How to Install the S102XK Fuel Water Separator Sensor Kit

For those with a Fuel Water Separator, the new Ryco S102XK Fuel Water Separator Sensor Kit is the perfect addition, allowing for remote filter monitoring via Bluetooth for early detection of water contamination in fuel. The kit features the new Ryco S100X Bluetooth Sensor Module and Ryco S102X Fuel Water Separator Sensor, and when fitted, allows you to connect remotely to your smartphone with the Ryco Connect app or in the cabin with the Ryco S101X Bluetooth Sensor Indicator. The kit is suitable for all common fuel water separator brand filters and features easy installation. This article will provide an in-depth look at the steps involved in fitting the kit, however, as always, we recommend having the kit fitted by a qualified auto-electrician.

Before beginning the install, you will need to have grease or lubricant on hand as well as a heat gun, a wire crimp tool, a wire stripper tool, and a socket wrench or spanner depending on fitment choice.

To start the install, you will first need to select the sensor attachment and gasket that suits your Fuel Water Separator from the S102XK Sensor kit. The kit features three different attachments – One using the Ryco drain bowl thread, one with an M8 thread, and one with a 3/8” thread.

Once you have the correct sensor attachment and gasket, lubricate the o-ring with clean grease or oil and fit onto the water-in-fuel sensor into your selected attachment. Note that this is a push-fit install and is designed to be a very tight fit. 

From there, install the metal clip into the sensor attachment. Be sure to insert the clip into the side of the sensor attachment that features the Ryco logo embossed on the unit. Keep pushing until the clip has gone through and out the slots on the opposite side of the sensor attachment.

You can then fit the sensor attachment gasket onto the thread of the sensor attachment and install the assembled water-in-fuel sensor onto your filter.

To do this, you’ll first need a container placed underneath the old Fuel Water Separator bowl to avoid making a mess. Then, remove the old bowl from the filter and fit the new sensor attachment.

For the Ryco attachment and M8 attachment, tighten 1.5 turns after the gasket contacts the filter. For the 3/8” attachment, tighten between 1 to 1.25 full turns after the gasket contacts.

Next, connect the sensor harness to the assembled water-in-fuel sensor using the appropriate connector end.

Then, route the sensor wire harness neatly around the engine bay, making sure to avoid any high-temperature areas, until you reach the main wire harness. From there, connect the Deutsch connector from the sensor wire harness to the Deutsch connector on the main wire harness that has the blue heat shrink around its wire conduit.

Excess wire on the wiring harness can be coiled up and zip-tied to the side of the vehicle for a cleaner installation.

Next, you can look at wiring up the kit. Start by opening the engine fuse panel and look for a suitable fuse slot that is powered on by accessories only. You can confirm that a fuse is powered on accessories by using a multimeter.

With the ignition key turned to accessories or power on you should see voltage across this fuse. When the ignition key is turned off you should see no voltage. Ensure that the fuse you will be adding the fuse tap onto does not already have any additional circuits. Once a suitable fuse slot is found, select the correct fuse tap that matches that slot’s fuse type. Next, install the correct supplied 5-amp fuse into the top slot on the fuse tap for the S100X Bluetooth Module.

Install the fuse that was in the original fuse slot, which is being tapped for power, into the bottom fuse tap slot. If no fuse was in this slot, install a 5-amp fuse into the bottom slot. Once complete, the fuse tap wire is ready to be installed into the main wire harness. From there, grab the supplied solder sleeve and put the smaller inner diameter side onto the red power wire from the main wire harness.

Remove the excess wire insulation from both the red power wire on the main wire harness and the excess insulation on the fuse tap wire. Next, push and twist together the bare end wires from the end of the fuse tap wire and red power wire from the main harness and move the solder sleeve along the wire where the fuse tap wire and main harness red power wire are connected. Then, use a heat gun or other heat source on the solder sleeve until the clear sections have melted and shrunk to seal the wires, and the low-temperature solder has bonded with the exposed wires.

From there, remove the excess insulation from the black ground wire on the main wire harness and install the supplied ring terminal. You can then use a crimp tool to crimp the ring terminal to the wire and then shrink-wrap the ring terminal until it seals the wire.

The main wire harness can then be zip-tied out of the way or to the side of the engine bay.

With the wiring complete, you can move on to installing the S100X in-engine Bluetooth Sensor module. 

You’ll first need to find a suitable location in the engine bay that is not near the turbo or exhaust system. 

The in-engine Bluetooth module features two holes that can be used for mounting with bolts and being tightened up with nuts.

Once the S100X in-engine Bluetooth Sensor module has been fitted, you will now be able to connect the Ryco Connect App to the sensor. To begin, install the Ryco Connect phone app to your phone via the app store.

Then, turn the vehicle on to power up the in-engine Bluetooth module and open the Ryco Connect phone app. When opening the app for the first time, it will ask for permissions such as allowing location services, Bluetooth, and operating while in the background. Be sure to allow all of these permissions as the app requires them to run while in the phone’s background.

Note that no location data is collected or stored by the app. The app will then proceed to search for the in-engine module to connect to. If the app is unable to find the in-engine module, it could be due to the in-engine module not being fully powered yet. You may need to give the in-engine module a minute or two to power up. Alternatively, check that all the wire harness connectors are connected correctly.

Upon opening the app for the first time, you will need to press the add sensor button and follow the steps to connect to the in-engine module and water-in-fuel sensor. Once a connection is made to the in-engine module, it will detect the water-in-fuel sensor. Press confirm and then the dashboard will show any sensor connected with the app.

From there, press START MONITOR to begin logging data from this sensor in the app. You can swipe a sensor to the left and then press delete to remove a sensor from this screen. Pressing the LOG button in the menu will bring you to a screen showing all logged data from the sensor connected to the in-engine module.

You can swipe to the left and press delete to remove logged data from this list. If you wish to connect to a new device, you can press SETTINGS from the menu bar and then press ADD NEW DEVICE. From the settings screen, you can also register your S102XK device, clear logs, search the help contents, contact Ryco, check notifications and privacy policy as well as delete your registered account.

For remote monitoring of the Bluetooth Sensor Module in the vehicle’s cabin, the Ryco S101X Bluetooth Sensor Indicator can also be fitted. This connects via the traditional auxiliary 12 Volt Power Adaptor or modern USB-A port to provide an audio/visual alert for the S102X Fuel Water Separator Sensor to let you know when the filter needs attention.