Archived Yellow and brown stuff in the fuel tank...

[grimesja]

I have noticed my fuel pressure dropping over the last several weeks. Today, I was sitting at a signal light and the fuel pressure slowly went from 9 PSI to 0 PSI and woulld not climb back up. I shut it off and ran the lift pump for the duration the pressure creeped up to 9 psi but as soon as I started the truck it quickly dropped to 0 psi. I assumed the lift pump was bad. I dropped the fuell tank and much to my surprise, the strainer is clogged with sticky brown gunk. I drained the tank, there is a heavy yellow to dark brown heavy film on the inside of the tank. I used some gasoline and it seems to clean it up. Does anyone know what this it. The gasoline makes it come off in clumps. However it is impractical to try to clean the whole tank with gas, my arms aren't that long. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions, what this is. I was told it might be algea, I don't really know what the stuff looks like in diesel. I hope this is not algea, because I have 300 gallons in a storage tank. If it is algea how do I treat it.

 

[KLauber]

Are you using straight diesel or an alternative fuel?

Ken

 

[KLauber]

Also there are several biocide additives you can buy to kill algae in the 300 gal tank. SUnlight is bad or the tank, it should be stored inside or in a steel tank.

 

[HBarlow]

Have you been using fuel additives?

 

[grimesja]

It is straight diesel, no bio-fuels. The 300 gallons is currently in a plastic cube, exposed to the sun. We were working on the 500 gallon steel tank. I use Standyne in my truck, nothing in the storage tank. This is the first time I have had this issue.



So I assume this is algae, what is the best way to clean the truck tank...

Should I run a bio-cide in the truck tank for awhile?



What is a good bio-cide for the killing the algae in the storage tank?



Thanks for the help.

 

[Joe G.]

You can get a good biocide at a marine hardware store. Algae is a common problem with boats. Even after you kill it you will still need to filter it out. When I had a commercial fish boat I bought fuel filters by the case to get rid of the dead algae.

 

[grimesja]

I'll go by West Marine today. The problem with our trucks is that if you using the OEM tank module, it will clog before the filters... that of course is a tank drop

 

[billmac1]

I had a similar problem last summer. I had dropped the fuel tank on my truck to install a draw straw and I discovered algae/fungi. This stuff was black and tan and it was in little blobs. The bottom screen on the fuel tank module was 75% covered with the junk and there was a small amount on the inner screen. I ended up cleaning the inside of the tank; then I changed the fuel filter and found some more in the fuel bowl. I looked at several biocides and ended up buying the Racor Diesel Biocide product primarily because of the price and that it could be had in a 16oz container, which treats 1,280 gals. I did the "shock" treatment, 1 oz to 34 gals. of fuel; then I did two follow-up treatments at 1/2 oz per tank. The product is suppose to treat 80 gals. with 1 oz. , so it's very potent. I plan to do a " once a year" maintenance treatment after this episode. After the last 1/2 oz treatment, I replaced the fuel filter again and everything was clean so I'm assuming the biocide worked.



I'm very surprised that the truck had this issue. I bought it new and I have changed the fuel filter once a year or 12,000 miles. I never saw any evidence of algae/fungi.

 

[grimesja]

Thanks for the referral of Racor. It looks like the majority of the stuff is confined to the tank and inner screen. I check my Racor 500 water seperator and my filter. I bleached the tank allday today and that seemed to kill the stuff in the tank. I'll buy the bio-cide just to be on the safe side in the truck and I have 300gallons in storage to treat. I took a sample today and it appears to be contaminated. Evidently the algae grows quickly. I just cleaned the tank in December after a pump issue.

 

[Joe Mc]

I hate to even think this would happen - sugar? I know sugar in "gas" doesn't dissolve and wreaks havoc on the system. But, I've never heard what happens to sugar in diesel. I have had a locking caps on all my autos because about 15 years ago someone that didn't have the balls to confront me decided to screw with my Toyota and with the cost of fuel a locking cap is piece of mind / cheap insurance.

I hope its not sugar in your tank.