I had the same problem. I changed out the sensor while it was apart too.
lots of greasy white gunk in there...

I bet I will find the same thing as you did. I am kind of surprised since I only fill up at Chevron's which from what I have read has really good diesel.

Do remember that these things do usually sit on a lot for sometime with minimal cranking before being purchased

Yeah....... I never thought about that. Mine sat on the lot for 10 months.

If the WIF light comes on, before you have the 11B23 reflash, or you're running a tuner - its too late.

The WIF strategy needs to see six consecutive key-on's with water at that sensor before it trips the light.

Not good.

Big Angry Hillbilly said:

If the WIF light comes on, before you have the 11B23 reflash, or you're running a tuner - its too late.

The WIF strategy needs to see six consecutive key-on's with water at that sensor before it trips the light.

Not good.

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Not sure if I am following what you are saying......... I cleaned the smegma out of the little canister deal and the light went away so all is well.

713Diesel said:

Not sure if I am following what you are saying......... I cleaned the smegma out of the little canister deal and the light went away so all is well.

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He means don't wait for the light to come on. With older calibrations the pcm needs to see WIF 6 times before the light turns on. By then its probably too late. Drain very regularly.

Ahhh I see. How often is it recommended that you drain it? I guess that is kind of an open ended question since I imagine you are kind of at the mercy of where you fill up at. It took almost 100k for mine to come on the first time.

Owners manual says at least once a month.
Ford Performance improver/cetane booster is also a good idea.

What he said.

Once a month at least.

It needs to see water six consecutive times, so if it sees it five consecutive times an not the sixth (truck on an angle or something) it starts the counter over.

It's a poorly designed system. Make sure you have the updated style filters also.