Fuel-Water Separator

[SkunkedAgain]

I just remembered the my 3 year old boat has a fuel-water separator. I'm not sure the brand or anything and haven't even looked at it yet. How do you drain them? Is it just a screw-off cap/bowl on the bottom?

This is on an Alumacraft with a 90hp Suzuki 4stroke

[delcecchi]

Mine is a cartridge job that looks like an oil filter. You unscrew it and dump out water, or throw away and put on new one.

[Kyhl]

It could be on the motor too. My Merc came with one under the hood that is plastic and see through so you can see if water is present.

[SkunkedAgain]

Del, mine was exactly like yours. It was just an oil-filter looking deal and it was filled to the top. So once those things fill does it just allow the water to stay in the gas or does the filter have an overlow or weep hole somewhere?

What's the best way to dispose of the "water" that smells like gasoline? I was in a hurry so I dumped it in my yard - but I'm sure that's not legal. Is there a proper disposal method?

[delcecchi]

I don't know how the legally and environmentally sound way to dispose of water mixed with a little gas is. Probably take it to the local hazardous waste site.

Or one could pour it in a pan and let it evaporate until gone, sort of like the directions for disposing of paint.

I don't know what they do when full. Hopefully stop the motor from running until you unscrew them and dump out.

[fishnowworknever]

There shouldn't be THAT much water in there...next time you empty it dump it into a clear glass jar and let it sit for a few hours. You'll see how much water it collected since it's heavier than the petrol and it'll sit on the bottom of the glass jar.

[BartmanMN]

I guess I didn't even think about the water. I think I poured my right into the lawn mower and burned it up. One thing for others who have not done this yet to note is to try and keep the motor as vertical as possible when you spin it off. Any tilt and the gas will spill out of it and into your cowling.

[delcecchi]

Mine is mounted in a compartment in the back of the boat, next to the gas tank. Could be something else under the cowl. I'll have to take a look.

[BartmanMN]

I have Merc optimax. They are all different I'm sure

[SkunkedAgain]

Mine is like delcecchi's setup, a oil-filter-looking device mounted on the transom in my rear compartment next to the gas tank. When I unscrewed mine, there was water/gas spilling out onto my hand because the filter was so full of water/gas.