someones tried stealing my fuel ..

[owas]

Well the other day i went to fill up the disco, no fuel cap and the cap lid looks like its sticking out a lot more then it usually does,
I only had about a 1/4 tank left in there but none was gone, does a disco have an anti syphon valve thing? (I know i always put it back on before anyone asks, never in a rush topping up the tank to full from 1/4 )

Anyway because of the huge gap in the flap, im sure waters in the system, i drained off the fuel filter but cant get the sedimenter off, rounded nut off.

Has started to suffer in performance now, engines gone quieter and doesnt really pull as well (not a massive difference though.)

Will it just burn off the water?

 

[rtbcomp]

Perhaps someone just wanted the cap?

 

[gordon stephenson]

If you don't think there is much water in the tank, I believe there is something you can pour into the fuel to make the water mix with the fuel and pass through the system, Have no personal knowledge of how well it works,

 

[owas]

Ill have a search for that, there cant really be a massive amount in there as most should have drained away, the hole is at an angle
but water did drain out of fuel filter tap thing so is some in there.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I doubt whether any significant amount of water has got into the tank plus the fuel pickup is normally above the base level to avoid picking up crud.
You can get condensation forming on the insides of fuel tanks which can contaminate the fuel, its one of the reasons to try and keep the tank full, offset against the affect on the MPG of carrying the weight of the fuel around.

 

[owas]

I typically fill it back up to full around the 1/4 mark, usually higher though.

Just checked how easy it is to open without a key,
All i had to do was put a screw driver in the key hole and lift the hinge a little to clear the lock , took all of a few seconds to open no point it even being there.

Btw not a clue how long its been off, couldve been weeks for all i know as i had head issues for a bit leaving my car parked up so been a while since last fill up, so a fair bit of a water could have got in.

 

[pedrobedro]

Same as Wendel I doubt if there will be much water getting in the filler even if you left the cap off completely there would have to be a constant stream of water running down the side of the body and rain doesn't perform like that. There's always some water from condensation if you don't keep the tank full but the filter catches that and you can drain it off. I used to have an old van and you could hear the ice bumping round in the fuel tank when it froze but it never affected performance.

 

[moose]

There is a thing called diesel bug that actually lives in the water/diesel in the tank, this normally happens in vehicles like horse boxes, and campers vehicles that are not used all the time, boats suffer with it as well for the same reason, possibly not in Owas case, but in vehicles that do not have a large turn over of diesel and not kept to the top, it is mainly from condensation.

You can buy treatment that goes in the tank, but if it is untreated it will block fuel filters and it will not matter how many times they are changed it will continue until the complete system is cleaned out

 

[Spark plug]

Don't forget about the sediment/water trap under the rear on discoveries. They can cause all sorts of fuel related probloems.

 

[Bill Edwards]

The water won't burn off, it'll either sit in the tank or get caught in the sedimenter.

You'll have to change the sedimenter really, that would be my first place to go and should be done as part of maintenance anyway. LR weren't thinking when they fitted it in the rear wheel arch.

There will be far less water in the system than you think.
Water makes paper fuel filters swell and block up. If it got through the filter engines normally just stop and won't go until you get it out. Don't worry though, that's just background information. Change the sediment collector and have a spare to hand if you're worried.

 

[octo0072000]

Don't forget about the sediment/water trap under the rear on discoveries. They can cause all sorts of fuel related probloems.

most people do away with the sediment/water trap up near the tank if it's not pulling well change the fuel filter
it should also have a drain on the bottom of it

sediment/water trap will brake when you try to get it off so either buy a new one or a piece of pipe to repair it with

 

[Barking Mat]

Diesel oil sits on water, you won't pull it through until your near the bottom of the tank, if this happens, you will grind to a halt, as water don't burn, the water will then sit in the cylinders, aggrevated by continual trying to start it, water in cylinders left a fortnight will cease an engine and badly damage your injection pump. I'd drain the tank, diesel bacteria grows on the interface between the diesel and the water, looks like coffee grains in the bottom of the tank. If you are suddenly experiencing a lack in performance since the cap was off I would imagine water in the fuel. I killed a vehicle when someone nicked my petrol cap, water got in,ground to a halt, got round to it two weeks later to a ceased engine. Not ideal.

 

[Barking Mat]

Diesel bacteria can easily be treated with additives, watch out for garages which don't sell a lot. We have a 3000 litre diesel bowser and treat it annually.

 

[owas]

Any names for the treatment to put in?
Ill attempt to get the sedimenter off again tomorrow, absolute PITA with how rusty the thing is, also no 'tap' on the bottom so someone else must have tried too ..

i taped off the fuel flap with duct tape to stop any more water getting in till i can get a cap (Wednesday) and changed the fuel filter which did have some water in it when i drained the tap.

performance seems to be back when i drove it today but the engine definitely sounds quieter and vibrates less then it used to, but that could be a completely different issue lol.


Edit -
Will this do?

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...fuel-oil-additives/stp-diesel-treatment-200ml

 

[Barking Mat]

Has it been raining a lot ? It won't get rid of the water, or treat bacteria, it's a general diesel potion. Drain the tank is my advice then you can check for bacteria. It takes a while, for bacteria to form, my guess it's just water in the tank. You'll kick yourself if your engine ceases. I've said my lot. Read my signature for reassurance if you don't want to take your tank off.

I can't see how any additive will remove water.

 

[julianf]

Iirc the sedimenter should have a drain on the base, but you would be I'll advised to actually use it. A spanner on the top should drop the bowl.

Also if you lift the carpet in the back, there's a hatch in the floor. The top of the tank is easy enough to open, but watch out for the unions on the lines. They will be rusted and you may break the metal pipe.

Most spin on filters have drains also.

It would need a lot of rain at just the right angle to get any real amount in the tank - look at the cap angle etc some more and decide if you are u sure you really need to be worried?

 

[norlander]

I'm not being funny-I know I post some daft comments-but maybe the object who nicked the fuel cap emptied his bladder into your tank-it has been known, if the non return disc thing in the filler neck is dodgy, it could be a possibility.
Water can get past the flap even when its working ok.
I was told a petrol engine can deal with some water in the fuel, but for diesel its not good-I don't know why.
Anyway, good luck in sorting it, hope all goes well.

 

[julianf]

Im told -

Small amounts of water can cause cavitation (due to pockets of boiling?) in the injection pump, and result in localised pitting?

...but again, the disco has the sedimenter, and the larger than average fuel filter (with a drain) so im dubious if a bit of rain will cause much of an issue. A bladder full of urine might be different, but there's two factors there - somone would (i hope) only entertain that idea if they were pretty drunk, and, if they were that drunk, i think they may have dexterity issues, due to the height of the filler cap etc.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

What a bunch of Doom Sayers!
Poor bloke has his fuel filler cap missing and you lot are telling him that someone's micturated in his tank and that his engine is going to seize.
Remind me not to mention on here any aches that I have or you lot will be telling me I have The Black Death!

 

[owas]

Ive duct taped around the filler cap so no more gets in,
Could i not just keep draining the filter for a few days?

I am actually buying another disco too soon so this could just end up in parts if it does hydrolock

Saying that, My fuel pump stop solenoid wire came off at 40 mph the other week, loosing all power in a disco isnt fun