What are signs of algae?

[hheynow]

OK then, I'll pick up the Vormax tomorrow for $100, just talked to him. It's brand new, still in the box...he says they used to go for $400. That's not bad, since the Racor was $95 from West.


Is a Vormax durable enough to mount on the frame rail under the cab, where my current sep is,

SWEET DEAL!


Yes. Mine is a reg cab and it's mounted under driver's door outside frame rail. Four plus years and no problems being there. I needed two U brackets for the Vormax so the e-brake cable could be behind it with no rubbing.

 

[oldmisterbill]

Interesting topic.I had never delt with "BUGS" untill I was given a 110 in bed tank.It was steel and I looked inside thru the filler and OMG what a mess-slimy crud every where. I empied it floshed it with water -still slmy-put some gas in it rinsed and flushed & sloshed -still slimy. Then I got real serious - hot water - lots of dawn -bleach -let it sit overnight. Flush put it in the sun to dry. Nice!!! Put a dose of phosporic acid in it soaked it on each side for a while on each side. poured POR 15 in it after I welded a couple seams . worked great! But I learned to completly kill bugs isn't easy. But it can be done & is easier if the tank is removed.

 

[smolkin]

Update: Today I removed the old separator and put the Vormax on. Hopefully it will hold up to water ok, because the only place I could find to mount it without moving alot of stuff around was on the frame rail, where the cab and bed meet:

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BUT IT STILL WON'T IDLE.

It starts fine, and idles, but has a 1-2 second lag on acceleration, and when you let off the pedal it dies. I know all the bubbles are out, and my fuel flow at the filter head is fantastic, better than it's ever been. So it must be the IP. What can I do to try to clean it with it still on the truck? Do I need to take it off and take it to a shop for cleaning?

 

[smolkin]

Bumping this, sorry to be cheesy, but is there anything I can do or check on the IP? I've never removed the top cover, but could it be something there, like the metering valve sticking? If anyone has ideas, I'll try anything at this point. If there is even a slight chance, I'll do it. I really need the truck tomorrow, and I'm on call all next week.

This is what I know:

*IP is newish, only a year old, but past warranty
*Good fuel flow, new lift pump two wks old
*Injectors are old, kinda noisy
*Hesitates on accel, won't return to idle afterward, dies
*But starts and idles ok initially
*Filled filter w/ATF two days ago and ran for 5 sec, then let it sit
*Beginning of last week it ran ok, then went downhill quickly,
leading me to suspect "algae" ; treated tank 2 days ago
*Old w/s removed and Vormax installed today, bled thoroughly

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I've been following this threat only intermittently, so I apologize if this has been tried, have you tried running diesel purge or howes through it at 100% concentration?
I have done diesel purge with several diesels with ip problems. It won't cure the algae in the tank, but it will free up whatever is sticking in the ip.
Also do you have a clear line on the return line from the #1 cylinder to the filter head? Air will also keep it from idling and a clear line there will show bubble if you have an air problem.

 

[smolkin]

No, I haven't tried anything like that since this started. Is that something I'd put into the filter, or would I have to devise a way to run it off just that, like a temporary tank hooked up to the lift pump? Can I get it at an auto parts store?

edit: did a bit of research just now, I see how Diesel Purge works...hopefully it's available locally.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I usually just disconnect the fuel line at the lift pump and stick it in the bottle. Let it run through the whole bottle varying the RPM.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I usually just disconnect the fuel line at the lift pump and stick it in the bottle. Let it run through the whole bottle varying the RPM.

If the return were also routed into the bottle, the cleaning would be more thorough, as the good stuff would not be cycled so quickly back into the tanks.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

If the return were also routed into the bottle, the cleaning would be more thorough, as the good stuff would not be cycled so quickly back into the tanks.

Thats easy to do on the mercedes, but not so much on the ford.
It does work better.

 

[burtcheca]

Reading the description of the problems you wrote I remembered when I was having some troubles about 2 months ago, and many of the symptons you are describing were the same. It was air entering the fuel line at the old factory water separator. Since you are going to add the diesel cleaner you will be able to see if the fuel filter is half empty when to take it out.
Burt.

 

[smolkin]

Still looking for Diesel Purge. Put some Diesel Kleen in the tank, figured it couldn't hurt. I drove it to Wally World last night, had to turn the idle up some more, but it seems to be drivable now. It is definitely not sucking air any more, I've taken the filter off twice and filled it with ATF and the filter was full both times. I think the separator was a big part of the problem, because once you get it going now, it has alot more acceleration. I think that chunks of crud from the tank were clogging it, restricting flow and possibly making it suck air- esp. when I ran B90 in it. I'm looking forward to running a high bio mix again after this, I think it will be much better with the Vormax, I just need to get the IP cleaned out and unstick whatever's stuck in there.

 

[hheynow]

I've taken the filter off twice and filled it with ATF

Yup, ATF is the best kept secret for cleaning up things. ATF on a rag will clean up dried motor oil on an oily engine.

 

[oldmisterbill]

Yup, ATF is the best kept secret for cleaning up things. ATF on a rag will clean up dried motor oil on an oily engine.

SSSHHHH U must be as old as I too know these prized secret recipies .

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

Any updates on your problems?


I tore my filter apart today because it was running a little rough. The stuff on the filter is brown and kind of feels like silicone, its slick. It really dont feel like dirt or anything. I hope this isnt and fungus growing in my tanks! I will try to get a photo of the filter tomorrow.