Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Junk growing in my tank?

[azcummins]

Hey all! Getting cold(er) up here in Colorado country and I think I might be a vicitim of it.



About two month ago, right after i started my truck and was accelerating for the first time, my truck would suddenly cut out like it had lost 50% power, then come back to full after about 2 sec. I changed my fuel filter (looked dirty) and the problem went away. That was about 3 weeks ago. Now my truck is doing it again. I've changed the place I buy diesel from as I felt like I was always sucking from the bottom of the tank (really slow pumping), but I wonder if I might have some junk growing in my tank. I haven't changed my fuel filter again (lazy) so the problem might be that it is clogged again, but I'd like your opinions on alternate possible problems.

 

[FCrawford]

On my 2002 I had a hesitation problem intermittently which seemed like the acceleration pedal was stuck. Turned out the injection pump had a timing problem. New pump and all is ok. I change my fuel filter about every 10,000 miles and have had no problems in 100,000 miles. When I had my 99 Dodge I would try strech it to 14 or 15k miles and sometimes the filter really needed to be changed as the truck would have power problems. Of course you could have bad fuel which has happened to me and a filter change would correct it.

 

[rkressg]

Change the filter

First off, change the filter. Second, how old is your fuel? It could just be the cold causing the fuel to thicken, but it needs to be summer fuel below freezing. I ask for the age because when the EPA made fuel producers lower the amount of sulfer in the fuel, this changed the characteristics of the fuel. Off-road fuel has (or atleast had) a higher amount of sulfer in it. Not only is this sulfer better for your engine (it acts as a lubricant, I love the signs that say "New Low Sulfer Fuel" because it might be better for the environment, but it is worse on the engine internals) it aids in keeping mold from growing in the tank. If low sulfer fuel sits for long periods of time (one month or longer), mold will start to grow in it.



Your fuel could be growing mold, try a different fuel supplier and run a few tanks. The dirty fuel might clog up some more filters,so keep some spares with you. Do not run any fuel system cleaners, they break up the water and the water-fuel seperator (fuel filter) will not catch it. You could have bought fuel after the station recently had their tanks filled, this would have stirred up the crap in the bottom of their storage tanks.



Hopfully, this information will help some.

-Rich

 

[jrobinson2]

I had a problem about 4 years ago with a fungus growing in our storage tanks. The filters looked like they were full of used motor oil, it got so bad it plugged a 3/4" line to a stationary engine.

Our fuel supplier put something in the next delivery, problem solved. Some fuel addatives will kill the fungus.

 

[Ncostello]

If you do suspect algae, buy some Raycor Diesel Biocide (actually a herbicide) for $15 (16oz dispenser bottle). Only takes 2oz for a shock treatment and about 0. 5 oz for an occasional dose. This should kill it and keep it from coming back. It doesn't take much to get algae growing in your tank. Even putting a nozzle in your filler neck that was used on a contaminated semi tank from the Interstate could start the process of fungus growing in your tank, even if the fuel supply was clean. Some say small stations are actually safer (in this respect) than truck stops.

 

[tractorface]

This looked like a good thread to ask my question. I need to put 20 or 30 gallons of fuel in a tank to run a 125kw Cummins powered genset. The genset and remaining fuel will then sit for about 6-8 months before being put into service. What type of additive/fuel can I use to make sure there will be no problems. I have had trouble in the past with junk growing in fuel tanks and don't want similar problems with new equipment.



Engine is a 6CTAA8. 3-G1 (504cu). Kinda funny the fuel filter looks like one of those little deals on a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower.

Thanks Hope this was the right thread for my question.

 

[Ncostello]

The stuff I just mentioned clearly says on the back of the bottle to use it for storage tanks etc. I ordered mine online through a diesel injection service company in Texas. This should work great for you... any biocide for diesel should work.

 

[cap-n-cray]

Fuel Condom?

Even putting a nozzle in your filler neck that was used on a contaminated semi tank from the Interstate could start the process of fungus growing in your tank,

Ncostello,



Does that mean we need a nozzle condom to fill up our truck? Does Geno's stock then? Extra large:-laf :-laf :-laf



I use Racor every other fill up... . no problems yet.



Cary

 

[jrobinson2]

What Ncostello said mine was algae also, not fungus. We treated all tanks one time no more problems.



Jared

 

[Ncostello]

In bad cases (for those who didn't put condoms on their nozzles) the algae-fungus (which ever you contracted) will die from a shock dose of drugs, but there is still the solid mass from the organisms to deal with. So in bad cases, filters may still have to be changed several times.



Do dodge pickup tubes in the tank have a filter screen on the pickup? I've read here its a diaphram. So it could clog up with dead algae anyway and not get filtered out.

 

[JR2]

Tractorface - I would put a dose of the stuff mentioned here to deal with the possibility of alge/fungi/crap and then add fuel additive for lubricity and storage. The guys at work (in the Alaskan oilfields) use Diesel 911 which is made to remove water from the fuel and to depress the pour point.