What component within a diesel engine fuel system is most susceptible to damage from water contamination, and how does this damage typically manifest?

Within a diesel engine fuel system, the fuel injectors are most susceptible to damage from water contamination. Fuel injectors are precision components designed to deliver a precisely metered amount of fuel into the engine's combustion chamber at high pressure. They have very small internal clearances and highly polished surfaces to ensure accurate fuel delivery and proper atomization (breaking the fuel into a fine spray). Water contamination in diesel fuel causes several types of damage to fuel injectors. First, water causes corrosion, or rust, of the injector's internal compon....