Opened up my Fuel Filter

[DOE-SST]

I had the fuel system from hell a few months ago. The tank was heavily contaminated, with around two GALLONS of algae in it.

I tried all kinds of stuff, including bleach, but the only product that killed AND cleaned effectively was power service Diesel Kleen. I even tried Methyl Ethyl Ketone, very nasty stuff, a strong cleaner, that eats most plastics and crumbles rubber, but it wouldn't budge the algae.

Unfortunately, I used several biocides at first, which killed it, and dissolved it to the point it made it past two filters and into the IP and injectors. The dissolved algae, sitting overnight in the IP and injectors, locked them up as if I had filled them with superglue. The IP was toast. I couldn't get the needles out of the injectors, even after 8 hours of ultrasonic bath in MEK. After 4 hrs of ultrasonic in pure DieselKleen, I got the needles out using a bench vice, vicegrips, and around 50 pounds of pulling force. Had to buy new IP, injectors and replace most of the fuel system.


here's the inside of the fuel tank, the black is algae

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here's the fuel sender/pickup plastic piece, with red/brown algae inside

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here's the same piece after an ultrasonic bath of 50% diesel and 50% Diesel Kleen

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gooooood luck,

It really wasn't any fun.

 

[rhkcommander]

I've used the dieselclean stuff with good results myself. Should probably start using it again... Some dont like it cause of extra smoke, I wonder if maybe thats crud getting burnt out but mine seemed fine with it

I've got an idea too

 

[Full Monte]

Maybe they should require condoms on all diesel pump fillers!

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

Everyone seems to like a different brand of chemical to deal with the fuel bug. From my great amount of reading and little real life experience, a biocide will kill the bugs but then proceed to clog the filters. There is a product called Startron, that claims to transform the bugs into passable, burnable size. Supposedly not clogging up the filters after treatment.

I had the bugs in my Merc, and clogeed my pre filter solid black in about 20 miles. new filter and clogged again. So, I couldn't see buying a biocide that was just going to keep clogging pre filters @ $5 a piece for some unknown amount of time.

I will copy paste from the other forum, what I did to it. My opinion is that the startron worked as advertised, because the filter has not clogged.



I took a fuel pump designed for a refrigeration unit on a semi trailer, and looped it with a pre filter onto the cars supply and return lines. It is designed to run 24/7 and it is rated at 30 gallons per hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECfzMU3Catc

This pump has a built in removable 80 micron screen, then I had the stock Mercedes prefilter. I don't know its micron rating (10?) and I couldn't find it on the web. I let it run for 40 hours, circulating fuel from the tank. I figured 40 hrs * 30 gal per hour is 1200 gallons filtered, divided by 23 gal (tank size??) So theoretically simulates having gone through 52 tanks of fuel.

After that time here is a close up of the screen in the pump, there were also little black specks in the screen.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pQFtpB735S1jZ1PoeWywLQ?feat=directlink

Here is the prefilter, Doesn't look like anything in there...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/u8zlQAs4s4KTyCIyyvojNw?feat=directlink

So, IMO the Startron worked as advertised, as in it did not plug the filter so it must have really transformed the bugs into something small enough to pass and burn...

Maybe Startron is what I need, where can I pick up some?

 

[-=DeanstuD=-]

I got mine at NAPA. There is a store finder upper right corner of their website.

http://mystarbrite.com/startron/

Make sure you get tank cleaner not additive.

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

Thanks, but the additive says it Disperses bacteria and fungal growth, the cleaner dont say anything about that. Ill check my local Napa.

 

[rhkcommander]

Thanks, but the additive says it Disperses bacteria and fungal growth, the cleaner dont say anything about that. Ill check my local Napa.

run 'em both to be safe

Description: Revolutionary Enzyme Fuel Tank Cleaning Additive

Features:
# Exceptional in cleaning sludge and other fuel contaminants from gasoline and diesel tanks
# Removes water that encourages microbial growth in diesel fuel
# Enzyme will clean tanks better than any tank cleaning service
# Exceptional at eliminating varnish and gum "gel" from E-10 gas after a water phase-separation occurrence

Looks like it does

 

[Agnem]

Why is it that crap can live in this fuel, but if we drink it we could die? I can never understand why everything really small seems indestructable, but I can cut myself if I look at a piece of paper wrong.

 

[RLDSL]

I got mine at NAPA. There is a store finder upper right corner of their website.

http://mystarbrite.com/startron/

Make sure you get tank cleaner not additive.

Interesting, I looked up on their site for a dealer locater and in this state and the surrounding handful, only the diesel additive is available, and it's only sold by lawnmower shops, the tank cleaner is not even available I should think if something was really that good, that it would have caught on pretty fast and actually be available.

 

[-=DeanstuD=-]

I have been told that the tank cleaner and additive are the same thing and to buy the tank cleaner as it is cheaper that way per .oz. It was also said that it was 95%?? maybe 75% naptha, but it was the 5% that was what did the duty.

I don't like to give recommendations about snake oils and that is why I DON'T. I did however, experience what I did in the above post and logical deduction tells me it worked as advertised. BUT, I am certainly no scientist and my logic may well be flawed.

I had a rather miraculous result, unbelievable even. That is why I passed it on. So much about snake oil is just opinion or at best hearsay. I had a problem, I got clogged filters. they clogged FAST. I added the product and then set the pump to circulate the fuel. After nearly two days, my filter did not clog. As shown in pictures. Maybe something else happened OTHER than the snake oil doing what it said? I honestly don't know.

 

[rhkcommander]

I should think if something was really that good, that it would have caught on pretty fast and actually be available.

Skepticism has been around for a long time and some are too quick to jump to conclusions. Popularity /= quality either.